Gift cards can make a great gift.
The stigma about them being impersonal is all but dead and billions in gifts and cash will be exchanged in the form of gift cards this holiday season.
According to the National Retail Federation's annual holiday survey by BIGresearch, holiday shoppers planned to spend $29.8 billion on gift cards last year alone. That's an average $163.16 per shopper, the highest amount in the past decade and up from $156.86 in 2012.
Here’s a list of gift cards that make the cut:
American Express gift card
Always a great gift, these cards are accepted everywhere American Express is accepted.
VISA gift card
Want the ultimate in convenience? Give the card that is accepted just about everywhere.
Amazon
THE online gift card. Give a little ($5) or a lot ($5,000). These little black cards are good for anything on the online giant’s website.
Walmart
Plenty popular for the holidays, Walmart houses just about anything anyone could want.
Target
For all the non-Walmart shoppers, there is always Target.
COSTCO
The COSTCO cash card allows non-membership shoppers to walk right into any COSTCO and make purchases.
Starbucks
Always a winner with coffee drinkers (and plenty of non-coffee drinkers), Starbucks gift cards allows for that special caffeine fix.
GAP
A unique gift card because they can also be used at Old Navy and Banana Republic – all stores in the GAP family.
Home Depot /Lowe’s
For the handyman in your life, these cards to the home improvement superstores are like gold.
Bass Pro Shops
New to the Bay area for this holiday, these cards are the perfect ticket for any outdoorsman or woman on your list.
For more information on gift cards, go to: