Sometimes, entering your contact information can seem risky. Here at Plastic Jungle we steer you to valid and current gift card sweepstakes, weekly on Fridays.

Get the scoop on hot gift card sweepstakes going on around the web right here! We bring you the best of the online sweepstakes and online giveaways – these are first-rate promotions and are your chance to win gift cards. This week brings you opportunities to win at GameStop, Courtyard Hotels and a favorite retailer, JCPenney.

• GameStop is running a $500 Gift Card Giveaway. Just enter your information for a chance to win.
• Courtyard Hotels Gift Card Giveaway on Twitter. Courtyard Hotels is giving away $50 gift cards daily now through December 17, 2010. Just follow @courtyardhotels on Twitter, and reTweet the specified daily Tweet, and you are entered to win.
• JCPenney presents Mix It, Match It, Virtual Closet. Parenting.com and JCPenney are giving away a $50 gift card weekly, with a $1000 grand prize.

16 Days Left in Plastic Jungle’s Holiday Sweepstakes

If you’ve not become a fan of ours on Facebook yet, there’s never been a better time to “Like” Plastic Jungle. Check out our fabulous DAILY $100 gift card giveaway: we’re giving away a $100 gift card EVERY DAY through December 25th when you Like us on Facebook.

You want to know, right?! So far, winners include:

•       T. Wisner won a $100 Kohl’s Gift Card

•       L. Lemons won a $100 Best Buy Gift Card

•       J. Neal won a $100 Target Gift Card

•       Palmer won a $100 Williams Sonoma Gift Card

•       W. Scruggs won a $100 Target Gift Card

•       K. Brand won a $100 Kohl’s Gift Card

•       A. Sakurada won a $100 Shell Gift Card

•       C. Alley won a $100 Walmart Gift Card

•       D. Roucoulet won a $100 Barnes & Noble Gift Card

•       K. Lyneis won a $100 Nordstrom Gift Card

•       L. McInnis won a $100 Macy’s Gift Card

•       R. Stephen won a $100 Walmart Gift Card

•       C. Hicks won a $100 Walmart Gift Card

•       S. Brown Lee won a $100 Target Gift Card

•       J. Cook won a $100 Old Navy Gift Card

•       W. Thompson won a $100 JC Penney Gift Card

•       R. Ceja won a $100 Pottery Barn Gift Card

•       H. Fan won a $100 Best Buy Gift Card

•       S. Jones won a $100 Victoria’s Secret Gift Card

•       A. Lopez Jr won a $100 Apple Store Gift Card

•       R. Lane won a $100 Sears Gift Card

•       I. Flores won a $100 American Eagle Outfitters Gift Card

•       A. Feinstein won a $100 Gap Gift Card

Congratulations to Plastic Jungle’s 40 Days of Holiday Sweepstakes winners!

Search "Plastic Jungle" on Facebook to find our Holiday Sweepstakes!

For all those gift card geeks out there (and I mean that in only the most positive sense possible)…

Be sure to check out First Data’s 2010 First-Half Gift Card Performance Report.  Here are a few interesting snippets:

Following a positive 2009 holiday performance, U.S. merchant branded gift card sales continued to gain traction in the first half of 2010. Merchants enjoyed year-over-year monthly sales growth from February through June. Sales increases peaked with a 12.8 percent jump in April and then subsided somewhat in the following months.

Much of the growth was driven by gift card malls (i.e., the large gift card displays featuring cards from a variety of merchants that are common in grocery stores, discount stores, etc). Through June, gift card sales from gift card malls increased by about 20 percent. Consumers continue to choose the convenience that gift card malls offer, and First Data expects this trend to continue.

The dollar value of all gift cards sold in the first half of the year, including at retailers, increased 4.6 percent, while the number of gift cards sold rose 2.7 percent, First Data found. The average gift card amount at all merchants increased 1.9 percent to $33.73.

First Data forecasts that merchant branded gift card sales will increase by 1 to 5 percent for 2010 with potential for upside. Since the holiday season (Nov.-Dec.) accounts for nearly 40 percent of gift card activations, the majority of gift card sales will take place in the second half of the year.

Mobile applications that enable virtual cards (i.e., electronic gift cards not linked to a piece of plastic) and on-the-go account management represent the next frontier for merchant branded gift cards.

At Plastic Jungle, we’ve seen even more enthusiasm for gift cards in the market.  As of mid-July, we had done twice as much business as what we did in all of 2009.

All of this bodes quite well for the upcoming holiday season – typically the most active time of year for gift card giving and receiving – not to mention the post-holiday gift card redemption (and exchange) extravaganza.  ‘Tis soon the season…

Written by Amanda Grossman author of Frugal Confessions

Arguably, the best way to stick to your normal budget during the holidays is to have diligently planned ahead, and to have bought most of your gifts, food items, and decorations throughout the year instead of waiting until the holiday season is here.

