Where are you buying shoes for the new school year?

Step into shoes for the whole family at JCPenney.  Over 1,400 pairs of shoes are currently priced at the lowest this season. Couple this $10 off $50 coupon with Plastic Jungle discounted gift cards for JCPenney at 14% off and you’re sure to find a deal you can feel good in.

Shop at home with Kohl’s and get free shipping on your purchase of $75 or more (use code: SHOPNSHIP). Buy discounted Kohl’s gift cards from Plastic Jungle to get an additional 15% in savings.  Be sure to visit RetailMeNot for the most current Kohl’s coupon codes.

If you’ve got teens and tweens, Buckle has a broad selection of sole mates which you can get at 11% off when you link up with Plastic Jungle discounted gift cards. For those in middle school and high school who prefer a little more funk in their shoe style, check out the 791 ways Urban Outfitters can decorate feet and bring style with trendy prices by matching a pair with 10% off thanks to discounted Urban Outfitters gift cards found at Plastic Jungle.

And don’t forget that they’ll need sneakers for gym class and rain boots to stomp in the puddles!

The PJ 10

What were we buying in March? Well, there weren’t any spectaular retail “events” that drove us to specialty stores, so as expected the top three gift card sellers were big box chains offering groceries and fishing supplies and everything in-between. Spring was a bit late late this year, so clearly we were driven to hot, caffeinated coffee, putting Starbucks into our Top 10 Gift Cards in March. And iTunes, with the diversity of media on offer these days, from music to books to TV and movies, proves it’s a great gift card to give and get.

Honorable mentions from March? JC Penney, Pottery Barn, Cabela’s, Barnes & Noble, and Nordstrom.

Salivating over the potential savings at a favorite store? If you’re ready to ditch your unused gift card and trade up to one of the favorites, you can safely and securely SELL or EXCHANGE your gift card on Plastic Jungle, with many different payout and trade options, including an Amazon.com Gift Card, Facebook credits and Paypal account funding.

Top 10 Gift Cards in March, 2011

10 SEARS

Purchase discount Sears Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 9% OFF.

9 KOHL’S

Purchase discount Kohl’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 14% OFF.

8 STARBUCKS

Purchase discount Starbucks Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle — when they come into stock. Set an Alert Now.

7 MACY’S

Purchase discount Macy’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle — when they come into stock. Set an Alert Now.

6 BEST BUY

Purchase discount Best Buy Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 5% OFF.

5 LOWE’S

Purchase discount Lowe’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% OFF.

4 iTUNES

Purchase discount iTunes Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% OFF.

3 TARGET

Purchase discount Target Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 5% OFF.

2 HOME DEPOT

Purchase discount Home Depot Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% OFF.

1 WALMART

Purchase discount Walmart Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle — when they become available. Set an Alert Now.

What’s your favorite gift card of the moment? Something to get ready for spring — sporting goods or travel? Let us know in the comments below.

Let Plastic Jungle help make this Mother’s Day even better with an extra $50 to spend!

Be logged into Facebook, and enter to win Plastic Jungle’s Mother’s Day Gift Card Sweepstakes now  >>>

Plastic Jungle is giving away a $50 Gift Card each day, through May 8th, 2011, to deserving moms who simply follow the link and register for the Mother’s Day Sweepstakes.

There is one question moms will have to answer, though: What Kind of Mom Are You? Whether you are a DIY Mom, or a Sporty, Stylish, Foodie or Starlet mother, Plastic Jungle has a discounted gift card just for you!

