Keeping the value of Disney gift cards safe in your home

[krissy2803]

My thinking is...you won't get too much interest in a savings account...maybe 3% tops? In other words, if you're going away to Disney one year from today, and you deposit $1,000 in a special Disney account at 3%, you're have $1,030 in your account.

If you catch a store during a gift card sale...let's say Winn Dixie's sale. You buy $1,000 in gift cards in four separate transactions. Total cost $835. You may have lost $30 in interest, but you actually saved $165. We don't know when the next big gift card sale is.

Plus, it's the idea of, you can only use them for Disney. And you won't be tempted to take funds out of a bank account for other things.

That is my thinking as well.
As for keeping them safe, we put them in our fireproof safe. I also use a passporter book for planning, so I put SEVERAL notes in there for myself to not forget them.

 

[Swimalie]

I wouldnt set up a separate bank account either-a tax issue at the end of the year claiming a savings account yadda yadda.

I don't see a tax issue at the end of the year by opening a new savings account. My husband and I have 3 joint accounts at 2 different banks, plus I have 2 separate ones at different banks. It's as easy as getting the tax form from the bank and recording the interest (as little as it is). No problems and if using something like Turbo Tax it only takes an extra minute to record.

 

[DuckMom]

I didn't read the whole thread, so if I'm repeating other info, ignore me I purchased 20 $100 gift cards from Sam's Club earlier this year to pay off our trip because it came with a $10 Disney Store gift card. One of the cards didn't get activated at the store and I had a HUGE problem taking care of it. After many phone calls with Sam's and Disney, it was finally replaced, but I had to have the receipt for the purchase as well as the cardboard packaging the cards were in (which had been thrown out, so it was nasty). If you are buying large amounts of gift cards, I would plan to keep all the paperwork in a separate location.

 

[bpesch]

I buy my Disney gift cards at Sam's and actually get a small discount on them. Which means not only can they not be used for anything other than Disney, but I'm coming out ahead on them!

 

[momejay]

I bought a few gift cards to get discounts at the grocery store. One local store offered a free $25 gift card for gas if you spend $75 on certain brand items during a time period.

I bought a few gift cards with the deals to save for a future trip. I keep them in a safe. I have a printout/picture of all the numbers.

 

[bumbershoot]

Ok I am going to go ahead and get that money off my gift cards and onto my dummy date I have booked with Small World Vavations. Just now thought of that.

You're going to need to keep those cards, just in case you have to cancel/change your reservation. It could only be refunded to those cards, and you have to have those cards in your possession. Just so you know.

 

[StephPlum]

Gift cards CAN save you money. Just as many have mentioned, there are stores that offer free gas with the purchase of gift cards. We haven't paid for gas in over a year using this method.

I also understand what people say about spreading out the cost of the vacation over time. You could put that in a savings account and then at the end buy your gift cards. But it is easy to just add on to the grocery trip and never even feel the pain.

Found a cool, free app for the iPhone Disney Gift Cards. Allows you to input the gift card information and it shows the balance remaining. I always check that it was activated and what the balance is right after purchasing, so I have never had any issues.

This year I am using gift cards in place of the DDP. Will have it paid for upfront, so won't be worried about prices when we eat out.

 

[ShellyLynn3630]

You're going to need to keep those cards, just in case you have to cancel/change your reservation. It could only be refunded to those cards, and you have to have those cards in your possession. Just so you know.

Ya, I know. I will be keeping them, I plan on getting the amount onto my dummy date tommorow with my TA.

 

[AlternateEgo]

If you are paying off a trip, use the gift cards immediately. If not, then keep them in the package (or attached to the packaging) rubberbanded with the receipt and place inbto a fireproof safe or in a safety deposit box (at a bank).

As far as the savings account, that works too, but the interest isn't great in this economy... so maybe .40%. Sad but true. As far as taxes go, most banks post that information on their online banking and super easy to find when filing.

 

[momto2girls]

I buy Disney gift cards for trips, but I don't use them as a form of savings. I buy them because our grocery store rewards us with money off of gas when we buy them. So I just periodically buy them and apply them to my Disney balance so that I can get free gas. If I am not ready to call Disney and apply them, I just put them in a drawer, or the safe if there is a larger amount.

 

[Lumiere Lover]

Savings accounts these days pay less than 1% interest. I already have $1,000 in gift cards for our next trip (December 2012). It is a great way to set money aside. I got $10 gift cards for the Disney Store free when I got each $100 gift card at Sam's Club. That is a 10% bonus! I will buy more this Christmas if Sam's Club comes out with them again. I need about $1000 more to book the room, and $1500 for souvenirs. I can go on the Disney Store website to use the gift cards and pre order photo albums, etc. before we go. Less to drag home from the Parks.

 

[disneymarie]

OP, I actually do understand why you do this. I don't but I have considered it. Here's what I would do: I would take photos of the cards and print them. I would give the prints to my mom for safekeeping. You could also take a picture on your phone for backup. I would also write down the numbers and put them in my wallet behind my license. You don't have to label them as GC numbers, but you'll know what they are. I would then buy one of those firesafe boxes and put them in there. As long as you aren't a dummy like me and forget where you put the stupid box, you'll be fine.
Or I might put them in a safe deposit box. After taking the pics and writing down the numbers (I'm just anal like that).
Have a wonderful vacation!

