How to Shop for a Woman

Fella’s this one’s for you! You might want to pass this around to ALL. YOUR. FRIENDS. December 26th, they will thank you for it!

Ladies in the house - pass this one to ALL the men in your life (husbands, boyfriends, wanna-be boyfriends, fathers, uncles, g-paws, etc) for one rockin’ gift this year!

Guys, if you think you can run to the store on Christmas Eve and pick out some prepackage gift, slap a bow and think it will blow us away…FORGET ABOUT IT! Women want a gift her man has put some thought and effort into selecting, wrapping, and presenting.

3 Homemade Instant Hot Cocoa Mixes (Recipe)

Nothing warms my fingers, tummy and…well, the rest of me…quite like rich creamy hot cocoa during the cold Minnesota winters.

I’ve tried a lot of homemade hot cocoa recipes but nothing compares to this one. I found the base of the hot chocolate recipe at Mom Advice (scroll down near the bottom of the page for Amy’s recipe).

Pair Chocolate And Wine For The Perfect Dessert With Wine From Wine Clubs

Americans overwhelmingly prefer chocolate to any other sweet, but the combination of wine and chocolate is an equally preferred taste. Wine clubs allow you to choose the right chocolate and wine to create a superior ending to an excellent meal.

Radio Flyer 93 Years Later!!!

Can you believe the classic little red wagon has been around since 1917? I remember having one of those little red metal wagons as a kid. We hauled rocks, grass, Barbies, stuffed animals, Hot Wheels and a wild assortment of other things - even a few four legged - around the neighborhood! We hooked it to our bikes as a make shift trailer, took turns riding in it, left it out in the rain - boy did it take a whoopin. I can honestly say, our Radio Flyer wagon received A LOT of abuse. Amazingly enough, it’s still in pretty good shape, especially considering how long ago all that was! lol

Adding a Homey Touch!

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of 1-800-Flowers. All opinions are 100% mine.

Hubby’s been gone since last Monday on his new job. It’s been a VERY long week. The kids miss Daddy and I miss my husband. Hopefully, hubby will be home by tomorrow night or Wednesday morning at the latest. (Cross your fingers and say a prayer please!)

Stocking a truck with the basics is the smart way to start hubby on the his trucker career but don’t forget to add a few homey touches. Things to make your man feel connected to the family he’s so many miles away from. Pictures, keepsakes, trinkets, and the like are excellent ideas but I want to add something a little different.

FREE 8x10 Custom Canvas Wall Art

Turn your summer photos into custom canvas wall art!!! With this special affiliate offer, you get FREE SHIPPING plus a $25 discount on any sized canvas. Combine this deal with the $55 Gift Certificate they give to first time customers, and you’ve just scored a MAJOR DEAL for one-of-a-kind wall decor! If you choose the 8x10 option, it comes out to NOTHING. ZIP. ZILCH. ZERO. FREE. Of course if you go with a larger size, add special effects or have it framed, the price adjusts upward from there but it’s still a fabulous deal!

Edited at 5:49pm - Apparently the two discounts cannot be applied together! By using either code, you end up with a $24.99 or a $25 balance for a basic 8x10 with no frame or enhancements! This is still a great deal for an original canvas print!

Incredibly Easy Tile Coaster Project for Kids

Later today I am heading back to school! No - not to further MY education or to discuss my kiddo’s bad behavior at school. I am actually teaching a small class!

Can you believe it? I can’t. I am still in disbelief!

Technically it is called a mini-class only consisting of a single afternoon. The school reaches out to people in the community from all walks of life with varied skill sets to teach elementary students about a skill, hobby, craft, or other topic the “teacher” is comfortable teaching. The goal is to expose the kids something new to generate some excitement and interest in a new possible skill or hobby at a young age.

It's a Handmade Holiday PLUS a Giveaway

Every year I toss in some handmade gifts to all our family and friends. It's cost effective plus it is fun for me. A creative outlet to rid myself of the nervous holiday energy that builds up this time of year is vital for my sanity! It is also fun to see the recipient's expression when they realize "I made THAT!!"