Do-It-Yourself Mom — You enjoy making it happen. You’re talented at finding the lost item, fixing the broken toy, doing up the veggie garden, and keeping it real. Your favorite discounted gift cards on Plastic Jungle are:

Lowe’s >>> |   Home Depot >>> |   J Jill >>> |   Omaha Steaks >>> |   Lands’ End >>>

Sporty Mom — Nothing wrong with a little challenge! You are talented in many areas, including leading kids in a pick-up game on the yard, knowing where the best hikes are, and fixing perfectly balanced meals. Your favorite discounted gift cards on Plastic Jungle are:

Jamba Juice >>> |   Orvis >>> |   Columbia Sportswear >>> |   LL Bean >>> |   Bed, Bath & Beyond >>>

Stylish Mom – You have a natural brilliance and are usually a fashionable step ahead of everyone else. You’ve got an outfit in your style for every occasion, from PTA meetings to Board meetings and even Soccer on Saturday. Your favorite discounted gift cards on Plastic Jungle are:

H&M >>> |   Nordstrom >>> |   Kohl’s >>> |   bebe >>> |   Ann Taylor >>>

Foodie Mom — Confidence in the kitchen, or anywhere, comes naturally for you. Nothing matters more than good nutrition, which you manage for your family and friends whether you eat in or dine out, and even in those pesky lunch boxes. Your favorite discounted gift cards on Plastic Jungle are:

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf >>> |   Baja Fresh >>> |   Legal Sea Foods >>> |   Crate and Barrel >>>

Starlet Mom — You might be emotional, but it’s all about the story for you: you can’t help but show pride at your daughter’s game-winning goal, jump for joy when you reserve at Disneyland, cry your heart out when your little guy gets his heart broken by a fellow kindergartner. Your favorite discounted gift cards on Plastic Jungle are:

Chico’s >>> |   BabyGap, Gap Kids >>> |   AMC Theatres >>> |   Buca di Beppo >>> | Barnes & Noble >>>

Giveaway ends May 8, 2011 (that would be Mother’s Day!!); check the Plastic Jungle Mother’s Day Sweepstakes official rules for details. Winners will be announced daily at facebook.com/plasticjungle.

What gift card will YOU choose, if you are chosen to win?! Let us know and tell your friends!

Good Luck! Have a Happy Mother’s Day!

No refund this year? Looking for extra savings for the foreseeable future? May I share the top deals on Plastic Jungle at the moment? The following discounted gift cards should offer some relief for your tax-hit wallet.

Get a Kohl’s Gift Card at up to 14% off >>>

Get an Olive Garden Gift Card at up to 10 % off >>>

Get a Bath & Body Works Gift Card at up to 13% off >>>

Get a Bass Pro Shops Gift Card or Bass Pro Shops eGift Card at up to 15% off >>>

Even better, have you thought of making some income to refill your wallet by selling a gift card carrying an unused balance? That’s right, the gift cards in your wallet that carry a balance (on average) of $25 or more are exchangeable on Plastic Jungle for cash, an Amazon.com Gift Card, credit toward a PayPal account, or even as a donation to a selected nonprofit or charity. Now’s the time to gather up those gift cards to see what they’re worth if you trade them on Plastic Jungle.

Check Out Our Selection of Gift Card Giveaways to Enter to Win (As Soon As Today!)

$250 Target Gift Card Giveaway – Join Coupons and Freebies mom and MyCoupons.com and you can win a $250 Target Gift Card. Sign up for Coupons & Freebies Mom free email updates or updates via RSS feed & then fill out the entry form on the link above! You must check your email account for a verification email & click the link in it. Giveaway takes place on April 27, 2011 at 11:59 pm Pacific Time, with the winner chosen at random.

LAST DAY TO ENTER!

$100 Visa Gift Card Giveaway from Cheep! – Normally I wouldn’t post a giveaway expiring the date of the blog publication, but Cheep is an Internet shopping tool you just might be interested in regardless of the gift card giveaway. It works in your browser to locate the best price for products you search for. Go to the SimplifiedSaving.com link above to enter the giveaway, which ends April 27, 2011 at 9 pm Eastern, and get details on the Cheep! shopping tool.

iNetVideo Gift Card Giveaway – Win a $75, $50, or a $25 iNetVideo.com Gift Card good for a purchase of computer or console games on iNetVideo. That’s right, you’d be able to satisfy your Wii, PS2, PS3, Nintendo DS, Xbox, PC CD-Rom or handheld games jones on the iNetVideo site. Contest ends April 30, 2011; see details at the link for entry.

