Can’t decide what to get someone on your Christmas gift list? Gift cards have become a popular choice. But _Consumer Reports_ says there’s a lot to be wary of. For example, if you lose a card you’ll either have to pay a fee to replace it or you’re out of luck. Maintenance fees are common among bank-issued cards. And some cards carry expiration dates, although more and more states are outlawing that practice. Here’s
h3(matt). Matt’s View
p(matt). Instead of giving a gift card, how about giving cash? Gift card marketers want us to believe that giving cash is tacky. At least one writer agrees, calling gift cards “a graceful proxy for cash.” But cash is accepted everywhere; it never expires; and here’s an added bonus: it’s less likely to be spent. Study after study confirms that people spend more when using plastic. So, give the gift of cash and some of that money might just end up in a savings account. There’s nothing tacky about that.
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