The Chronic Consumer

I used to think that giving gift cards for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, and other special occasions was little more than a cop-out. After all, gift cards require no special thought on the giver’s part and show the recipient exactly how much you spent on them — both of which went against everything I’d ever been taught about giving a present.

But now that I’m older, wiser, and have tons of people on my gift-giving lists, I’ve changed my tune about gift cards. They’re just so easy and convenient, especially since they can be ordered online and almost every national retailer offers them. I mean, you can get gift cards for everything from Starbucks coffee to iTunes music and just about anything else you can think of!

Let’s face it: most people especially junior high/high school/college students prefer to select their own products, and gift cards allow them to do just that. Save yourself the time and hassle of traipsing through the mall looking for that “perfect present” that will only end up being returned anyway. Get gift cards instead!