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National Use Your Gift Card Day 2025

Gift card being handed to coffee shop employee

Canada’s gift card industry has seen impressive growth, as more people than ever embrace their convenience and flexibility as gifts, rewards, and incentives. With this increase in gift cards issued also comes a rise in unused gift cards. This January the 18th, National Use Your Gift Card Day, is a timely reminder to put those gift cards to work. Here are some practical tips to ensure you get the most out of every gift card you receive.


Organize Your Cards


A simple but highly effective strategy for ensuring you use your gift cards is to keep them all in one place. Designate a specific folder, drawer, or wallet compartment to store them. Having a dedicated space means you're more likely to remember and use your cards when you're ready to shop.


Use Gift Cards for Online Shopping


Gift cards aren’t just for in-store purchases; they’re also fantastic tools for online shopping. Many popular retailers offer gift cards that can be used online or even within their mobile apps. Gift card compatible apps are changing the shopping experience with their convenient features, allowing you to load your gift cards directly into your account for easy access at checkout.


Combine Gift Cards and Track Balances


One of the top features offered by many gift card-compatible apps is the ability to combine balances across multiple gift cards. Combining your gift cards consolidates your funds into a single balance, simplifying their redemption. An Excel spreadsheet can also be a helpful way to keep tabs on your gift card balances. Create a simple table listing each category, card, current balance, and where you’re most likely to use it. Having an eagle-eye view over your gift card types and balances will reveal why gift cards can be a great budgeting tool.


Regift Your Gift Cards


Gift cards make great presents because they offer recipients the freedom to choose what they want. They’re also ideal for businesses, where gift cards can be an excellent solution for rewarding staff or increasing customer lifetime value and loyalty. If you're a business owner looking to harness the power of gift cards to create an effective rewards program for employees or customers, Gift Card Warehouse is an ideal supplier. Our intuitive fulfillment platform makes it easy to order the exact type and quantity of gift cards you need, allowing you to reward and incentivize with confidence!