Is it just me or is there a growing trend of giving gift cards in lieu of wrapped presents? I know I have been buying more gift cards lately, sneakily disguising them by wrapping them up in large boxes filled with tissue. Because really, who doesn't love unwrapping a gift? All that excitement building up and the instant relief once you've opened your gift only to find not another pair of socks but rather, something that brings greater joy - the gift of shopping! It's like the gift that gives twice, I say. Over the holidays, I had received a few prepaid gift cards myself, which have come in handy recently. Here is my latest online purchase full of teacher supplies and one item in particular that I have been coveting for the longest time.
Why, yes I did! I bought myself my own personal thermal laminator. Can you blame me? It was 30% off on Amazon.ca and seeing that we no longer have a laminator at our school, this will come in quite handy. I purchased a set of 100 laminating pouches to go with it and I can't wait to test it out. I also threw some Sharpie pens into my shopping cart since they were on sale at 60% off and because, well... they're a teacher's best friend. And then I made sure to pick up some refills for my Brother PT-1090 Label Maker that I have been using a lot more lately to help me get better organized at work. Finally, I took the remaining balance and put it towards an Apple Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter from BestBuy.ca so that I can finally hook up my MacBook to the school projector. I'm not sure why I waited this long. I guess the prepaid gift card made it more worth my while.
If you've never used a prepaid gift card before, you'll be delighted to know that they are very convenient and easy to use. These open loop prepaid cards function in a similar way to credit or debit cards, and offer the same fraud and loss protections. You can use them online, over the phone or anywhere in the world the card is accepted, all the while avoiding interest charges and overdraft fees. This means that you aren't limited to shopping at one single retailer. As a bonus. prepaid cards are reloadable. Who knew? They are also a great way to teach your teens about budgeting and setting limits. I love them not only for their convenience but because they also fit perfectly in my new iPhone case by Bandolier.
Discover more about open loop prepaid cards by visiting the Canadian Prepaid Providers Organization (CPPO).
- Wednesday, January 27, 2016
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