Rebate: Fill & Download for Free

Here are the best cashback shopping sites to get money.Rakuten (formerly eBates)eBates (now Rakuten) is a name that epitomizes cashback online shopping!They have even been featured on The New York Times, CNN, Good Housekeeping, and The Wall Street Journal numerous times. They even have ads on TV.Rakuten has a huge list of stores (about 2000) you can shop and get cashback from. They offer some of the highest cashback percentages in the industry – as high as 40% for select stores. According to the site, they have paid more than $100 million cashback to their users so far.LemoneyLemoney is a rather unknown cashback shopping portal that I think more people should know about.The portal contains 100’s of stores including popular retailers like eBay, JCPenney, Sephora, QVC, Expedia, and more.There is also a deal section where you can find great deals and coupons for Amazon, Target, Walmart, and many other online retailers.Lemoney has a program known as Turbo Cashback through which you can earn as much as 50% cashback. It’s basically a special promotion where you earn higher cashback rates than usual.Here are a few examples of current cashback you can earn with Turbo Cashback:Norton: 50%Walmart: 13.2%1-800 Flowers:38%Macy’s: 18%Once you have $25 in your account you can redeem your earning which is paid to you via PayPal.One of the best features of Lemoney is its referral program known as C-Bonus where you earn money for every friend you invite to the program. What’s more, is that the more your friends spend the more C-Bonus you earn.This is a win-win situation for both you and your friends. Your friends earn cashback on stuff they were going to buy anyway, you earn a commission for essentially helping your friends get paid for shopping.Mr. RebatesMr. Rebates is one of the oldest rebate sites around.They also offer big cashback. For example, at the time of this writing, you can get 7% cashback on Amazon.What I like about Mr. Rebates is that they have a low cash out threshold of just $10.Once you reach $10 you can request a payment. And you have three options when it comes to getting paid:PayPalCheckGift cardsQuickRewardsQuickRewards is not very well-known but has a very loyal user base who love the site and the way it treats its users.It’s a site like Swagbucks. Not only you earn cashback, but you can also earn free money and gift cards by taking surveys, watching videos, doing offers, visiting websites, and more.I have been using this site for years and I have always been amazed at how quickly they process payments. There were many occasions where I received my PayPal payments within 15-20 minutes of putting in a withdrawal request. They only accept members from the U.S., UK, and Canada.UpromiseIf you’re a college student, a parent or guardian of a college student, or a family member of a student, then you might want to check out Upromise.Upromise is a loyalty program, except it’s designed to help students and their families to pay for college. With the program, you get cashback on everything from grocery shopping to traveling. Once you register with Upromise, you can earn cashback from the company’s partners. Here’s a quick overview of the different ways you can get cash back from Upromise:

Now that we’ve covered how cashback websites work and how they pay, let’s take a look at some of the best platforms around for earning cashback.To me, the top rebate sites have a few qualities:They have a big list of merchants you can shop from.They give you more cash back than other sites.They make it easy to withdraw your earnings.They give you cash back on everything you buy from a store and not just a few big items.So, I did some research and found the following sites to be the best ones based on the criteria outlined above.Note: While most of these sites are based in the USA, some do operate thus accept members from a few other countries such as the U.K., Canada, and Australia.Not only have we included some of the best cashback sites below, but we’ve also included apps and browser extensions that offer rebates.Here are the best cashback shopping sites to get money.1. Rakuten (formerly eBates)eBates (now Rakuten) is a name that epitomizes cashback online shopping!They have even been featured on The New York Times, CNN, Good Housekeeping and the Wall Street Journal numerous times. They even have ads on TV.Rakuten has a huge list of stores (about 2000) you can shop and get cashback from.The offer some of the highest cashback percentages in the industry – as high as 40% for select stores.According to the site, they have paid more than $100 million cashback to their users so far.They are currently offering a $10 sign up bonus for new members.2. LemoneyLemoney is a rather unknown cashback shopping portal that I think more people should know about.The portal contains 100’s od stores including popular retailers like eBay, JCPenney, Sephora, QVC, Expedia and more.There is also a deal section where you can find great deals and