Don’t worry; there is no judgment here. We are not all Martha Stewarts, and sometimes planning way in advance actually takes the fun out of what is supposed to be the most emotionally satisfying time of the year. So how can you stick to your budget now that you’ve waited until the holiday season is knocking down your door?

Here are some tips to get you started.

Purchase Loss Leaders

Loss leaders, or products that stores will actually lose money on in order to attract customers into their stores, are not just found at the grocery market. During the holiday season you can cherry pick extra special promotions in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Make sure to only purchase these products (and read the fine print of ads, as a few stores say you can only purchase the product if you spend a certain amount of money with the purchase). By cherry picking from several different stores, you are bound to save a decent amount of money.

Grab a Cup of Hot Joe or Tea and Partake in Black Friday

There is a reason why millions of people come out of their turkey-comas in the wee hours after Thanksgiving, disheveled and dressed in layers: the sales just cannot be beat. If you are looking to do a large amount of holiday shopping with a very small budget, then Black Friday is for you. Purchase a newspaper on Thanksgiving Day, and check out online websites that list Black Friday Deals ahead of time. Sit down that Thursday night to print out coupons, gather up your gift cards (see below), make a list, and set your plan of attack for the next day. You might find yourself extremely tired by mid-day Friday, but you will have saved a load of money.

Layer Your Deals to Increase Discounts

An easy way to get a discount on everything you purchase this holiday season from groceries, to gifts is to purchase fee-free gift cards at a discount. Let’s say you have children and know that you will spend $75 at Sears this year. Purchase a $50 and $25 gift card to Sears from Plastic Jungle at a discount of 10%, and you’ve just saved 10% on your holiday shopping. Add in store sales, promotions, and manufacturer’s coupons on top of this, and you could be looking at over 30% savings! If you used this strategy for Black Friday, your savings could be even higher.

Between now and Christmas, I will be updating Frugal Confessions with a new great Amazon.com deal each week, so check out my blog for some great deals!

And remember, it truly is the thought that counts. If your thoughts are going to be filled with buyer’s remorse three months into the New Year, then you need to reevaluate your priorities and enjoy the season for what it is, whether that is celebrating your religion, or showing the ones you cherish the most how important they are to you.

Written by Elina Furman, co-founder of Mamaista.com

Sample Site Madness
Like most moms, our days of running off to the latest sample sales are a thing of the past. What with the kid’s demanding schedules, there’s simply no time to rummage through all those racks and take advantage of the savings. Luckily, there are a whole slew of online sample sites that you can visit from the comfort of your couch.

For moms looking to find fashionable new holiday wear, look no further than sites like Gilt.com, HauteLook.com and BillionDollarBabes.com. Many of these sites also offer lux home wear and gift items that you can stock up throughout the year and then hand out as gifts during the holiday season or on birthdays.

If you’re looking for gifts for the smallest members of your household, there are also sample sales sites that cater to the little ones. Toys, clothes and baby gear can be found at rock-bottom prices at sites like TheMiniSocial.com and Totsy.com.

Trade It In
If you’re in dire need of raising some extra funds, don’t despair. You need only rummage your drawers and closet for what could be an avalanche of riches. Whether you’ve been sitting on a pile of unwanted gift cards or looking to score some discounted cards at your favorite shops, head straight to PlasticJungle.com. The site features a genius concept, since they let you buy, sell and exchange your old gift cards. Not only that, if you don’t want the cash, you can start the season off right by donating unwanted even partially used gift cards to a charity of your choice.

Speaking of swapping your old cards, how about trading in some of your unwanted items for something you actually need. And we’re not just talking about eBay, but at a whole new crop of sites who let you exchange your unwanted CDs, book, apparel, and baby stuff. Websites such as Handmedowns.com, Swaptree.com, and BookMooch.com are just a few of the many out there that will have you smiling this holiday season.

One Deal, One Day!
Moms looking to score the best on everything from toys to museum admission to massages need to sign up at these new websites taking the internet by storm. Here’s how it works. You sign up for their daily deal alert, get an email with one amazing offer, and then speed on over to the website to claim your deal before it’s all gone.

And there’s something for everyone — even hubby. Woot.com offers daily deals on high-end electronics and Kids.woot.com for babies and kids. Groupon.com offers amazing savings at local restaurants, spas and attractions that are sure to guarantee a festive holiday season and beyond. Also, look for deal-a-day sites offering savings on kids clothes and gear. Two top sites are greenbabybargains.com and babysteals.com (who also recently launched kidsteals.com for older kids).

So there you have it! With all the amazing deals online and new ways to save money on luxury, quality finds, there’s absolutely no stopping your family from having one of the most festive holidays seasons yet.

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