BAD GIFT CARDS

***FOUR WAYS TO USE A STINKY GIFT CARD***

Thousands of people gave gift cards for the holidays this year. They're great since they allow you to buy what you want to. But what if you get stuck with a gift card to a store you HATE? Here are four ways to make sure the card doesn't go to waste . . .

#1.) DONATE THE CARD. Find a person or a local charity that's in need, and see if they can use the card. Most likely, they can. The card won't go to waste, and someone else will get to enjoy it.

#2.) BUY SOMETHING AND DONATE IT. If you don't want to donate the gift card itself, buy something useful and donate that. What you should buy depends on the gift card, but look for something that can be used by anyone.

#3.) RE-GIFT IT. The holidays are over, but there are plenty of birthdays coming up. If the gift card's for a store one of your friends likes, save it. Most cards retain their full value for at least a year, so you've got plenty of time. --In fact, you could probably even save it for NEXT Christmas.

#4.) SELL IT. The company that sold the card doesn't care who redeems it. So, if you just want some cold hard cash, get on the Internet and sell it on eBay or Craigslist. You won't get the full value of the card, but you WILL have some extra cash in your pocket. (Yahoo.com)