For those of you who don't consider yourselves very crafty, You Can Make This is at your rescue. They have a complete library of crafty tutorials ranging from easy and beginner basics to more complex. They cover the whole spectrum of Do-It-Yourself projects. Sewing. Embroidery. Quilting. Painting. Printables. Scrapbooking. Knitting. Crotcheting. Even polymer clay. They have ideas for the home, wearables, teen and boy projects and a great selection of homemade toy tutorials. I love it! Their patterns are easy to read and end up looking as if Courtney, the site's creator, made them herself!

With the holidays just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to showcase some quick and easy gift ideas you can give to friends, neighbors, co-workers, and oh yes…even your family! You can enter to win eBooks from www.YouCanMakeThis.com and learn some fun new techniques, tips, and ideas not only for the people on your list, but also creative ways to decorate your home!

To personalize your gift giving even more this year, You Can Make This has created a free download for some fun gift tags. Each of them coordinate with ideas found as part of the DIY Gift Giving Series videos that can be found at www.youcanmakethis.com/blog , as well as designs and patterns found at www.SWAKembroidery.com and www.YouCanMakeThis.com.

PSSST: You can also enter to win hundreds of dollars in gift certificates just for watching the videos that are part of the DIY Gift Giving Series and answering a question on the You Can Make This blog! I've been entering for my chance to win and so should you!

Handmade Holiday Giveaway!!!

Winner's announced: Deborah's comment #22 and Annie's comment #2 were the two comments randomly drawn!

You Can Make This has generously offered TWO Frugal Front Porch Readers a bundled package of downloadable instructions/patterns for the Kimberbell Kids 24" Doll and Gift Giver patterns.

Here's the entry details

Mandatory Entry: Visit You Can Make This and tell me your favorite toy pattern
Bonus Entries: (please include appropriate links to your entry for validation)

• Share this on twitter and/or your other social media sites - 1 entry per site but please don't spam your followers
• Blog about this contest - 5 entries
  
• Comment on any other post - 1 entry
  
• Follow or subscribe to Frugal Front Porch - 1 entry
• Follow me on twitter or facebook - 1 entry
• Comment on a blog post at www.youcanmakethis.com/blog - 1 entry
• Purchase a pattern from You Can Make This - 5 entries
  

The giveaway is open globally but you will need a valid email address and have Adobe Reader installed on your computer in order to receive your prize. You can get the free Adobe download here. Giveaway closes Thursday, December 18th Midnight CST. Winner will be drawn courtesy of random.org and an email notification sent to the winner and the sponsor. The prize will be emailed directly to the winner from the sponsor ASAP to give you plenty of time to make it a last minute gift for the holidays!

*Disclosure time > I received a free pattern as a courtesy for offering this giveaway to you! I have not been compensated in any other way. All banner links to You Can Make this are my affiliate links but you text links are simple links.

September: National Sewing Month

This month is National Sewing Month. There's lots of buzz about it already on the internet. The timing is fantastic since in just a few months Christmas will be here! I know! I know! I know! I'm already talking about the BIG holiday! There's lots of project links already published in honor of the month. Skip to My Lou is hosting a MckLinky for all your sewing tutorials.

Like I said, timing is perfect. I'm currently on the hunt for some boy themed ideas. I've googled and searched but shockingly there aren't that many original boy sewing projects out there. Quilts and monster softies are cool and in the plan but I'm hoping to find something a bit more original and FUN. I've appliqued shirts and sewn wallets but I certainly hope to find some inspirational ideas this month.

I'd like to make some role play clothes for my 3 year old. Chef hat and apron. Super hero cape and mask. Things like this. Crayon roll and a modification of the crayon roll to use as a game organizer for the kids' video games. Other than this, I'm just not sure what to make. Especially for the 8 year old. Maybe a locker organizer or hanging organizer for his room?? Maybe even some monster house shoes. Feel free to comment with a few ideas...even if you don't have a tute-if it's something I think my kids will like then, I will try to figure out a way to create it!