coupons for Amazon, Target, Walmart and many other online retailers.Lemoney has a program known as Turbo Cashback through which you can earn as much as 50% cashback. It’s basically a special promotion where you earn higher cashback rates than usual.Here are a few examples of current cashback you can earn with Turbo Cashback:Norton: 50%Walmart: 13.2%1-800 Flowers:38%Macy’s: 18%Once you have $25 in your account you can redeem your earning which is paid to you via PayPal.One of the best features of Lemoney is its referral program known as C-Bonus where you earn money for every friend you invite to the program. What’s more is that the more your friends spend the more C-Bonus you earn.This is a win-win situation for both you and your friends. Your friends earn cashback on stuff they were going to buy anyway, you earn commission for essentially helping your friends get paid for shopping.3. Mr. RebatesMr. Rebates is one of the oldest rebate sites around.They also offer big cashback. For example, at the time of this writing, you can get 7% cashback on Amazon.What I like about Mr. Rebates is that they have a low cashout threshold of just $10.Once you reach $10 you can request a payment. And you have three options when it comes to getting paid:PayPalCheckGift cardsAnd they give you a free $5 sign up bonus just for joining.4. QuickRewardsQuickRewards is not very well-known but has a very loyal user base who love the site and the way it treats its users.It’s a site like Swagbucks. Not only you earn cashback, but you can also earn free money and gift cards by taking surveys, watching videos, doing offers, visiting websites and more.I have been using this site for years and I have always been amazed at how quickly they process payments. There were many occasions where I received my PayPal payments within 15-20 minutes of putting in a withdraw request.They only accept members from the U.S., UK, and Canada.5. UpromiseIf you’re a college student, a parent or guardian of a college student, or a family member of a student, then you might want to check out Upromise.Upromise is a loyalty program, except it’s designed to help students and their families to pay for college.With the program, you get cashback on everything from grocery shopping to traveling.Once you register with Upromise, you can earn cashback from the company’s partners.Here’s a quick overview of the different ways you can get cashback from Upromise:Online ShoppingYou can get 5% cashback when you shop online through the Upromise shopping page. Upromise has partnered with more than 850 stores, so there are plenty of cashback options to choose from.DiningYou can get 2.5% cashback on your total bill at restaurants. This cashback includes tax and the tip.What’s great about the dining cashback is that there are more than 10,000 participating restaurant locations on offer. Just make sure that you register a credit or debit card with Upromise, and then use the card you registered to pay at a participating restaurant location. You can find local restaurants here.TravelThrough Upromise, you can also get cashback when you book hotels through the program’s travel partners. You can get 5% cashback.Just click on the travel partner or offer that you’re interested in on the Upromise website. You’ll then be taken to the travel partner’s website, where you can book your trip as you normally would – then you’ll get the cashback. Learn more about it here.Grocery Shopping and Drugstore ItemsGetting cashback on groceries is great because we all have to buy them!That’s another reason why Upromise is a great program. With Upromise, you can get cashback at the grocery store, and also on drugstore items as well.Just make sure you register your grocery and drugstore loyalty cards on your Upromise account.Then, visit the eCoupon offers page, select the offers you want, and they’ll be added to your store loyalty cards.When you pay, at a participating grocery store or drugstore, scan your card, and you’ll earn cashback.Visit this page to view participating retailers.Once you’ve earned your cashback, you can have your cashback automatically put into a savings account, use it to pay down an eligible student loan, or you can just request a check.

Is reselling gift cards illegal?Fortunately, you can sell gift cards instead of letting them go to waste. However, the amount you can make selling gift cards online depends on the popularity of the card's affiliated retailer. ... Verify that a gift card exchange website is legitimate. Jan 4, 2019Buy Gift Cards, eGift Cards, Visa & Discount | GiftCards.comOn Selling Gift Cards…[As people become increasingly aware that they can sell gift cards for cash, the question I am asked most often is, “how much money will I get?” When I explain that the cashback offer will be less than the card is worth, many people balk at the respondents saying they would rather have full price. So would I! I would also rather get a full price offer if I sell a car I don’t want or the jacket (new with