Monday, January 17, 2011

Giveaway: $75 Plastic Jungle Gift Card!


Once upon a time I wrote a blog post over here on saving money. The hope was that my post was one of the first 50 that fit the bill and I would receive a $50 Staples gift card as a thank you gift. Long story short, mine was chosen and a couple of weeks later I had a $50 Staples gift card in my hot little hands.

Then I sadly realized there is no Staples in St. Louis. I know. I've been here since 2005 now and still sometimes have trouble remembering which stores are in Colorado Springs and which are here in St. Louis. Colorado Springs had a Staples, St. Louis does not.

Not too big of a problem, right? Just use it online? PROBLEM: Staples doesn't accept their own gift cards online. Weird, huh? When I called, they told me to place my order using my regular payment method, then MAIL them the gift card in the mail and they would retroactively apply it to my already paid order.

Not. Going. To. Happen.

So my Staples gift card sat on my desk for five months, untouched.

This is more than a sad little story about Staples and their insane policy of not accepting their own gift cards on their own website. No, it's instead a story of a genius who came up with a way for people to trade in gift cards they've received that they either can't or don't want to use, for one they will.  There is a catch - they take a cut. But I find that $44 of money to a place I DO want a gift card to is much more valuable to me than $50 to a place where I can't use it.

So I took my Staples gift card and registered it at Plastic Jungle. From there they gave me options. I could exchange it for $44.10 at Amazon, get $42 through Paypal (who then takes another cut), or get $42 cash directly from Plastic Jungle.

I went to the $44.10 to Amazon. I made my decision, printed off the appropriate packing slip (which included pre-paid shipping), and mailed my Staples card off to Plastic Jungle. A few days later I had a gift code to Amazon sent directly to my email.

YAY! I guarantee I will use this and, unlike Staples, Amazon DOES allow the use of their own gift cards on their own website. *grin*

I just bought myself a copy of Half Broke Horses: A True-Life Novel by Jeannette Walls using part of my gift card stash because I just finished The Glass Castle and must. read. more.

Anyway. Plastic Jungle wants you to experience them for yourself. They are willing to give one of you a $75 gift card for their site which I'm assuming you can trade in for a gift card to some place you want a gift card for. Sweet! And I don't even get anything out of this giveaway other than the pleasure of sharing this resource with you and offering one of you the chance at $75.

Here's how to enter:
  • Simply leave any comment on this post. Do you have an unused gift card sitting just aching for a chance to be used? Do tell.  That's an automatic entry.
  •  
  • For a second entry, Check out the Plastic Jungle website and discover something you didn't know before. Come back and let me know what you found.
  •  
  • For a third entry, follow Plastic Jungle on Twitter and tweet this: Win a $75 gift card to @PlasticJungle via @MeganDunham right here: http://bit.ly/fC5Okq - Come back and leave an extra comment letting me know you did that.
  •  
  • For a fourth entry, mention this contest on your facebook wall and include the link to this giveaway: http://bit.ly/fC5Okq. Come back and leave another comment for that one too.
  •  
  • For a fifth entry, "like" Plastic Jungle on Facebook and mention you entered this contest on their wall, including this link to the giveaway: http://bit.ly/fC5Okq Come back and let me know you did that.
  •  
  • For a sixth entry, subscribe to this blog, St. Louis, Seminary Style. Come back and let me know that you did it! 
  •  
  • Go back to my landing page for this week's giveaways and reviews. Choose one of my "review only" posts to leave a comment on and then come back saying you did that. Presto! A 7th entry!
The winner will be selected by Random.org. This contest will close on Friday, January 21. The winner will be notified over the weekend and will need to respond within 48 hours or risk forfeiting the prize to the next in line.  IMPORTANT: You must make your email address available for me to contact you. If I can't contact you, I will choose another winner. It's happened before.

Congrats to:



Awesome! I'm emailing you right now!
Disclosure: There is nothing to disclose on this post. I'm not receiving any kind of compensation from Plastic Jungle in exchange for this post. They are offering the gift card directly to you, but did not offer me one as well. So ENJOY! I do keep a proper disclosure statement available right here. 

78 comments:

suzannah | the smitten word said...

i finally used a way old gift card when i was home for christmas, and i have a few partially used ones in my wallet. good stores give change!

great idea for a business.

Unknown said...

I've been pretty lucky in the GC area. I do have one from Bed, Bath, & Beyond from a return and it is a silly paper receipt! I'm terrified that I'm going to lose it.

