What is a good gift card amount for a teacher?
There are lots of times when it is appropriate to show appreciation to a teacher for teaching your kids. Our recommendation for gifts at the end of the year, before a holiday, or just because the teacher is awesome are gift cards! Gift cards are fantastic gifts and perfect for giving gifts to an acquaintance. People contain multitudes, and we don’t blame you for not knowing the hobbies and interests of your kid’s instructors. A gift card keeps the options open and lets them pick and choose where and how they want to spend the card.
If you aren’t quite sure what gift card is the best fit we are here to help! This list will cover some of the best gift cards for teachers.
What is a Good Gift Card Amount for a Teacher?
Before we get into the list, however, it is important to figure out how much money to put in the gift card. Most teacher gift cards fall between $10 and $30, but there is no required amount for a gift card — we’re sure they would appreciate any and every amount you want to give! There’s no pressure for an amount. Choose an amount based on your budget.
Our only caution when figuring out your gift card amount is in reference to your final decision on the retailer. We have tons of retailers on Gift Card Granny, and if your gift card covers less than half of the estimated bill, the teacher may feel pressured to spend a lot of money on something they don’t love. If you purchase a gift card to Starbucks, for instance, $10 will cover a coffee or two, but if you purchase a gift card to a clothing store they may have to spend a lot out-of-pocket even with the discount from your gift card.
A good gift card amount for your teacher relates to the retailer. The first step is to figure out how much you are willing to spend on this gift card. Once you figure out that price point, you can decide on an appropriate store! If you happen to know of a store that they love, however, you can forgo all this talk about appropriate gift card amounts. If they will spend money at a store, gift card or not, any amount of discount is a great boon.
Earn Cash Back On Gift Cards for Teachers with Gift Card Granny
As a quick reminder, we’ve pointed out all of the retailers on this list that you can find on Gift Card Granny as of this writing. Gift Card Granny makes it easy to buy and send customized gift cards online and earn cash back while you do. Gift Card Granny carries thousands of local and national brands including Visa gift cards, Mastercard gift cards, and gift cards for many of the awesome spots on this list.
Text eGift Cards on GiftYa
Another popular gift giving site is GiftYa, which also offers customizable eGift cards! GiftYa lets you add custom photos or videos to all your gifts in the form of a virtual gift wrapper. A GiftYa can be sent by text or email so the gift is always delivered within minutes. You can also schedule the gift to be sent on a specific date, such as a birthday or holiday. With over 16,000 local merchants and 280 national merchants usable at over 230k locations across the US, you can find the perfect gift for anyone!
Now that we’re on the same page, let’s jump right into our list!
Gift Cards Under $5
No gift card amount is too small. We are certain that any teacher out there would beam if one of their students handed them a gift card under $5. As the parent, it is important to pick out a good place at this price point. A $5 Banana Republic gift card, for instance, is not going to cut too much off the total price of the bill. Let’s look at some great gift cards for teachers under $5.
1. Starbucks
A gift card for coffee lovers
A gift card for coffee is a fantastic choice for all times of the year. Coffee is a staple in many lives, and if this teacher is into the coffee scene, a Starbucks gift card is a great option. A local cafe is a great alternative to a place like Starbucks if you know one nearby. Spending less than $5 on a Starbucks gift card still lets your teacher go out and get a free coffee drink. Well, maybe most of a free coffee drink. Starbucks is getting rather pricey! If you know of a local cafe, a gift card to that place is a great incentive for the teacher to try someplace new or go back to an old favorite. Whichever place you choose, a coffee shop is a fantastic destination for a $5 gift card.
2. Amazon
Home to just about every item imaginable — an Amazon gift card is always a welcome sight
Amazon gift cards are good at any price point, and under $5 is no exception. While not the most exciting, an Amazon gift card always returns its value. There is always another item to order on Amazon, and these gift cards are added straight to the portal and go into the recipient’s account. From there, they are automatically added to the next order, and the savings pile in. We recommend Amazon gift cards to pragmatic recipients who are happy with a monetary gift rather than something that leads them to a new experience.
