Money talk - how to use up your gift cards

(I feel like a genius because I finally used two gift cards)

I had a long, hard week so on Friday afternoon I decided to book a massage for this weekend. To be honest, I had “book a massage” on my goals list from 30 May and I was due to chat to my accountability partner in an hour so I needed to set it up.

This is a great way to get things done, by the way. Beth and I have been each other’s accountability partners for 19 years! Let me know if you would like to set up an accountability session with me either weekly, bi-monthly or monthly. South Africans can’t accept Substack payments but I am considering other vendors to set up a group accountability member level.

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A bit of background:

I started this year with 8 unused vouchers. I don’t know what “normal” is but 8 is too many for me. Think of it - if you add up all those vouchers, that’s a lot of money.

The vouchers pile up very quickly if you don’t pay attention - I had a massage voucher, several retailer vouchers, three dining vouchers, a voucher for my hair and a bookstore voucher. Eight.

My usual plan is to use things up quickly so I don’t lose them or they expire.

Yet, here we are in June with one voucher expired, 20% used of one and now, one used.

How to not throw your money down the drain

1. Forget about perfection

What does this mean? That you have to wait for the perfect thing to buy to justify the spending of the voucher.

This is how you forget about them, lose them or they expire.

You don’t have to wait for the perfect thing unless you already have the perfect thing in mind. E.g. If you received a Woolworths voucher on Mother’s Day and you need new pyjamas, go buy the new pyjamas.

If you receive an Amazon voucher, add it to your account immediately so you don’t have to search for the email later to retrieve the coupon code. Small disclaimer - I do like to buy a book I know I’m going to enjoy with an Amazon voucher, but this is not due to procrastination and more because I want to think fondly of my friend who usually gifts me one on my birthday.

2. Have a plan to use up your vouchers/ gift cards

I rearranged my wallet so that I keep the physical gift cards next to my credit card. This is an attempt to remind me to use the card first when I’m in store.

Of course, this only works if you are regularly at the gift card store.

I will soon look at my “To Buy” list (you have a to buy list on your phone, right?) and if anything can be bought at these stores, that is where I will go.

South Africans - for takealot vouchers, add the voucher to your account as soon as you get it.

A book I bought with an Amazon gift card (Tutip Island, Vietnam)

3. Organise yourself and put the spending of the voucher on your goals list

Bonus points if you also make yourself accountable to your coach or a friend.

I have now put a list of my gift cards on a post-it note for the goals page of my diary so that I can add one or two of them every month.

E.g. The twins are turning 16 in a month’s time and that is a lovely excuse to use my Dineplan voucher.

Since it’s already June, I’m going to have to double-up to use up the vouchers by my birthday in August as that was my original plan.

4. Make a list of the gift cards and of the expiry dates

Yes, know when your gift cards will expire but if it’s three years, that’s no excuse to leave it unspent.

For me, even just seeing that list with the expiry dates will prompt me to do something about it. I hope the same is true for you.

I unfortunately had many (at least three come to mind) gift cards expire last year because the breast cancer diagnosis was a few days prior to my birthday and I was at medical appointments, surgery (and let’s face it, crying) instead of living my best birthday month. This is not usual for me so hopefully (!) this year will be a lot more pleasant in August.

Notes on the actual massage

• It was deliciously cold (I’m going to say this a lot over the next three months) so I thought it was the perfect temperature to be in a warm room.

• I asked for an extra pillow to cushion my frontal area because I still have tenderness at my incision sites. We didn’t need it but (and this is a game-changer for me) she raised the bed, like in a hospital, and my head was fine after a massage (I have low blood pressure so I hate the feeling of being completely flat) for the first time in forever.

• I’m (apparently) unusual in that I like a very soft and gentle touch. I had to advocate for myself twice to say that the “light touch” was still too painful for me, but it was worth it once she got it.

(I did regret not getting even one Vietnamese massage as the hotel staff told me those are the lightest touch massages.)

Do you like massages? Do you book them regularly?

And now, I’m about to make some tea, update my diary and the three pages of my line-a-day journal (yes, I am now up to date. well, for me - I consider anything less than a week to be up to date).

Wishing you a great week with affirming performance discussions (okay, this is for me), lunches and suppers with friends that are nourishing and comforting in all the right ways, and money in your car console, a jacket pocket or that bag you haven’t used for a while.

Lots of love

Marcia