In the meantime, skip on over to the MckLinky and see what gifts you can sew this year!

My New Sewing Passion: Friendship Bags

I am participating in the Quit Gallery's Friendship Bag Swap in honor of International Friendship Day. Being a newbie to the art of sewing, the project is small enough I can complete in a few hours without a lot of frustration. PERFECT! I've already whipped out two of these and plan to turn out a few more this week to hone my sewing skills.

I should get my partner's information by August 25th. I CAN'T WAIT! Deadline to mail the Friendship Bag is October 6th but I'm sure I'll have mine mailed way earlier!

These would make perfect gifts for teachers, neighbors, hair dresser, or anyone you want to give a chic little gift.

Father's Day Ideas & Deals

Here's a few deals I found in my inbox just in time for Father's Day...which is June 21st! If you're ordering online be sure to order early to ensure you packages arrive on time!

You Can Make This-Make dad a Father's Day craft this year. Rice Warmers, Key Chains, Coffee Cup Cozies, or even a covered journal are a few of the great crafts you can make dad this year.

YouCanMakeThis.com

Download Today - Make It Today!

Vista Print is offering a free small banner and discounts on larger banners for special occassions so why not order dad a customized Father of the Year banner. Shipping and handling are extra as are any upgrades. Offer expires June 30th.

Overstock is currently offering FREE shipping on select items. Get dad a great gadget with Overstocks' already low prices with ZERO shipping costs.

Starbucks-Get dad the gift of java or tea with their latest offer: Sign up for a Coffee Subscription and get the third shipment FREE.

Awesomeology-Most men will enjoy a daily dose of awesome-ness from across the web. This blog will give you just that. Full of fun FREE links everyone will enjoy sent to you blog reader or email every day.

Sewing Applique Ebook Giveaway Ending

Don't forget the What's in a Name? Giveaway is ending tomorrow May 20th midnight.

This easy to follow ebook will teach you how to sew unique custom applique pillows with anyone's name. This is the PERFECT graduation, wedding, or birthday gift!

There will be 2 prize winners. Only a handful of entries have been received so the odds are in YOUR favor.

Multiple entries available and the contest is open to anyone with an email address.

Enter now and enter often! Good Luck!

Technorati Profile

Momfluence Mother's Day Gift Guide

Tired of giving mom the traditional flowers on Mother's Day? Look no further! Here's a list of gift ideas she's sure to love this year (and perhaps find useful).

Featured Products

Chic and Carry Wristlet - Make mom’s quick trips out with baby much easier with this great product.


Miessence Organics Mothers Day Set - Every mom deserves to be pampered once in awhile, and these organic body products allow her to do just that.


Sara Lee Simply Sweets Pies - Sara Lee’s Simply Sweets line gives you a delicious way to treat Mom this Mother’s Day with a fast, easy and delicious dessert.


Children Should Come With Warning Labels - Patti McKenna offers a humorous take on motherhood, giving mom a chance to laugh, cry, and identify with her tales.


Roundhouse Designs Desktop Mobile - Roundhouse Designs origami mobiles and wall art are handcrafted creations that make a unique Mothers Day gift.


Roundhouse Designs Jewelry - Roundhouse offers a wonderful selection of handmade jewelry, with styles that are perfect for every mother on your list this Mother’s Day.


Heart of A Mother - Heart of a Mother is a gift book filled with touching tributes to Mothers and Grandmothers, inspirational short stories, poems, proverbs and quotations.


Protect-A-Bed - Protect-a-Bed waterproof mattress covers provide protection from allergens, dust mites, and bedbugs, helping to extend the life of your mattress and mom to sleep a little sweeter.


Ultimate Woman Vitamins- Make sure that mom is getting everything she needs to stay healthy and active with the Vitamin Shoppe's Ultimate Woman vitamins.