3. Steam
For teachers who love to game
Not every teacher is a computer gamer, but if you’ve heard that they like to play video games after grading papers, this might be the gift card for them. Steam is a video game digital distribution service that every modern player knows of, and for those who prefer PC gaming, Steam is practically their lifeblood. Once installed on your PC, an entire catalog of thousands of video game titles becomes readily available. Video games are also pricey, but if they are into gaming they will certainly buy a new game sooner or later, and at that point your gift card comes into play.
Steam hosts various video games developed by creators from different backgrounds. Browse games produced by major studios and the latest AAA hits or go down a more niche route and discover the magnificent world of indie gaming. No matter their preference, Steam has a video game to satisfy even the pickiest gaming enthusiast. Our only note of caution is that there are four major gaming platforms right now: PC, Xbox, Playstation, and Nintendo. Once you know which platform they use, you can pick up a gift card there!
Gift Card Granny does not offer Steam gift cards at this time.
Gift cards under $20
This next tier is for gift cards under $20. This is a great gift card amount for teachers doing an amazing job teaching your kid, and you want to say thank you. You have more flexibility with the higher the price point of the gift card as there are more and more stores that this gift card can cover. Let’s check them out!
4. The Cheesecake Factory
A gift card for a lovely meal
Get a Cheesecake Factory gift card
The Cheesecake Factory is our stand-in for restaurants in the under $20 tier of gift card amounts. The Cheesecake Factory is a sit-down, affordable restaurant providing guests a great experience. This is a great gift card for teachers that like to enjoy a quality meal at a local restaurant. The Cheesecake Factory is great for dinner and, of course, great for dessert! Their cheesecakes are always a special treat.
We want to single out the Cheesecake Factory as a great option for a gift card under $20, but there are many restaurants at this price point where a 20-ish dollar gift card provides a significant discount on the meal in its entirety. Only purchase a gift card to an expensive restaurant if you know they are a foodie. You don’t want to force them into a big bill even with the discount from the gift card.
Get a Cheesecake Factory gift card
5. Barnes and Noble
A home for readers
Buy a Barnes and Noble gift card
We don’t want to imply that all teachers are readers, but if you know this one is, a gift card to Barnes and Noble is a great choice. Books are costly! Older paperbacks go for seven to twelve dollars, and new hardcovers can be over $20 each. Regardless, Barnes and Noble is a calm sanctuary for book lovers.
They have such a diverse collection of books on their shelves that readers of all ages and interests can find a book that they enjoy. If, however, you know they are a fond listener of audiobooks, we put forward Audible as an excellent alternative. Audiobooks are a stellar alternative to reading, and let people listen to their favorite book while up and about. This is perfect for commutes, chores around the house, or drifting off to sleep.
Buy a Barnes and Noble gift card
6. Walmart
A gift card to a reliable superstore
Another place for a $20 gift card is Walmart. It has many items and a large grocery department, making it a great stop for anyone needing, well, just about anything. We recommend finding the superstore where they are the most comfortable, be it Walmart, Target, or another similar store. These are great places for gift cards, where just about anyone can build a list and head out for some great products with the use of your gift card.
7. Sephora
Get a gift card for a quality beauty product
Beauty products are very popular with teachers, and a gift card to Sephora is the perfect gift to let them pick out the products they love or even try out some new ones! Sephora is a great choice because they are dotted all over the country, maximizing the chance that there is one nearby.
When push comes to shove, they can also shop online for their beauty products! More than anyone, they will know which products need to be refilled, and your gift card can take a bit of the weight off of them getting that expensive bottle of hand cream that they love. \
5. Macy’s
A gift card perfect for shopping anytime
A gift card to Macy’s lets the teacher pick out some great new outfits for the next semester. Even the most filled closets get old after picking out outfits five days a week. Macy’s has a great selection of clothes in a wide variety of styles and they have a pretty substantial bath and body section as well. Macy’s is a great place to shop around, and it is easy to find the products you need within these halls.
Clothes shopping is not everyone’s favorite, but it is a necessity. That’s where your gift card comes in! Going shopping with a gift card in hand is always a good feeling.
These are our favorite gift cards for teachers
We hope that this article has helped you dispel any concerns about what a good gift card amount is for a teacher. Remember: many of the retailers on this list are available at Gift Card Granny, where you can earn cashback and rewards on all of your gift card purchases.
From all of us here at Gift Card Granny, happy shopping!