tags) that I’ve never worn. But that’s not how reseller markets work, and gift cards are no different.Where Can I Sell a Gift Card?SHORT ANSWER: Online, via mobile apps and in some (very few) retail locations.There are a number of gift card resellers that will buy your gift card and give you cash, another gift card or even cryptocurrency in exchange. But how do you know where to find them and which gift card resellers to trust? My advice is to use a reputable reseller that provides basic consumer protection.Gift Card Exchange Websites and AppsGift Card Granny, a gift card aggregator site (think of them as the Expedia of gift cards) created a partner program encouraging gift card resellers listed on their site to adhere to their Consumer Protection Guidelines which essentially includes the items listed above.Below are some of the gift card resellers listed on their site, some of which I have personally used.Cardpool (and Cardpool App)Raise (and Raise App)SaveYaGiftCard ZenGift Card BinCardKangarooThere are other gift card resellers on the Internet as well. These are just a few that appear to offer the consumer protections I recommend.Exchange Kiosks and In-Person OptionsWhen you want to get cash for your gift card quickly, there are a few other choices such as gift card exchange kiosks (often found in grocery stores) and gift card reseller partner locations such as payday loans and cash advance merchants. The following sites have in-person exchange locations:Cardpool Exchange LocationsGift Card Bin Exchange LocationsIf you opt to sell your gift card at one of these places, the offer will probably be less than you would get dealing with an online merchant.Consumer ProtectionI only sell gift cards to gift card resellers that offer the following services:Money-Back Guarantee. Reputable gift card companies are aware of potential fraud in the reseller market and will stand behind their transactions in the event that something goes wrong.Customer Service. If I sell my gift card for cash, I want to know that I can contact the company by phone, email or social media to get assistance as needed.Security. Because gift cards are a financial product, reputable gift card resellers actively work to detect and block potential fraud and money-laundering. Larger companies generally have more resources to provide this type of security.The Dangers of Auction Sites and Want AdsAlthough you can sell gift cards on sites like eBay, Craigslist, Nextdoor and so forth, I do not recommend selling gift cards directly to people you don’t know.If someone steals the gift card value without paying for it (see Gift Card Sellers Beware below), there will be very little (or nothing) you can do about it. A gift card reseller, on the other hand, acts as a broker by providing a safe transaction for both the buyer and the seller.Other Ways to Use Unwanted Gift CardsThere are other options when you get a gift card you don’t want. Read this post on things you can do with unwanted gift cards for ideas.Rather buy NEW gift cards? Best places to buy NEW gift cards on sale.2. Can I Trade a Gift Card for a Gift Card?SHORT ANSWER: Kinda, sorta.A few years ago, you could take a gift card back to a retailer and use the gift card to buy a new gift card at full value. That is seldom the case any longer. Now to trade a gift card for another gift card, you generally have to sell the unwanted gift card to a reseller for less than face value and, if possible, accept a different gift card in return. Here are some examples:Target Gift Cards. At some Target stores, you can trade unwanted gift cards for Target gift cards. I just “traded” a $25 Best Buy gift card for a Target gift card valued at $16.50. The offer is much lower than it would be if I sold the gift card directly to an online reseller, but the payout is instant and easy to use since I was already at Target.Amazon Gift Cards. At Cardpool, you can select an Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more gift cards as payment and receive a payout that is 6% higher than if you opt to sell a gift card for cash. The Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more gift card will be delivered fairly quickly via email. I entered a $25 Best Buy gift card at Cardpool and received an offer for a $22.38 check in the mail or a $23.72 Amazon gift card sent to my email.Any Gift Card. CardKangaroo says you can trade a gift card for a gift card, but the way it works is this. You enter the amount of the unwanted gift card. CardKangaroo gives you an offer. That amount can be used to select a discount gift card in the denominations available. For example, I entered a $25 Best Buy gift card and received an offer for $22.03 in trade value. Then I found a $25 Fandango gift card discounted to $21.63. That left a balance of .40 in my CardKangaroo account for a later purchase. (If the new gift card you want sells for more than the trade-in offer, you’ll have to pay the difference.) You’ll have to physically mail in the unwanted gift card before