Comments on: How The American Express Gift Card Became the Bane of My Existence http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/ Everything About Money You Were Too Polite To Ask Wed, 22 May 2013 04:06:44 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jenn@twitter http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-9399 Jenn@twitter Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:49:08 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-9399 @Holden Cauliflower You know, 95% of the time the comments here are one big pile of awesome, and then occasionally it's like one person gets their hate on about someone being ungrateful (that's usually the trigger, anyway) and it's like it seeds this whole awful pile-on. But this is the only place (besides the Hairpin) where I even allow myself to read the comments, because most of the time the community is really nice. (Or maybe I just normally get here before the yuckiness starts?) @Holden Cauliflower You know, 95% of the time the comments here are one big pile of awesome, and then occasionally it’s like one person gets their hate on about someone being ungrateful (that’s usually the trigger, anyway) and it’s like it seeds this whole awful pile-on. But this is the only place (besides the Hairpin) where I even allow myself to read the comments, because most of the time the community is really nice. (Or maybe I just normally get here before the yuckiness starts?)

]]> By: Jenna Quaranta@facebook http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-9200 Jenna Quaranta@facebook Sun, 08 Jul 2012 02:53:55 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-9200 @triplea Uhhh, she CLEARLY said that there is no way to register them online. @triplea Uhhh, she CLEARLY said that there is no way to register them online.

]]> By: Holden Cauliflower http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-9193 Holden Cauliflower Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:17:49 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-9193 @Jenn@twitter Agreed. Sometimes I hate the Billfold (and that sometimes is anytime I actually click into the comments from google reader). @Jenn@twitter
Agreed. Sometimes I hate the Billfold (and that sometimes is anytime I actually click into the comments from google reader).

]]> By: Holden Cauliflower http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-9192 Holden Cauliflower Sat, 07 Jul 2012 18:15:13 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-9192 @MuffyStJohn Not being able to check the balance is a pretty big inconvenience imo. @MuffyStJohn
Not being able to check the balance is a pretty big inconvenience imo.

]]> By: melis http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-9045 melis Thu, 05 Jul 2012 19:59:19 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-9045 @aetataureate IT'S <B>KIDULTS</B> GODDAMMIT @aetataureate IT’S KIDULTS GODDAMMIT

]]> By: Jenn@twitter http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-9028 Jenn@twitter Thu, 05 Jul 2012 17:50:34 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-9028 @Deborah Kim@twitter Hey, I totally wouldn't have thought of using my Square that way. Thanks for sharing! @Deborah Kim@twitter Hey, I totally wouldn’t have thought of using my Square that way. Thanks for sharing!

]]> By: Andie@twitter http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-8958 Andie@twitter Wed, 04 Jul 2012 22:59:22 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-8958 Why didn't you just use the cards to pay for your trip? Even thought you keep saying you're grateful, you're not really. Why didn’t you just use the cards to pay for your trip?

Even thought you keep saying you’re grateful, you’re not really.

]]> By: Deborah Kim@twitter http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-8955 Deborah Kim@twitter Wed, 04 Jul 2012 17:56:22 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-8955 Err, not to sound like a marketing robot. Thanks for sharing, Alexandria! Err, not to sound like a marketing robot. Thanks for sharing, Alexandria!

]]> By: Deborah Kim@twitter http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-8954 Deborah Kim@twitter Wed, 04 Jul 2012 17:55:02 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-8954 I've never been given a AmEx giftcard, but I HAVE gotten Visa/MasterCard giftcards before, which let you register online. Yay. But I also had the incredibly annoying problem of insufficient funds since a lot of online vendors are like "hey, um, your card was declined, SORRY." A solution that worked for me: I resorted to Square (squareup.com) and transferred the balances to my bank account, less Square's transaction fee. I lost a few bucks in the process, but it was totally worth it to get rid of the cards and keep most of the money! I’ve never been given a AmEx giftcard, but I HAVE gotten Visa/MasterCard giftcards before, which let you register online. Yay. But I also had the incredibly annoying problem of insufficient funds since a lot of online vendors are like “hey, um, your card was declined, SORRY.”

A solution that worked for me: I resorted to Square (squareup.com) and transferred the balances to my bank account, less Square’s transaction fee. I lost a few bucks in the process, but it was totally worth it to get rid of the cards and keep most of the money!

]]> By: Katzen-party http://thebillfold.com/2012/07/how-the-american-express-gift-card-became-the-bane-of-my-existence/#comment-8952 Katzen-party Wed, 04 Jul 2012 16:59:20 +0000 http://thebillfold.com/?p=7619#comment-8952 @Genghis Khat Oh, I worked at a nationwide chain of big box stores and we always had to know exactly how much was on the card to run it without getting a decline, but that was about five years ago, so maybe things are different now. I personally also had difficulty using mine at JC Penney (ugh, I know, but I was trying to use it to buy bras) last year in a split tender transaction. So maybe some systems/stores (not to mention individual cashiers...) are better than others. @Genghis Khat Oh, I worked at a nationwide chain of big box stores and we always had to know exactly how much was on the card to run it without getting a decline, but that was about five years ago, so maybe things are different now. I personally also had difficulty using mine at JC Penney (ugh, I know, but I was trying to use it to buy bras) last year in a split tender transaction. So maybe some systems/stores (not to mention individual cashiers…) are better than others.

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