Unknown said...

I like that they have been reviewed by so many news groups.

Unknown said...

Facebook link has been left.

Unknown said...

the "like" has been added!

Unknown said...

Now I'm a follower of this blog. It looks like I'm a stalker now.

Unknown said...

I've now posted, for all the world to see, about my crush on Little Joe on Bonanza. LOL!

Stacey said...

I have a $50 Shell gas giftcard tucked away in my wallet for a rainy day.

April said...

I saw that Plastic Jungle sells discounted gift cards. I didn't know I could save money on a gift card!

April said...

I don't think I have any unused gift cards. I used the last one I know of on Saturday!

April said...

I left a comment about Bonanza!

Stacey said...

You can buy, sell, and trade gift cards at Plastic Jungle and they offer a discount when you buy.

Stacey said...

now following Plastic Jungle on twitter and tweeted here:
http://twitter.com/#!/kawsarani/status/27533251643973632

Deanna said...

I have an American Eagle gift card. I haven't been able to decide what to get with it yet! :)


(email in profile)

Deanna said...

I didn't know you could buy electronic gift cards at Plastic Jungle!

Deanna said...

I follow Plastic Jungle on Twitter as "calidreamin87" & I tweeted:

http://twitter.com/#!/calidreamin87/status/27590559413571584

Deanna said...

Posted on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/calidreamin87/posts/187834121245480

Deanna said...

I "like" Plastic Jungle on Facebook and I mentioned I entered this contest on their wall:

http://www.facebook.com/plasticjungle/posts/101984273212693

Deanna said...

I subscribe to this blog w/Google Reader.

NeedANap2 said...

I think somewhere we have a Dick's Sporting Goods and Bass Pro Shops. My husband won them at a work Christmas Party and we still haven't used them. I'll have to check and see what they're worth.

Anonymous said...

I have a stack of unused gift cards sitting around. I'm bad about using them unless I have something specific in mind, but I always have one available :) *Thanks* for the giveaway!
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

I didn't know that you could "get instant payment through PayPal".
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Following @PlasticJungle on Twitter and Tweeted the giveaway
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Shared the giveaway on Facebook
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

I like Plastic Jungle on Facebook and left a Wall comment
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

Anonymous said...

Subscribed to St. Louis, Seminary Style in reader
theluckyladybug[at]gmail[dot]com

no longer working said...

Sign me up.

no longer working said...

Tweeted and Followed

no longer working said...

I love me some Starbucks. That is what I would get!!! Yum. I bookmarked this site. I'll use it whenever my sister in law gives us gift cards to rest. we don't frequent like Applebees.

Unknown said...

My husband and I save up our "stocking stuffer"gift cards each Christmas and use them throughout the year when we need guilt-free dates!

no longer working said...

I left a comment on a review.

no longer working said...

I'm following you on Google Reader.

no longer working said...

Officially liked on Facebook.

Can I just mention that my birthday is on Friday???
I hope I win! What a fun present it would be :)

no longer working said...

OK...here is my last entry. You've been mentioned on my FB wall....although this will seriously jeopardize my chances to win because now my friends will come and enter the contest :)

Emily said...

Corrin is right - I am her friend and here I am entering to win! (Sorry, Corrin...) :)

I waited for at least six months to use a Teavana g.c. my precious mom gave to me, not realizing li'l old Greenville is not cosmo enough for Teavana. Turns out I used it when I went up to the big city during the holidays, which meant I got a giant tin of tea on super clearance. $60 of tea for $7? It was worth the wait!

NeedANap2 said...

I didn't know they did iTunes and Zappos.

NeedANap2 said...

You're on my Google Reader

NeedANap2 said...

I left a comment on your Bonanza post. I gave my husband season one of Growing Pains and a best of DVD for the Cosby Show. We've been having fun watching both!

Maria D. @ DownrightDomesticity said...

My problem in not with using the gift card, but what to do with the 33 cents that are inevitably left afterward. ARG!
maria.the.uncommon at gmail dot com

Maria D. @ DownrightDomesticity said...

I discovered they have gift cards for Cheesecake Factory! Oh, what I could do with $75 worth of cheesecake...
maria.the.uncommon at gmail dot com

Maria D. @ DownrightDomesticity said...

