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How To Use Up Your Leftover Visa Gift Card Balances

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three pieces of visa gift cards on top of laptop

If you are like me, you might have a few Visa gift cards hanging around that have an unused balance on them. If you are like me, you never actually know what that balance is when you are at the cashier, or the cashier doesn’t know how to split up a transaction in order to use up the amount on the visa.

If you are like me, you are also cheap. Man, there is NO way I wasn’t going to use up all these little balances on these gift cards. Not. Happening. There’s no way that money was ending up in the bank’s pocket to increase their profits.

This cool way of using up your leftover little tidbits of money has been around for a while, but I wanted to share with you all just in case you didn’t know.

First, call the number on the card and get the exact balances. Write them in black ink. Trust me, pen doesn’t cut it, just get yourself a marker.

Then head on over to Amazon.

Click purchase an Email Giftcard.

Then type in the exact amount on your card, like below. I had a $6.12 card this time around.

Make sure you are sending the card to YOUR email so you can redeem it!

(Click on the pics below to see a larger version)

Amazon window for purchase an Email Giftcard

When it comes time to put in a NEW visa number, add in the Visa, with the correct expiry date. Sorry, I had personal info on that page, you don’t get to see it!

Then head to your Inbox.

Woot! Look what arrived for me!

Click redeem now.

Close up of Amazon window for purchase an Email Giftcard

Taaaa-daaaa!

You have now added to your Amazon account!

How easy was that? It need a big red easy button!

NOW this money does NOT expire! That’s the beauty! So you can keep adding to it until you have enough to order something you really want!

Amazon window showing that the gift card has been redeemed

I bought three books that I have been coveting…and yes, I might have spent another $6.73. I couldn’t help it. These have been on my list to buy for a long while now!

window showing the buying of products from amazon

And that my friends, is that! Treat yourself to some books- because everyone needs books – and know that you spent every penny on those cards!

I was a little cranky with myself, I waited too long and I lost two cards to expiry dates. BAH! I would have had enough to cover the books entirely! So make sure that you start doing this now and don’t wait over a year like I did.

Now I have to anxiously wait until those books arrive!

Love,

Karlynn

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Karlynn Johnston

I’m a busy mom of two, wife & cookbook author who loves creating fast, fresh meals for my little family on the Canadian prairies. Karlynn Facts: I'm allergic to broccoli. I've never met a cocktail that I didn't like. I would rather burn down my house than clean it. Most of all, I love helping YOU get dinner ready because there's nothing more important than connecting with our loved ones around the dinner table!

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  1. Nikki says

    Thank you for this trick! Can’t tell you how long this stupid 15.35 gift card balance has plagued me!

  2. Janine Straf says

    Oh thank you so much for this! I’ve been hanging on to a few with just a bit of money left on them!

  3. Molly says

    Thank you so much! This is exactly what I was looking for, because I was having an impossible time trying to do split payments.

  4. CAREY TEDESCO says

    Can’t thank you enough for this! Worked like a charm. 🙂

  5. Sean or something says

    Thanks for the tips . You’re cool AND hot 😉

  6. Wal says

    I had a couple of Award cards(rebates) that I let expire but, I was able to call the card phone number and they were able to reissue new cards to me. Evidently, The cards expire but, the funds (legally, maybe?) are still available for some amount of time. I received new cards a couple weeks later. They may have only been valid for another three months, though. No problem now since I learned of this Amazon idea- so thank you for this tip!
    Wal

  7. Terryll Rex says

    Only works if you have more than $1 on the gift card 🙁 . I tried cashing out 95 cents and it told me minimum is $1

  8. Yukes says

    Thank you so much for the recommendation! Learnt something new!

  9. John Passarella says

    Looks like Amazon.com has a minimum of 1.00 for eGift cards. I was able to put a $5.98 balance on one card, but two other debit gift cards have under $1 on them, so I can’t move those to Amazon.

  10. Jenniaves says

    This works great, even for us Canadian folk. Thank you so much!

  11. SurlyQBear says

    i LOVE this! I’ve been using mine on iTunes until it tells me my card is invalid but this is a great option too!

  12. sbabij says

    Great idea 🙂  I will have to try that trick.. I have used the cards towards purchases (as long as you know the balance on the card stores have no issue with putting any sort of balance towards a purchase – even a few dollars) but I dont often remember to do so

    • thekitchenmagpie says

      sbabij That’s the thing, I rarely remember to use them at the till! This is a great way of “treating” yourself to a nice book AND making sure to use up that money! 

  13. Karen Harnett-Voigt says

    Very cool! Now, I need to know the secret of how to get people to give me Visa gift cards!!

  14. Sarah Schultz says

    Haha no clue! I use my cards for groceries

  15. The Kitchen Magpie says

    I have no idea how that photo got there… Is that my IPhone that did that?

  16. Debbie Jansen says

    That is so awesome! I never thought of that.. now I can buy books!! Thank you!

  17. Sarah Schultz says

    I try reeeeeeally hard to make sure my bill is over my balance so I don’t have a few bucks left, but this is a great idea!

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