More Great Gift Ideas

April Cornell Shoulder Bag

BabyPlus System

Not Just Any Old Day Keyrings

Menu For The Week Subscription

For My Mother Reflection Journal

Vintage Body Spa

No Throw

Me Time Sportswear

Peek-A-Boobs

Kind Notes

Aventine Hill Bath Products

Treadlight Eco Snack Kit

Name Your Tune CDs

Things Remembered Charm Stories

Diaper Clutch

Pedometer

Lia Sophia Riverside Necklace

Lia Sophia Beaujolais Necklace

Lia Sophia Mandalay Bay Necklace

Lia Sophia Athena Necklace

Lia Sophia Love Dust Set

More Great Gift Guides

The Mom Maven

MomECentric

All reviews listed in the Momfluence gift guide were product provided. 

Featured positions were purchased by sponsors. Member gift guides are not affiliated with Momfluence.

Save on Mom's Gift @ 1-800-FLOWERS

If you're thinking about sending mom flowers or a gift basket this Mother's Day then you might consider trying 1-800-Flowers. I've used them for many years and have always been totally satisfied with their speedy service and beautiful products. In many places they can even make same day delivery. They have such a wide variety of flowers and gifts, it's incredible. I'm always amazed at their growing selections. It's the perfect choice if you don't live close to your mom.

To help you honor your mother this Mother's Day, 1-800-FLOWERS has several online promotions to save you a few bucks.

Online Code MDSAV5 saves you $15 off a $59.95 purchase*

Promotional Code MDSAV25 will cut $25 off a $100 purchase*

Save an additional 15% when you pay with Paypal using promotional code PAYPALMP at checkout. PLUS you'll get a $15 savings pass for a future purchase AND if you're a new Paypal customer, you'll get $10 cash back!*

*These offers end Mother's Day May 10th.

As a Fresh Reward's Member you can get 30 Fresh Multicolored Roses for $29.99. An extra $10 will get you a gorgeous vase to polish the look! PLUS you'll earn 90 Fresh Rewards Points but you'll have to sign up before you can get access to the offer. This offer ends Friday May 7th.

No matter what you decide to get mom this year-just DON'T FORGET! Mother's Day is May 10th.

Teacher Appreciation Gift Ideas

Teacher Appreciation week happens to be this week at my son's school. There is a whole team of teachers who have become instrumental in J Man's academic success since he was classified with ASD earlier this year. I intend to send a gift for his primary teacher every day but also have a few ideas to show our appreciation to the rest of J Man's teaching team. Here are a few of the gifts I have planned this week.

Homemade carry all bag using a woven table place mat found on clearance at Walmart for under $4.00 with gross grain ribbon laced through the edges and tied into a nice bow to seal the sides. Tip: Tape the edge of the ribbon to make lacing through the edges much easier.



Forced bulbs in these super sweet pots I found at Walmart during Easter for $1.00 a piece! I have several in Robin's Egg Blue too!


Cake bites packaged in cute coffee mugs or decorative tin!


Pie and Cake in a jar

Other teacher gift ideas include home made bath salts using epsom salts, food coloring, and scented oil in a decorative jar! I also thought about making cookie or soup jar mixes. I love mason jars! They are cute and reusable and make perfect vessels to transport these scrumptious goodies!!!!!

You can find other great ideas at Skip to My Lou and Little Birdie Secrets.

What are your plans for teacher appreciation week?

Craft Off Contest Ends Soon

Remember voting ends Wednesday for the Craft Off contest. Click the image below to go directly to the voting page.

I appreciate all your votes. Don't forget to grab the tutorial for this easy spring project while your there. Make one for yourself or as a gift. It's garuanteed to make them smile!

Thank you so much if you've already voted. You can still help me get more votes by tweeting this:

@jennatffp Vote 4 Flower Power Key Chain in Crafty Nation's Craft Off Contest http://tiny.cc/gs3r4 Pls RT

Thanks again for spreading the word and helping me win!

Last Minute Gift Ideas

Unless I find an extra half hour before Christmas, this will be my last post till after the holiday and I wanted to leave you with some last minute gift ideas for all my loyal readers!