Following Plastic Jungle and tweeted:
http://twitter.com/#!/Perfect5thGDAE/status/27856882429337600
maria.the.uncommon at gmail dot com

ryan & erin said...

Ok. Truth be told. I have a gift CERTIFICATE from my wedding for Pottery Barn. I don't think they will accept it 11 years later. I still have it, just in case. It was at that funny amount that I couldn't figure out how to spend it.

Lynn said...

I do! I have an unused IKEA gift card sitting around because my nearest IKEA is a 2 hour drive away!


rawrms (at) gmail (dot) com

Lynn said...

I discovered that you can use the site to donate gift cards to a charity!

rawrms (at) gmail (dot) com

Lynn said...

I "liked" Plastic Jungle on Facebook and mentioned that I entered this contest on their page:
http://www.facebook.com/plasticjungle?v=wall#!/plasticjungle/posts/119892154749084


rawrms (at) gmail (dot) com

Kristin said...

I have Dillard's Dollars giftcards just sitting in my wallet unused. Great giveaway!

ourgrowinggarden@gmail.com

Kristin said...

Plastic Jungle offers free shipping!

ourgrowinggarden@gmail.com

Leslie said...

I like that there are many gift cards at a discount! llynnf2@sbcglobal.net

Tylerpants said...

I have just one giftcard for 77 Kids I haven't used yet. tylerpants(at)gmail.com

Tylerpants said...

I learned that Plastic Jungle is the web's largest secured gift card exchange. tylerpants(at)gmail.com

kristen said...

I hate having to keep track of gift cards, so I tend to spend them quickly!

kristen said...

I checked out their website and was surprised at free shipping, always and the transaction guarantee. Great model, Plastic Jungle!

kristen said...

Liked and linked on facebook!

Kelly said...

Forgot not having the store to use them - I misplace them before I can use them!! Organization is always on my list to work on!! When I do find the card - it is then double jackpot!!

Melissa said...

We have 2 cards sitting here right now looking for a new home. MIL gave them to us 2 years ago to a chain resturant that went out of business locally. Still around nationaly so they need to be traded in for a new home. Thanks for the site info.

missysids (at) yahoo dot com

Rachel said...

I have no unused gift cards to use right now, but have sometimes had them for restaurants that are not in our area.

chelle1113 said...

I have an unused Smoothie Factory gift card. The one by my house closed =(

merrymom said...

I have a Cracker Barrell gift card, lost it, found it, and lost it again, but I found it again last week... thatks for the heads-up. The gift card isn't enough for a large family, so we will be going this route!

merrymom said...

info from visiting their site:

You can buy gift cards on their site for ANYWHERE at a discount...30% off... it makes sense, but it didn't really sink in. I will never buy cards anywhere else again.

merrymom said...

I posted the contest on my fb status and commented :)

merrymom said...

I went to Plastic jungle's fb page and 'liked' and posted your link and commented!

merrymom said...

I have subscribed offically to the seminary style blog :)

merrymom said...

okay, I comment on your review of the Gogi... awesome idea!

Liz said...

I have some gift cards hanging around from stores we don't have in my area!

eemoody77 at gmail dot com

meeyeehere said...

I just used my Barnes and Nobles gift card my sister gave me. The only gc I have left is to the cheese cake factory and their isn't one any where near me so I may regift it to someone else
jacksoncrisman@yahoo.com

meeyeehere said...

I see that you can trade gift cards which is awesome. I might need to do that some day!
jacksoncrisman@yahoo.com

meeyeehere said...

http://twitter.com/#!/meeyeehere/status/28598708408942592
follow them and tweeted too
jacksoncrisman@yahoo.com

maryjaco1 said...

I have several riteaid giftcards that have not been used for a long time.
mary@cire.com

Blommom said...

I'm pretty good at using my gift cards. We do have one sitting here unused, but just because we are going to take it with us on vacation.

Blommom said...

I subscribed to your blog. Hope I win!

Anonymous said...

There's a gap gift card that I've had forever
k k g r a y 8 8 at yahoo

Anonymous said...

i went to their site and was happy to learn that the have free shipping
k k g r a y 8 8 at yahoo

Anonymous said...

follow PJ on twitter
k k g r a y 8 8 at yahoo

Anonymous said...

posted on fb
k k g r a y 8 8 at yahoo

Anonymous said...

liked pj on facebook
k k g r a y 8 8 at yahoo

Anonymous said...

subscriber
k k g r a y 8 8 at yahoo

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