receiving the new gift card, which could take a few days.As I find other ways to trade gift cards, I will add them to this list.3. How Much Will I Get Paid for My Gift Card?SHORT ANSWER: Depends on supply and demand.Just like you learned in Econ 101, the cashback offers largely depends on supply and demand. The more popular the card is, the higher the cashback offer will be because the reseller will be able to sell the card quickly. Gift cards that can be used at many nationwide locations and for a wide assortment of merchandise (like Target and Walmart) will generally fetch the highest value, and gift cards to specialty shops like teen clothing retailers or lesser-known restaurants will be worthless. If a reseller already has several gift cards from a particular merchant in stock, then cashback offers may temporarily decrease until the supply evens out. And lastly, as mentioned above, the payout offer can fluctuate based on the payment method selected.Gift Card Resellers generally boast returns as high as 92% cashback, but I have also seen offers as low as 65% online and 50% in stores.Is it worth it? If you do not believe you’ll ever use the gift card, then yes, I think it’s better to have the money you will use than a full-value gift card that sits in your wallet indefinitely.Here’s more on when I think selling a gift card is the best option.4. Are There Gift Cards I Can’t Sell?SHORT ANSWER: Yes.Gift card resellers buy high-demand gift cards that they can safely and quickly sell to other people. They also want buyers to have a positive experience with the cards (remember that money-back guarantee?) so gift cards that come with restrictions may not be accepted. Below are some examples of gift cards that reputable gift card resellers may not accept:Open Loop Gift Cards (e.g. Visa® gift cards, Mastercard® gift cards). The secondary gift card exchange works because people do not want to be tied to a particular brand or location. Visa or Mastercard gift cards, for example, are redeemable in so many places that the gift card is almost as flexible as cash. So the margin is low and the potential for fraud is high. (Why would someone sell a card that can be used so easily?)Local Brand Gift Cards. Gift card resellers want to buy and sell gift cards quickly. The demand for a local brand or a smaller regional brand gift cards may not be high enough to justify getting involved.Gift Cards to Stores in Bankruptcy or Financial Trouble. This is a story I know all too well. On my Gift Cards in Bankruptcy post, I keep a list of list of gift cards that are no longer usable or are potentially vulnerable. Resellers stop buying gift cards if they think the store will go out of business, because they do not want to be holding useless gift cards themselves nor will they sell them to customers.SOME Merchandise Return Credits. Merchandise return credit (MRC) cards are generally accepted by gift card resellers unless the merchant places restrictions on these cards. For example, some merchants block automatic balance inquiry for their MRC cards and other merchants only allow their MRC cards to be used in stores. If a reseller believes restrictions will create problems for buyers, then they may opt not to accept those cards.Gift Cards Linked to an Account. Few reputable resellers buy gift cards that can only be validated when linked to an account. You cannot check the balance of an iTunes gift card, for example, without adding it to your iTunes account. Once the card is linked to an account, it will be deemed fraudulent if someone else tries to link the same card to a different account. Starbucks cards work similarly. So most gift card resellers will avoid buying gift cards to stores with that restriction.stores. If a reseller believes restrictions will create problems for buyers, then they may opt not to accept those cards.Gift Cards Linked to an Account. Few reputable resellers buy gift cards that can only be validated when linked to an account. You cannot check the balance of an iTunes gift card, for example, without adding it to your iTunes account. Once the card is linked to an account, it will be deemed fraudulent if someone else tries to link the same card to a different account. Starbucks cards work similarly. So most gift card resellers will avoid buying gift cards to stores with that restriction.Gift Cards That Require Manual Balance Checks. Though some gift card resellers employ people to manually verify gift card balances, others rely on automated balance inquiry systems to speed up the buying and re-selling process. If a merchant blocks that automation, then a reseller may avoid buying their gift cards.Gift Cards that Expire. Rebate incentive cards, BOGO gift cards from the holidays and other promotional gift cards that have expirations dates will generally not be accepted by gift card resellers.In addition to the reasons listed here, each gift card reseller has their own proprietary recipe for deciding which gift cards to buy and sell. That recipe is