What are the pros and cons of giving a Visa,MasterCard,AMEX gift card vs. a gift cheque?

Question

can some one tell me what are the pros and cons of giving a Visa,MasterCard,AMEX gift card vs. Visa,MasterCard,AMEX a gift cheque. Where I can I use them. What happens if I lose it. Is it only good in the USA?

Answer 1

You can use the gift credit cards wherever you can use the regular credit cards, and I imagine it works that way outside the US as well. If you lose it, you can call the company. I don't know how much of a hassle talking to them is, but they can probably cancel the card and get you a new one.

Gift credit cards are more convenient, because the receiver doesn't have to go down to the bank. If you want to get into subtle shades of etiquette, I think it's more polite, too. The gift cards are more like store gift cards, which are a more acceptable gift than money. Money is usually only an okay thing to give if you're helping out a daughter or nephew or grandchild, someone much younger than you. Money giving between equals shows that you are lazy at best. A check is just like money. It's one of those minor things that can really make a huge difference. Get the credit card, unless you are talking about someone a generation younger than you who would find a check easier to deal with.

Answer 2

I know with the gift cards, you need to pay a fee just to open it aside from the amount you want to put on it, then if you add to it, another fee each time.