How to Use Gift Cards

Without Losing Your Mind

We’ve all been there. It's your birthday. Someone hands you a card with a smile and says, “Got you a little something!” You open it, and inside... it’s a gift card. Hooray! But fast-forward six months, and that card is still buried at the bottom of your sock drawer, gently gathering dust and existential shame.

Using gift cards should be simple, right? And yet, somehow, they vanish like your willpower during a Greggs lunch run. But not anymore. It’s time to take control. Here’s how to use gift cards like a boss — and maybe even enjoy the process.

1. Actually Know What You Have

   First things first: do a treasure hunt. Wallets, junk drawers, coat pockets, that mystery kitchen drawer full of takeaway menus. Dig out every card and e-gift you can find. The goal? Know your arsenal.

2. Use TickIt Cards to Stay Organised

   This is where the magic happens. Download TickIt Cards, the app that helps you store, track, and remember to use your gift cards before they expire. No more missed Starbucks lattes or forgotten M&S shopping sprees.

3. Don’t Wait for a Special Occasion

   Gift cards are money. Use them for everyday spending — groceries, socks, stationery, impulse candles. There’s no rule that says you can only spend your Boots voucher when Mercury is in retrograde.

4. Stack 'Em High

   Some retailers let you use multiple gift cards in one transaction. So if you’ve got five £10 Argos cards, that’s a £50 blender you can use to make one smoothie and then never again. Still, free blender.

5. Check the Balance

   Nothing says “awkward checkout moment” like waving a gift card with £0.03 on it. Use TickIt Cards to check your balances before you try to buy that £4.50 iced coffee with confidence.

6. Watch the Expiry Date

   Some cards expire faster than a takeaway discount code. Don’t let your money vanish into the void. TickIt Cards will alert you when time’s ticking — so you can spend now, cry never.

7. Get Creative

   Use gift cards to buy presents, pay bills (some allow it!), or finally buy that novelty cactus lamp you've had your eye on. The only limit is your imagination — and the terms and conditions.

So there you go — using gift cards isn’t rocket science, but it can feel like it without a little help. With TickIt Cards, you’ll never forget, misplace, or underuse your precious plastic currency again.

Download TickIt Cards today and make every gift card count. You deserve it — and so does that candle you’ve been eyeing since April.

TickIt Cards: Because losing a £25 gift card is basically financial sabotage (against yourself).