as much dependent on strategy (e.g. manual versus automated balance checks) as it is on adapting to customer behaviors and potential scams. If a reseller has a sudden uptake in fraud with a particular merchant card, the company may stop buying or selling that gift card until the threat is mitigated.If you have a legitimate card that you cannot sell at your favorite reseller, check other gift card resellers or list it in a reseller marketplace where you are selling directly to another consumer under the resellers watch.5. How do I Send in My Card or Code?SHORT ANSWER: By mail or electronic delivery.Most gift card resellers will accept either a physical gift card or an electronic submission of the gift card code (gift card number and PIN). In general, digital delivery is a faster and more secure transaction. (No worries that the gift card will get lost in the mail.)CardpoolRaiseSaveYaGiftCard ZenGift Card BinCardKangarooSubmit codes electronically or mail physical gift cards with a free USPS shipping labelSubmit codes electronically or mail physical gift cards with a free USPS shipping labelSubmit codes electronically or mail physical gift cards with a free USPS shipping labelSubmit codes electronicallyMail physical gift cards with a provided shipping labelMail physical gift cards with a provided shipping labelIf you sell a PLASTIC gift card through Raise, Cardpool’s Marketplace or SaveYa’s listing options, you will have to send the plastic gift card directly to the gift card buyer rather than to the reseller.6. How do I Get Paid?SHORT ANSWER: Check, Direct Deposit, PayPal, Amazon gift card and even Bitcoin.Every gift card reseller has a different set of payment options. This is an area of gift card exchange that I think will change over time. Years ago, nearly all gift card resellers sent payment via a check in the mail. Now most resellers have digital payout options including PayPal, gift cards and even cryptocurrency.Below are the payout options listed on the following gift card reseller websites:CardpoolRaiseSaveYaGiftCard ZenGift Card BinCardKangarooCheck in the mail, Amazon gift card (for 6% higher return) via emailDirect deposit to a bank account, PayPal or check in the mailACH payment, PayPal or a check in the mailPayPalPaypalPayPal, check in the mail, discount gift cardWhat About Bitcoin? A Google search will reveal several merchants that let you buy gift cards with Bitcoin such as eGifter, Gyft and a handful of others. If you want to use Bitcoin to make a purchase at a retailer that does not accept cryptocurrency, you could buy a gift card first and then use that gift card to make a purchase. Just an option.There are fewer businesses, however, that lets you sell gift cards for Bitcoin. I have never used these services so I cannot vouch for them so please use the same judgment you would with any gift card reseller. Paybis will apparently accept Amazon or Walmart gift cards only. Paxful will buy a handful of other gift cards including iTunes, Amazon, Target, GameStop, Best Buy and Steam in exchange for Bitcoin.7. When Will I Get the Money?SHORT ANSWER: Depends on the payment method selected.The time it takes to receive payment for a gift card depends on how you send the card value to the reseller, the payment method you select and the company’s business model. For example, if you mail in a physical gift card and select to receive a check in the mail for payment, then you are probably looking at a 2-3 week turnaround. If you send in a gift code and select an Amazon gift card in exchange, you could potentially get paid that same day. In either case, however, the gift card reseller’s business practices and policies may add delays such as a “cooling off” period for the card, time to do a manual balance check or fraud screening.Below are the payment times listed for the following gift card resellers:CardpoolAmazon gift card payment usually processes within 1 day.Check payment will arrive in 5-10 business days.For Marketplace cards, payment will process up to 10 days after your gift card has been shipped to the buyer.During peak holiday periods, these times could be delayed.RaiseRaise puts the proceeds from your sale into a Raise account. When you receive an email that funds have been added, you log into the site and select a withdrawal method.Checks take up to 14 days for delivery.PayPal funds can take up to 3 business days.The website does not state how long direct deposit takes.SaveYaSaveYa also puts the proceeds from your sale into a SaveYa account. When you receive an email that funds have been added, you log into the site and select a withdrawal method. Once the funds are requested, it may take 2-3 business days to deliver funds to your account as follows:PayPal instant payment.ACH funds will be delivered in 3-5 business days.Check payments will be delivered in 7-10 business days.GiftCard ZenPaypal deposit will be made 10-14 business days after the sale.Gift Card BinPaypal deposit will take anywhere from 3 to 10 business days after