Store gift cards are certainly an option for gift giving. And although there are no costs associated with purchasing one,  I always found them to be limiting. Visa/MC/AMEX gift cards, to me, are the way to go. That is what I give if I am giving a gift card. (which I don't really like to) However, they are not free. There is ususally a charge for them. I have always paid about$2/GC.

And at least I KNOW they are being used. Whether it be for gas or food or medications. Another gift card that everyone can use are ones from Price Chopper or any other market. And for those who use ITunes, those gift cards are always used as well.

I agree with Cel, that in this economic down turn, it has become a 'buyer beware' environment. Gee, it isn't even safe giving a mall GC since there was just an article that said that malls may be the next in the list of foreclosures. We can still by gift cards. We need to just be selective on the ones we choose.

I too buy prepaid visa/mastercards - tho I buy them from local banks. Sunmark sells prepaid debit cards like this, very convenient, and although they moved their headquarters out of Schenectady for economic reasons, they still have a lot of employees that live in our community, so I buy them there.