Do you prefer Cash over Gift Cards?

[tjtrellmom]

I work alot of sites and most of them pay cash. I would rather have cash but if a site only offers giftbcards and they are fairly easy to obtain I don't mind working the site. Some sites even offer both but I will more than likely lean toward the cash unless a particular gift card that I am interested in is cheaper for me. For example, I love Swagbucks. Swagbucks offers multiple ways to earn and they offer several prizes. I have found that I get more bang out of my buck if I work for $5 Amazon gift cards. The $5 Amazon gift cards sell for 450 Swagbucks while a $25 Paypal cashout takes 2500 Swagbucks. I am getting the Amazon gift cards cheaper so I opt for that option and use it toward Christmas gifts for my family.

What about you? If the site only offers gift cards do you just skip it or are you an equal opportunity earner?

I am an equal opportunity earner if the price is right!

I would rather work for cash than a gift card, but a gift card limits my spending. What if the company does not have anything I'm interested in at the time I want to use my gift card? I would hate to have to wait to use my earnings until I see what I want. So, cash is my perferred option !

 

[caparica007]

I don't do gift cards, my policy - Show Me the $Money$

Here in Portugal we have some Focus Groups that pay with gift cards, usually around 35€ for 2 hours, what I consider very well paid, I could not say no to that...

 

[shellyann36]

I prefer cash over gift cards. By getting cash you are not restricted to use them one place which I prefer.

I can accept gift cards if they are for sites I buy stuff from often. However if it is some sites I haven't heard off or I don't really care about then I just skip it.

This is so very true. I have let sites go for not offering cash and good gift cards. It gets tedious when a site changes up what they have available.

I don't do gift cards, my policy - Show Me the $Money$

LOL understood NicheGuy!

 

[shellyann36]

I would rather work for cash than a gift card, but a gift card limits my spending. What if the company does not have anything I'm interested in at the time I want to use my gift card? I would hate to have to wait to use my earnings until I see what I want. So, cash is my perferred option !

I am fortunate enough that most of the sites that I work that offer giftcards usually offer the big store gc's such as Walmart, or BarnesandNobles, Bath&BodyWorks or Amazon. I will certainly use these giftcards and if I don't use them I will give them as gifts. But cash is still king here too! Thanks for answering.

 

[MercyL]

I do not work for gifts, gift cards, or any other alternative payments. I would if I could pay the phone company with a gift card, but that's not reality, and sites offering gift cards instead of cash are cheating writers.

Any company paying with gift cards isn't really paying you. They are paying the store linked to the gift card, forcing you to buy something from a specific vendor if you want to use that money at all!

 

[shellyann36]

I do not work for gifts, gift cards, or any other alternative payments. I would if I could pay the phone company with a gift card, but that's not reality, and sites offering gift cards instead of cash are cheating writers.

Any company paying with gift cards isn't really paying you. They are paying the store linked to the gift card, forcing you to buy something from a specific vendor if you want to use that money at all!

Very good way of looking at it MercyL. I see your point. My reasoning is that if I see a store that I frequent or I see a store where I want to purchase from I don't mind a gc at all! Thank you for your opinion.

 

[JeronimoMagalhaes]

I usually prefer money, as I never really make shopping that requires gift cards. But one day, I might just need them and start loving them.

 

[Jessi]

I'm the same way with the Swagbuck's gift cards, Shelly. While Amazon gift cards won't pay my bills, Swagbucks is more of a passive earning thing for me. I don't use it often, so my points just gradually build up over time. I don't mind cashing out for the Amazon gift cards instead of PayPal because the conversion is better (more bang for my buck!). I'll use it for Christmas or just pile it up for other purchases throughout the year.

 

[millshre]

I usually prefer cash, especially paypal but I can definitely see the benefit of gift cards. If it is somewhere that I shop a lot, like Amazon, I think I would be less likely to use it on frivolous things, since I never make a huge amount, and more likely to budget it better for things I buy there, such as groceries and diapers. If I have five dollars in my purse, I'm likely to just spend it on junk here and there and it will be gone before I even realize it. So, maybe I should start jumping on gift card options more often! You've inspired me to go back to swagbucks. I haven't used it in ages.

 

[CeliVega]

Definitely cash for me. Gift cards are nice, but their usage is quite limited. What if the gift cards didn't cover what I wanted to buy? Plus some gift cards are only applied and accepted in limited locations. It would be very inconvenient in a lot of ways to say the least. But cash wouldn't have any of those problems! Cash is accepted as a form of payment almost everywhere, so I would rather have cash over girt cards any day.