your gift card is received and verified.CardKangarooOnce gift cards are verified, payment will be made as follows:PayPal instant payment.Check payments will be delivered in 2-5 business days.Remember, if you send a physical card and elect to receive payment by check, the time to get your money will be significantly longer than if you submit the gift code electronically and request a digital deposit.8. How Do I Protect Myself From Fraud?SHORT ANSWER: Work with a trusted reseller and treat the gift code like cash.The most important thing to remember is that the value of a gift card can be used without having the physical plastic in your possession. The gift code–a combination of the gift card number and PIN–can be used online and it can be loaded into a mobile wallet or gift card app for use in stores. In general, I love this flexibility! It means I can use most gift cards online and I don’t have to carry around a wallet full of plastic gift cards in order to redeem them in stores. I’m also less likely to forget to use gift cards because they are always handy on my phone. This ease, however, creates an opportunity for someone to steal a gift card code even though you are still holding the plastic.In this list of gift card scams you can easily avoid, I share some examples of how gift card sellers have been swindled out of their money. A simple scenario is when a buyer asks to see a gift card or listen to a balance inquiry call to make sure the gift card has the stated value before sending payment. Though this may seem like a reasonable request, allowing it gives the buyer access to the gift code. The fraudulent buyer then quickly uses the code to make an online purchase before the seller even knows what has happened.To safely sell gift cards for cash, only work with a reputable reseller that offers a money-back guarantee and customer service to help if problems arise. Treat the gift code like cash and don’t let anyone have access to it until you have been paid.On Buying Discount Gift Cards…If you’ve ever heard the saying, “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,” then you understand the need for the gift card secondary market. Despite our best efforts, sometimes we just give people gift cards they don’t want or can’t use. Rather than let these gift cards go to waste, people sell their unwanted gift cards for cash to gift card resellers. The gift card reseller then sells the unwanted gift card to somebody else–for a higher price than the cash offer, but still less than face value.This secondary gift card market has created an increasingly popular way for people to save money on planned expenses. Before making a purchase, buy a discount gift card. Save even more by stacking the gift card savings onto in-store promotions, coupons, and sales. Here’s an example of how I stack discount gift cards to save money.Now let’s get to the top questions about selling unwanted gift cards.1. Where Can I Buy Discount Gift Cards?SHORT ANSWER: Online and via mobile apps.Although you will find pre-owned gift cards for sale on virtual want-ads, social media, and online auction sites, I only work with gift card exchange sites that offer consumer protection such as the following features:Money-Back Guarantee. If someone sells me a gift card and then fraudulently uses the value of the gift card, I want to know that the gift card reseller will give me a refund.Customer Service. If I am trying to use a discount gift card that doesn’t work, I want to be able to contact customer service representatives for assistance.Security. Reputable gift card resellers put processes in place to reduce potential gift card exchange fraud. These security measures help ensure the gift cards I buy will be usable for their stated value.Gift Card Resellers. Below is a list of gift card resellers that claim to offer these features. I have used many of them with complete satisfaction. Some discount gift cards arrive faster than others, some are easier to redeem and some have a wider selection of discount gift cards available. But despite their differences, the one thing they have consistently delivered is gift cards containing the value promised at the time of purchase.Cardpool (and Cardpool App)Raise (and Raise App)SaveYaGiftCard ZenGift Card BinCardKangarooWord of Caution! Just as it is important to work with a trusted reseller when selling gift cards, you must be careful about who you buy pre-owned discount gift cards as well. Because the value of a gift card can be used without the plastic gift card present, there is always the potential for someone to sell you a gift card, take your payment and then quickly use the value of the gift card by entering the gift code online. For this reason, I am a stickler about only buying discount gift cards from reputable resellers.2. How Much Money Can I Save with Discount Gift Cards?SHORT ANSWER: Depends on the popularity of the gift card.Gift cards that are easy to use (meaning the merchant has multiple locations and offers a wide