How to Stock Up on the Discount Gift Cards You Need

I need to hit the stop button and fill you in on the important stuff; How to actually score discounted cards. The nuts and bolts are simple, but the process seems daunting at first. I feel an outline coming on!

1. Determine your needs. We are adding some landscaping to our front yard and budgeted for $250. The lawn is absolutely revolting, complete with deadly oleanders. Foreclosures come with many costs.

2. Type "Home Depot" or "Lowe's" on the "Find Gift Cards" search bar. Even Granny can spot this one without the bifocals.

3. Browse the current selection of discounted gift cards.

4. Watch for eBay cards! These can sometimes give you the best discounts, but you'll have to be more patient to find the one you want. While sites like Plastic Jungle, Cardpool, and the other vendors Gift Card Granny reccommends guarantee their cards and don't sell cards with an expiration dates, eBay makes no such guarantee.

5. If you're not in a rush, sign up for gift card alerts, which let you know when a specific card rolls through. This is much easier than stalking Gift Card Granny several times a day.

6. Wait for a card or several cards that have the amount you need. I found three cards that equaled the $250 for Home Depot and I found each of them for a better discount than I would have buying just one with the full amount.

7. Cards usually arrive 2-7 days after purchase.

8. Write the date you bought it and the amount directly on the card with a permanent marker, if the card was from an auction site.

• Make sure you know the original date of purchase of your gift card. Some cards purchased on eBay can expire and are subject to monthly fees after a certain time period. Ask an eBay seller the expiration date, if applicable.
• Always update your balance on the card or you'll spend more than the balance (or, worse, forget about it).

That's it! There's no excuse for not saving an additional 9% on our landscaping this month. Before even looking at sales or clearance events, I get to shave $22 off the total bill up front. And please send some ideas for what on Earth we can do with the yard! Blank slates are fun, but daunting...

More tips to come!

-Ashley