last minute shopping - gift cards!

I swore I would keep this blog separate from what I do at work, but when I come across something super helpful, I can't help but share! (For the record, I'm a consumer researcher/associate producer at a local news station.)

For those of us that still have a few more things to check off our holiday list, gift cards seem to fill the holes pretty well. However, all gift cards are NOT created equal!

Enter scripsmart.com. This site is legit- was recommend by Consumer Reports, and has the low-down on all of your gift card questions. I promise the company is giving me ZERO props for recommending them, and the site is totally free to use. Just go to scripsmart.com, and type in brand/company of the gift card you are considering buying. Let's try j.crew...

Scrip Smart gives J Crew an 80/100... which isn't half bad. Pros: Never expires, no hidden fees, free shipping... Cons: Not replaceable if lost or stolen.

The BEST gift cards according to the website include Whole Foods, Banana Republic, and the Container Store (all got 99/100). Some of the worst include Barneys New York, Loehmann's, and American Apparel, all of which are financially unstable.

The site also shows where you can get certain cards discounted, and the laws that all retailers have to abide by. Good info!!