When someone gives you a gift card, you probably think of two things immediately whether or not you'll be able to use it and how to get it back. The chances are that you weren't aware that the gift card in your hand has another option besides just using it to get something you need at a store.
That's because most gift cards are not usable for anything other than the card's original purpose. That's not to say that there aren't many reasons why you might want to use a gift card. Depending on the card's size and where you live, you may be able to use it for things like ordering takeout, getting gas, or even getting your nails done.
It can be a great surprise to get a vanilla gift card as a gift or in a special occasion. Any person will love to get that extra bonus. You may need some money on a gift card and immediately have decided to transfer that amount to your account. There are several ways to use the money of a vanilla gift card.
Whether this can be at restaurants, retail stores, online purchases or where the Visa debit cards are accepted. Here we'll get you cover the details of transferring money from vanilla gift card.
What is a Vanilla Gift Card?
Vanilla gift cards usually are prepaid Visa debit cards that can be used at any location. Having no expiration date, vanilla gift cards are handy to use. These gift cards are very secure & safe while using and it carries a little bit of risk.
It's a type of gift card that doesn't come with any additional benefits, such as free gifts, points at casinos, or TV dinners. A gift card like this usually costs either $50 or $100, and it can come with a printed description of its features.
Many popular online stores like Walmart, Walgreens, CVS, and other handy stores keep these gift cards. It is a simple piece of work to purchase a Vanilla gift card. If you don't want to go to any store, you can simply purchase a vanilla gift card through their official website.
The card itself can either be a physical card you pick up at the register when you buy a gift card at a store or a digital card you can load onto your credit card or debit card. It can also be a gift card that comes with no card at all - these are known as vouchers and can be used just like cash.
How to Transfer Money from a Vanilla Gift Card?
There are various ways to transfer money from a vanilla gift card. The easiest and most common way is to cash it. So, if you got a $50 gift card, you could cash it at a store and use the cash balance on the card to pay for the gift.
However, you can also cash this gift card at a bank or credit union and have the money immediately transferred to your account. The two most popular, user-friendly, quick and secured mediums of transferring money are provided below:
i) PayPal
PayPal can be one of the most convenient ways to get the cash-out money from your gift card. It is pretty safe and straightforward to create a PayPal account. You'll need your name, cell number, email address, detailed home address, bank account, and proof of identification to create a PayPal account.
When the PayPal account is successfully created, you have to connect your bank account to your PayPal account to receive the money from the Vanilla gift card. The steps you have to complete to transfer your gift card money to bank account are:
On your PayPal app or website, go to the "wallet" feature.
Using the "link a card" option, link your Vanilla gift card to bank account.
Selecting the "transfer money" option, transfer money to your bank account.
Choose the exact bank account to transfer your money & wait for it to arrive.
ii) Venmo
Venmo is another easy, quick and user-friendly medium in the field of transferring money. From the setup and usability, it is pretty similar to PayPal. It is pretty simple to create your Venmo account. You'll need your name, email address, cell number and bank account information.
You've to select "transfer funds" and start the transfer process to the exact bank account to transfer money from the Vanilla gift card. When setting up your account, you have to connect your bank account to Venmo account.
How to Use the Vanilla Gift Card?
Once you have the money in your account, you can use the card just like any other credit or debit card. You can shop online with the card, take medical appointments, use it at the grocery store, etc. You can even charge things to the card and get cashback from the card as well.
The card also comes with a redeemable code that you can input into the retailer's app or website to get the goods or services you ordered. If you don't want to use the redeemable code or app, you can write the code on paper and have the cashier input it into the system.
Where to use the Vanilla Gift Card?
You can easily gift cards to people the same way you would give presents - direct them to the store or send them an email with a link to the product. You could also put the card in a gift bag or box so the recipient can present it to themselves or others at home.
If you're giving the card as a gift, you can also keep it in the box while you're out of the house so the recipient can find it easily when they're looking for a gift.
Wrap up
Finally, remember, you don't have to use a gift card for every occasion. You can use them for candy, gas, groceries, etc. The important thing is to keep them safe and use them only as necessary.
By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to helping your friend out. They have to show you the card and you'll have access to lots of free money.