• Great stocking stuffers include: coloring books, a sippy cup (for my 2 year old), stickers, trading cards, deodorant (definite stocking stuffer for a 7 year old who's all grown up), magazine subscriptions, microwave popcorn, and comic book.
• Ribbon n Button Bracelets= use spare ribbon, buttons, and embroidery thread to make several button bracelets for the special little lady on your list. Use a longer piece of ribbon, stitch each end to opposite sides of an elastic pony tail holder and WHA LA, a matching headband.
• Making Letter Wall Hangings or tree ornaments using the initials of the recipients name out of cardboard and fabric from clothes in the goodwill pile (the nearest thrift shop is over an hour away while the nearest consignment store is 2 hours away. It keeps it out of the trash and gets it out of my way at the same time!)
• Get your PAINT on! My dh scored a huge blue drum from his work and we've sawed it in half to make toy storage. I'm painting spider webbing on one half for my older son while a scene of Bikini Bottom will go on the other half for my youngest.
• Custom Soap-Melt bits of used soap or hotel soap bars around a small loofa or plastic toy for a fun bath gift. (I'll probably add some food coloring to make it more kid appealing to use in my kids stocking).
  
• Melt all the crayon bits in a muffin tin (or other mold:ice trays maybe) to go with the coloring books. This works especially well for the littlest ones.
• Use a old cross stitch hoop to make a dream catcher>wrap with fabric, glue some girly flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, buttons, and loop an oversized dress up necklace to finish the look OR boy it up with cars trucks and a chain or leather strips wrapped around it.
  
• I want to make a denim purse using a cast away ribbon belt, embroidery thread, colored fabric remnants, & the top part of my son's wranglers he's outgrown but will probably not have time but I can always use that as a birthday gift ;)
• Make some of those uber cute and stylish fingerless gloves using an outgrown sweater (Jenn's Tip: it's easier if you use a washable fabric pen and trace around your hand to know where to cut for your thumb)-if you knit, you may prefer this pattern
  
• No Sew Scarves=I've got parts of 4 fleece blankets I used last year to make the kids stockings. I can make at 3 no sew scarves with that! Cut the fleece to the length and width appropriate (kids would be shorter while adults would be longer), cut ends to create fringe. You can also cut an approximately 3" slit near one end of the fabric so when wrapped around the neck one end can tuck into the hole for a secure neck warmer.
  
• Got a beat up cookie sheet-Sand and paint it to go with some magnetic letters or paint with chalkboard paint for a mini chalkboard.
  
• If your handy with knitting needles and yarn, check out some free patterns sure to fit just about everyone on your list!
  
• Make some gummy fruit snacks, include the recipe, ingredients and a candy mold for a gift basket OR just package some in nice holiday bag and put in a stocking. (Jenn's Tip: Add a package of unsweetened Koolaid, or similar drink mix, to make is a "sour" version. Frugal Tip: You can also make a mold using cornstarch. Fill a casserole dish about half way (about 1 inch thick) full of cornstarch. Use a gummy bear, impaled from the flat back side with a tooth pick or skewer (not all the way through) to make an impression in the cornstarch, making sure to not go all the way down to the bottom of the pan. Repeat, making impressions about one inch apart. Fill as you would a silicon mold. Let set for about 24 hours, then cover with more cornstarch to draw out more moisture. Let them stay in the cornstarch to the desired chewiness.)
• Print recipes and organize them in a nicely decorated binder for an inexpensive cookbook. You could also print recipes on index cards and decoupage a plastic index card organizer for a lovely recipe box. (Homemade Decoupage Glue Recipe: Mix 3 parts white glue (ex. Elmer's School Glue) with 1 part water till well blended. Store in airtight container at room temperature. Apply using foam paint brush.) Time saver tip: Many sites offer pdf downloads of complete recipe books. Either print the entire book or copy and paste for you own custom book. I'm using a 148 page ebook from artofmanliness for my husband's friend who loves to cook!

That about wraps things up for me as I need to get to the kitchen cooking for tomorrow's school Holiday Party! We're making butter cookies with Milk Dud centers-YUMMO!