selection of merchandise) are in high demand so the discounts available are generally less than if you are buying gift cards to specialty merchants like shoe stores, small restaurants or teen clothing retailers. Although gift card resellers often boast of discounts as high as 35%, I more often see discounts ranging from 3% to 22%, depending on the popularity of the card. To increase your savings, however, I have a few tips:Shop More Than One Reseller. If you are looking for a discount gift card to a particular store or restaurant, check prices at more than one reseller. Often times the discounts offered may be within a point of each other, but sometimes I find a reseller offering bigger discounts to move larger quantities of inventory for a time.Go Where the Sale Takes You. If the item you want to buy is available at more than one merchant, buy the gift card that offers the greatest savings. For example, Levi jeans are sold at Kohl’s, JCPenney, Macy’s and the other department stores. If you want to buy a new pair of Levi’s, then buy a discount gift card to the department store with the highest discount gift cards before going to the store. (And remember, discount gift card savings can be stacked onto in-store sales and applicable coupons. So it may take some calculations to figure out the best overall deal, but doing so can save a lot of money.)Buy Gift Cards Within a Brand Family. Because gift cards within a brand family are often redeemable within a company, you may be able to save more money if you buy a gift card to a different store than you intend to shop. For example, I once used a Baby Gap gift card to save on back-to-school clothes at Old Navy because the Baby Gap gift card sold for less than the Old Navy gift card. (Here’s more about how I saved using discount gift cardsFind deals on gift cards from top stores and restaurants here.3. How Will I Get My Discount Gift Card?SHORT ANSWER: By mail or electronic delivery.As I have mentioned a few times now, the value of a gift card is really stored in the gift card code which is a combination of the gift card number, PIN and expiration date (if it’s an open-loop gift card). So you do not really need to receive the physical discount gift card in order to go shopping. Most resellers give you the option to buy physical or digital discount gift cards.Purchase Verification Delay. Keep in mind that your discount gift card purchase will have to be verified before the gift card or gift code is sent. So although you may initially receive an email telling you that the gift card order has been received, delivery will not begin until payment is verified.These are the gift card delivery options reported by the resellers listed below.CardpoolDigital gift cards are typically delivered by email within 10 minutes but could take up to 1 business day if further verification is needed. Physical gift cards are sent via USPS and should arrive within 3-7 business days.RaiseThe Raise website does not specify how long it takes to receive a card, but a customer service agent told me that gift vouchers are processed within an hour and physical cards are mailed out within 3-14 days.SaveYaDigital gift codes are available within minutes of order approval and plastic gift cards should arrive via USPS mail in 3-14 business days.GiftCard ZenDigital delivery can take anywhere from 30 minutes up to 4 hours in some cases. Physical gift cards will arrive within 3-10 business days via USPS.Gift Card BinDigital gift cards take up 1-2 business days to post to your GiftCardBin account. The GiftCardBin website does not state when physical gift cards will be delivered.CardKangarooDigital gift cards are emailed in less than 1 hour. Physical gift cards will ship the next business day.Each reseller has their own fraud protection and security screening procedures. First-time buyers may be asked to provide additional verification and/or speak to a customer service representative before an order is shipped. Please read each site’s detailed instructions when making your first purchase and be sure to respond to text messages or phone calls made to the number provided shortly after you place an order.How do I Use Discount Gift Codes?SHORT ANSWER: Print the gift code or present it on your phone (mobile wallet, gift card app, screenshot, etc.)Step 1: Get the Discount Gift Code. How you receive discount gift cards varies by gift card reseller. Some resellers add the gift code to your reseller account so you have to log in to get it, some send emails containing gift codes or add the cards directly to gift card apps and others send links via email that you have to click to obtain your gift codes. Though the process varies, the end result is that you generally have a gift card number (and possibly a bar code or QR code) to use at checkout.Step 2: Follow the Reseller Instructions. I think it’s important to pause here and say that although most NEW plastic and digital gift cards can be used in stores and online without boundaries, there may