I have a trip soon and saw the gift cards at SAMS during Christmas that were about $120 for $100 gift card, then $10 in Disney Store cash. or was it that $100 was $86????

I was going to get enought. if they still have them to pay for my trip with added % discount....Keep them in my Bank safe box until the trip. I will also safe the copies of them...

But, I do not think it a good idea to store $1000. or more on a cell phone a good idea if I lose it and someone creates heart ache to use them. Likely could get the $ back eventually but, too much paperwork and not worth the chance.

That is my advice, is there a safe deposit box available for you? We also have a safe in the house, a large one unable to carry.
First, I have to see if SAMS still has the cards....

 

[annsteere]

While I agree with the advice to have a copy of your cards stored in a safe, backup location I am responding to OPs concern about a burglary.

I just don't think the average burglar is going to be on the lookout for Disney cards. If you have them stored in a safe box with other valuables, the burglar might very well pick up the whole box and haul it away. But, if they are in a file folder marked Disney, I don't think they are likely to get discovered.

Cash, jewelry, electronics are portable and easily turned into profit. Only those of us who hang out places like the DIS board are totally into Disney cards

Does give me a funny mental picture: the guy next to you on PoC might actually have pirated his disney cards.

 

[WeLuvDCL]

We bought a fireproof safe box last year for our important papers etc...A friend of ours lost his house to a fire, I mean burnt flat to the ground, and his box was melted on the outside but the papers inside were fine. We got ours shortly after. I have much more peace of mind now.

We keep birth cert's, life ins. policies and enough cash to make bail (at least that's what I tell my kids). That would be a good place to store gift cards like that. Good luck!

This is where we keep ours too along with passports, birth certificates, etc. We leave it unlocked so if we did get robbed they can see there is only paperwork inside. The gift cards and any cash we have are hidden in something I don't think a burglar woudl take a second look at (not devulging that little secret. )

I just bought $600 worth of gift cards for $500 at Winn Dixie to use to buy our annual passes in a few months. Going back tomorrow to get $300 more for $250 to use for our DCL onboard account. I only do the gift card thing to save money, I don't buy them at face value.
Our Sam's club never had the Disney gift cards, probably because we are too close to Disney?

BTW, just a little of topic, is this why gift cards on eBay sell for so much (because people like to save on gift cards instead of bank)? I never understood why someone would pay $24 for a $25 gift card on eBay. I would be too afraid that the gift card balance is empty when I get it. Not worth the risk to me to save $1.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We bought a fireproof/waterproof safe for all of our paperwork that needs to be kept safe. It's heavy and is bolted/cemented to our basement floor. In my house, that's where gift cards are kept.

Before I had that, I had a lightweight supposedly fireproof box for important stuff. I tried to get a safe deposit box at our bank but they don't have any available so that was out.

Then there is the old put important stuff in your feminine necessity boxes under the tampons or pads. Or even wrap it all up tightly in plastic wrap, put in ziploc bag and put in bottom of litter box. No self respecting burglar would dig through cat litter looking for gift cards. Ewwwwww.

It wouldn't help if your house burned down though. My sister had that happen this winter. At least they had just moved into their new one on the property and the old one was being used for temporary storage until they finished building their storage unit. The fire marshall said the cause of the fire was faulty wiring.

 

[Disfamily0405]

I recently found out that Target carries Disney gift cards, I also discovered that my husband's Employee discount AND the 5% discount for using my Target Credit Card work on the purchase for the gift cards!! So I have began purchasing $50 gift cards for $42.75 each much more savings than just leaving my money in my savings account. I have a fire/waterproof lockbox that I purchased back when I was in college to keep my checks safe, I will be putting them in there after I have taken a digital picture of the back of each card, these pictures I am saving online in case something bad happens to the cards.

 

[ceecee]

I recently found out that Target carries Disney gift cards, I also discovered that my husband's Employee discount AND the 5% discount for using my Target Credit Card work on the purchase for the gift cards!! .

I just bought a Target gift card last night and was told the 5% for using the CC didn't count on gift cards. You get the 5% off??? I would think all Targets would have the same policies.

 

[Disfamily0405]

I just bought a Target gift card last night and was told the 5% for using the CC didn't count on gift cards. You get the 5% off??? I would think all Targets would have the same policies.

Mine worked fine here in Athens, GA. It doesn't work on Target gift cards just things like the Itunes cards, restuarant gift cards (ours had Olive Garden and Chuckie Cheese), Disney Gift Cards, and Game system points cards (ie xbox 360 & Wii points).

 

[angierae]

I recently found out that Target carries Disney gift cards, I also discovered that my husband's Employee discount AND the 5% discount for using my Target Credit Card work on the purchase for the gift cards!!

That's good to know about the 5% working on gift cards. I mean, it's only going to save me $25 for every $500 in gift cards, but I've got 3k left on my vacation - if I can save $150, that's $150 more in my pocket for Disney. Very good to know, thank you.

 

[Magix]

As a previous poster said, make sure you keep the purchase receipts for your Disney gift cards. Without the receipts, you won't be able to get a replacement for a card that gets lost or stolen. Good idea to keep the receipts in a separate place from the card, so they don't get lost/stolen all together!!