As my son said last week 'Happy Christmas' and Merry Holidays to all of you out there and I'll be back with you after Christmas. May you all have peace, joy, and love throughout the days and years to come!

Homemade Gifts FOR Kids

We originally planned a big budget Christmas this year including travel and tons of gifts but between the economy going bust and a personal emergency this past fall, it zapped our personal & holiday savings to zilch! Of course the kids (big and small) still want the iPods, cell phones, nintendo's, and big screen TV's but our budget simply won't allow for all those wonderfully expensive techy toys so what's a mom to do?

My solution: We had the kids pick out two or three things off their Santa list that was a "MUST HAVE or Christmas might as well be dead"! Santa also leaves some standard things each year: clothing, christmas ornament, candy and treats, and art supplies. From there I scoured the stores online for some great deals on what they TRULY wanted for Christmas but that's only gotten me about half way. The other half will come from my handcrafted treasures by upcycling or repurposing things already hanging around the house.

Here's what's on our handcrafted gift list. Don't worry, I'll go on a blog-a-thon in the next few days to publish How To's on most of these!

• Handcrafted Ornaments (the D is for Daniel)
• Fabric Wrapped Wall Letters
  
• Toddler Magnetic Letter Set w/Tin
  
• Homemade Candies
• Crayon Shapes (simply melt crayon bits in either ice trays or other molds)
• Fleece Scarves & hats (easy no sew scarves for sure-hats, if i get my mini sewing machine working)
• Fingerless Mittens (for the tweenie girls)
• Jingle Bell Bracelets
• Toddler Lounge Pants
• Custom Logo Shirts (adapted from Martha's napkin tute)
  
• Bath Kits with soap, fizzy bombs , and bath crayons

I've also been stockpiling FREEBIES for the handmade fleece stockings I made last year. So far, I've got several books, dvds, coloring books, a sippie cup, necklaces, bracelets, etc FREE with more arriving every day. It'll be packaged & wrapped real pretty-after all, presentation is the key to any great handcrafted gift!

My good friend Christy down in Tennessee shared her handmade gifts she's been working on and I'm sooo envious of her sewing skills. The denim quilt exceeds my mending skills but I think I could pull off the jean "booty" purse! What could be better for a Titan's fan than a custom Tennessee Titan's Quilt and the booty purse is perfect for any teen or tweenie girl! I look forward to seeing the other things she's crafted. Perhaps she'll even give me permission to publish a How To on one of them!

So what are you crafting for the holidays this year and who are you creating it for? I'd love to hear what all you creative folks are up to out there!

Don't forget to follow me on twitter for all the great deals, freebies, and cool tutorials I find on my blogging journey!

Until next time, Happy Crafting!

More Manly Gift Ideas

There are several ideas I have roaming around my crafty brain but for now here are some links to other great gift ideas I've discovered for the men in our lives.

I found the cutest idea over at the longthread. I never would have thought about using old records this way but make sure they're not valuable or a collectable!!!

Sew Mama Sew has some clever ideas from soap to knitted hats.

We all know how men love to eat! Simple jar gifts coupled the baked product is a great idea for any man. The baked product will satisfy their immediate hunger while the jar (with a recipe card) will allow them to enjoy a repeat later!

I stumbled on The Art of Manliness a month or so ago simply by accident. A fantastic accident, I might add! I subscribed for my husband, but have found the site fascinating. It's written by men and for men so is it no wonder they have a list of gift ideas for men (sure it's intended for groomsmen but, they're still MEN aren't they!) I specifically liked the dopp kit and the keepsake box.

What creative gifts do you plan to give your man this year?

Buying, Giving, and Using Gift Cards

With the current economic status in limbo, the FTC issued a consumer alert regarding gift cards. Please read and pass on to anyone on your shopping list. Here is a list of a few stores who either have closed many locations or are planning to close. The overall message to take from this article is to research the retailer's financial stability BEFORE you purchase a gift card.

