If you want to get a gift for someone but don't quite know what to choose, you might consider a gift card. Similar to a gift certificate, the gift card resembles a credit card. A magnetic strip on the back logs the amount paid to purchase the gift card, which the recipient can spend whenever he or she chooses.

Virtually all major stores issue gift cards for the asking. The card must be spent in the store where it was purchased, or if the store is part of a chain, any outlet will redeem the gift card. There is usually no expiration date, and the money does not have to be spent at once. If the purchase is less than the amount of the card, a balance of credit remains. The holder of the card need not keep track, as a quick scan of the magnetic strip at the register will reveal the balance.

How often do we use our credit cards knowing the bills will come later? A gift card feels like a credit card that you never have to pay! This makes it fun to receive and also to spend. A gift card also allows the recipient to do his or her own shopping, getting themselves exactly what they need or want most.

Many types of businesses, including beauty shops and spas, also issue gift cards. Perhaps someone you know could use a makeover or a little pampering. A gift card can invite someone to treat herself to something she would never do for herself, or would put off indefinitely.

With the love affair people have with credit cards, a gift card of any denomination is sure to be appreciated. It can also fit nicely inside a greeting card, and some businesses will even place the gift card in a small elegant box and wrap it with a ribbon. The denomination is also included on an insert so the receiver will know how generous the giver has been.

While each store has its own policies, normally a gift card cannot be exchanged for cash. The value of a returned item that was purchased with a gift card will be added back to the card. If purchases leave a balance of less than US$5.00 remaining on the gift card, the holder might receive change back, if requested, to close the card out. Rules governing these finer points are at the discretion of the issuer.