Yesterday, I was pretty broke. I managed to scrape together enough cash for a light lunch for me and my sons but there was no money left for snacks. However, I decided to go to Olive Garden to see if I could get cash for the gift card because it had so little value on it and something someone had said to me made me think that might be do-able.
So I went in and asked if I could cash out a gift card with less than $5 in value because "some places will do that and I was wondering if Olive Garden will do it." To my surprise, I was told "I am 95% sure you can as this is now a California wide thing." So I got $4.23 in cash and that paid for some evening snacks and constitutes a good junk of the money I have left today.
So I looked it up. According to this CA.gov Consumer Affairs FAQ sheet:
Thus if you find or are given a gift card, it may be possible to simply cash it in for whatever is left on it. As noted yesterday Von's will pay 65% of the value but it needs to have more than $20 in value on it. If it is under $10, you can go to the establishment in question and get cash for it. I have previously found a gift card. It was empty. But I did pick it up. You can often check the value online or by phone (thought the Big 5 Sporting Goods card I still have says you have to check it in the store, which I have not done yet).
Addendum to the addendum (March 05, 2014):
I ultimately did go to Big 5 Sporting Goods. I asked them to check the balance and asked if they would cash it out if it were under $10, per California law. They checked the balance. It was $10.75. They checked with their manager. Yes, they cash out cards under $10. I bought Black Forest Gummy Worms for $2.29 and then cashed out the other $8.46. Combined with recycling money and found money, it put me at $10.50. I used that to get food that evening after being essentially broke all day. So, yes, this can work. Yay!
So I went in and asked if I could cash out a gift card with less than $5 in value because "some places will do that and I was wondering if Olive Garden will do it." To my surprise, I was told "I am 95% sure you can as this is now a California wide thing." So I got $4.23 in cash and that paid for some evening snacks and constitutes a good junk of the money I have left today.
So I looked it up. According to this CA.gov Consumer Affairs FAQ sheet:
Effective January 1, 2008, any gift certificate with a cash value of less than $10 is redeemable in cash, which includes currency or check, for its cash value.
Thus if you find or are given a gift card, it may be possible to simply cash it in for whatever is left on it. As noted yesterday Von's will pay 65% of the value but it needs to have more than $20 in value on it. If it is under $10, you can go to the establishment in question and get cash for it. I have previously found a gift card. It was empty. But I did pick it up. You can often check the value online or by phone (thought the Big 5 Sporting Goods card I still have says you have to check it in the store, which I have not done yet).
Addendum to the addendum (March 05, 2014):
I ultimately did go to Big 5 Sporting Goods. I asked them to check the balance and asked if they would cash it out if it were under $10, per California law. They checked the balance. It was $10.75. They checked with their manager. Yes, they cash out cards under $10. I bought Black Forest Gummy Worms for $2.29 and then cashed out the other $8.46. Combined with recycling money and found money, it put me at $10.50. I used that to get food that evening after being essentially broke all day. So, yes, this can work. Yay!