be some restrictions in the pre-owned gift card market. I once bought a discount gift card that said “online-only,” thinking I could still use it at the store like the other gift cards I buy. I was wrong. Although the gift card looked like the others in my mobile wallet, the merchant system would not accept it in the store. So be sure to pay attention to the reseller’s instructions on how and where their gift cards can be used.Step 3: Use the Discount eGift Code. If the discount gift code is usable in stores, then there are a variety of ways you can use it without having a plastic gift card present. You can print the email containing the gift card, bring the gift card up on your phone when you get to the store, add the gift code to a mobile wallet or gift card app or take a screenshot of the code and present the image to the cashier. To be honest, I have done all of these things and taking a picture of the gift card is by far one of the easiest ways to use digital gift cards in stores. I can always find pictures on my phone. I do not always have as much luck using other tools on my phone when I am at stores because sometimes the cell service is sketchy or I panic and cannot remember my log in password or the gift card isn’t where I remember seeing it last. (Trust me. I’ve held up more checkout lines than I care to admit.)Here is more information on how to use gift cards in stores.5. Are There Discount Gift Card Apps?SHORT ANSWER: Yes.Saving with discount gift cards is great, but you do have to commit your money to a brand before buying the merchandise you want. So this is one of the reasons I like using discount gift card apps. With a reliable app, I can buy the discount gift cards I need after I have selected merchandise but before going to the cash register. I do, however, want to share a few tips on that.Shop Online. Discount gift codes work beautifully when you are shopping online because you can surf for what you want and THEN decide to buy a discount gift card to offset the cost. I do this frequently. I’ll figure out something I want to buy, put it in my shopping cart, then look for discount gift cards I can use to reduce the total cost of purchase.Allow Extra Time in Stores. I have also purchased discount gift cards while at the store, but I only do this if I have time to wait. Because the purchase needs to be verified, it’s possible I’ll get a call from the reseller or have to wait a few minutes (or more) to get the discount code delivered to my email. And then there’s the issue of cellular connections and reliable wi-fi in stores to think about as well. If I do not have time to wait while shopping, I buy discount gift cards at home and hold off on the actual trip until the codes or cards arrive.Below are some gift card resellers that have discount gift card apps that can be used on a mobile device:Cardpool Discount Gift Card AppRaise Gift Card AppSaveYa Gift Card App6. How Do I Protect Myself From Fraud?SHORT ANSWER: Work with a trusted reseller and use gift cards as soon as possible.The two most important things you can do to protect yourself from fraud when buying discount gift cards is to buy gift cards from a trusted gift card reseller and use the discount gift card right away.Use a Trusted Gift Card Reseller. The most common type of fraud in the gift card reseller industry is when someone sells a gift card to a reseller, collects payment and then quickly uses the value of the gift card before the new owner finds out. Now, most resellers have several security measures in place to prevent this such as holding a credit card on file so they can charge the seller or cancel a payment if the gift card balance is compromised. Resellers also check the balance of gift cards several times to be sure stated values are still on cards before selling them to new owners. Despite these efforts, however, occasionally someone buys a discount gift card only to find out the card has no value. That’s why I only buy gift cards from resellers that offer a money-back guarantee and customer service to help me resolve any issues.Use Discount Gift Cards Quickly. Gift card resellers will offer a money-back guarantee, but not indefinitely. So use pre-owned gift cards as soon as possible after you buy them. Since most people buy discount gift cards for self-use (as opposed to giving them for gifts), the urgency to use these cards quickly is reasonable.I have already explained this above multiple times, but it is worth repeating here. There are many people offering to sell you discount gift cards on social media sites, online auctions and virtual want-ads. Though doing so may be tempting, I urge you to only work with trusted gift card resellers that are actively working to make the secondary gift card market a safe place to buy and sell pre-owned gift cards. And if anyone EVER offers to sell you a gift card for full value or even a little extra, this is a red flag that something is not quite right. Read this post for more information on gift card fraud.]