Federal Trade Commission Consumer Alert

Shopping for gifts can be a real dilemma. Just what do you get your finicky Aunt Mary, your co-worker, or your child’s babysitter? Gift cards may be the answer: one size fits all, and the recipients can get exactly what they want from a retailer or restaurant.

But before you buy a stack of gift cards, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know that there are two types:

• retail gift cards, which are sold by retailers and restaurants, and can be used only with those merchants. Retail gift cards may have expiration dates or a fee for inactivity that sometimes is called a “dormancy fee.”
• bank gift cards, which carry the logo of a payment card network like VISA or MasterCard, and can be used at any location accepting cards from that network. There are more likely to be fees for activation, maintenance, or transactions on bank gift cards than on retail gift cards.
  

Tips for buying gift cards

Regardless of where or whom you buy a gift card from, the FTC recommends that you:

• Buy from sources you know and trust. Avoid buying gift cards from online auction sites, because the cards may be counterfeit or may have been obtained fraudulently.
• Read the fine print before you buy. If you don’t like the terms and conditions, buy elsewhere.
• Ask about expiration dates and fees when you’re buying a card. This information may appear on the card itself, on the accompanying sleeve or envelope, or on the issuer’s website. If you don’t see it, ask. If the information is separate from the gift card, give it to the recipient with the card to help protect the value of the card.
  • Consider purchase fees: Must you pay a fee to buy the card? If you buy the card online or on the phone, is there a fee for shipping and handling? Does expedited delivery cost more?
  • Consider fees that may be deducted from the card, including activation, maintenance or transaction fees. It might be embarrassing to give someone a $50 gift card and find out later that fees gobbled up most of the amount.
• Inspect the card before you buy it. Verify that none of the protective stickers have been removed, and make sure that the codes on the back of the card haven’t been scratched off to reveal a PIN number. Report tampered cards to the store selling the cards.
• Give the recipient the original receipt to verify the card’s purchase in case it is lost or stolen.
• Consider the financial condition of the business and whether it has filed for bankruptcy.
  • If you buy a card from a company that goes out of business or ultimately files for bankruptcy, the recipient may end up with a card that’s worth less than the face value.
  • If the business closes stores near where the recipient lives or works, they may not be able to get to another location to redeem their card.
  • A company that files for bankruptcy may honor its gift cards. A competitor may also accept the card. Call the retailer or competitor to find out. Even if a company currently is not redeeming gift cards, check with them periodically; they may resume doing so later.

Tips for using gift cards

If you have a gift card, be smart about how you use it:

• Read the terms and conditions when you get the card, and check for an expiration date or any fees.
• If you didn’t get the card’s terms and conditions, the original purchase receipt, or the card’s ID number, ask for them from the person who gave you the card, and then keep them in a safe place.
• Treat your card like cash. If your card is lost or stolen, report it to the issuer immediately. You may be out the entire amount on the card. Some issuers don’t replace the cards, but others do if you pay a fee. If an issuer charges for a replacement card, you’ll most likely need to document the purchase and provide the ID number on the card. Most issuers have toll-free numbers to report lost or stolen cards.
• Use your card as soon as you can. It’s not unusual to misplace gift cards or forget you have them; using them early will help you get the full value. However, should your card expire before you’ve had a chance to use it or exhaust its value, contact the issuer. They may still honor the card, although they may charge a fee to do that.

Problems and Complaints

If you have a problem with a gift card, contact the company that issued the card. If you can’t resolve the problem at that level, you may want to file a complaint with the appropriate authorities:

• For cards issued by retailers, contact the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov or call toll-free: 1-877-FTC-HELP. Or you may file a complaint with your state Attorney General (for a list of state offices, visit www.naag.org.)
• For cards issued by national banks, contact the Comptroller of the Currency’s (OCC) Customer Assistance Group by calling 800-613-6743 or sending an e-mail to: customer.assistance@occ.treas.gov. The OCC charters, regulates, and supervises national banks.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters consumer complaints into the Consumer Sentinel Network, a secure online database and investigative tool used by hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.