Fathead’s Bounty of Baseball Sweepstakes – You could win one of six drawings for a cool Fathead wall image, valued at $99.99, and it doesn’t have to be a baseball image. Fathead has tons of licensed sports images for the walls on your man cave (or maybe breakfast nook?). Sweepstakes holds drawings weekly and ends on May 20, 2011. See contest rules by clicking the link on the entry page.

$100 Dick’s Sporting Goods Gift Card Giveaway – BlogHer and Gatorade are sponsoring this giveaway tribute to Soccer Moms and Sporting Moms on SundayBakerReviews.com. If you’ve ever geared a kid up for a season of soccer, baseball, softball, skating, water polo… well, you know that a $100 Dick’s Gift Card is a HUGE win. And Sunday Baker reports via a new site, Gatorade Moms: 70% of moms are raising teens or tweens who participate in a sport (13 million sports moms!). Sweepstakes ends 5:00 p.m. (PST) April 30, 2011.. Check out the official rules for details.

American Dad! DVD giveaway – Moviescribes.com posts an American Dad! Volume 6 DVD set giveaway. THREE random winners will be drawn on April 23rd, at or around 6PM ET/5PM CST. Please include your email address with your entry registration in order to be contacted if you win. Learn more about the Movie Scribes complete giveaway rules. American Dad! Volume 6 is an April 19th DVD release from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment.

Hopefully we’ve given you hope for useful post-tax day savings. What are you doing with your refund? OR What are you doing after making out your tax check? Well, at least it’s Friday! Happy Weekend.

Step by step, a Plastic Jungle fan shows you how to save $100s by combining discounted gift cards, coupons, and rebates.

It is fair to say that most households have wish lists. From house to house, these lists can be as diverse as the inhabitants. You could be pining for fresh electronics (new TV or gaming system), or home improvements or furniture, or maybe a special accessory, such as a pricey designer purse or a pair of shoes. Often, wish lists develop when you move into a new space, as our Plastic Jungle fan, Marcy B., relates.

In her letter, Marcy B. outlines how she went about saving big on renovating her window treatments in her new home. She explains that it wasn’t a matter of combing the Internet, or paging through Val-Pak coupons, but a matter of patience and a small amount of planning.

Thanks to marketing and promotions, all shoppers get the idea that we could save big, but jumping the hurdle to map out the steps can be a stumbling block.

Her letter explains her simple process, step-by-step:

You are welcome, Marcy! : )

Marcy's Living Room Before the New Blinds

Marcy's home with her new blinds. Success at a discount!

As it turns out, Marcy is also a guest contributor for a parenting site: MamaModerne.com, and she wrote up her story as an article, “Saving Big on Big Purchases”. Check it out for more details on how to save when it comes time to pull out that wishlist.

What’s on your wishlist?

Consider the following categories. When you’re dealing with a wishlist, it’s OK to be greedy. Writing out what you want might help you prioritize your wants and needs. (Well, that sounds like another blog post!)

Consumer Electronics: get gift cards from Best Buy, Kohl’s, Target, Walmart, Sony Style, Apple Store, Office Depot, Staples, JCPenney

Home Improvement: get gift cards from Home Depot, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Target, Bloomingdale’s

Furniture: get gift cards from Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma Home, JCPenney, Macy’s, Walmart, west elm, CB2

Designer Apparel & Accessories: Zappo’s, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Bergdorf-Goodman, Tiffany & Co., Burberry, Coach

Pick up any of the above gift cards on Plastic Jungle’s Buy Gift Cards page.

Get thinking, and let us know if you’ve got any strategies for saving with discount gift cards.

February saw the Superbowl, the Oscars, Valentine’s Day, and Presidents’ Day all packed into a few short weeks. Plus, a few frozen moments across the country kept shoppers inside and online, no doubt.

Many of the usual favorite gift cards showed up in February’s Top Ten, plus a very conspicuous hanger-on at #11, giving hope to all girlfriends, wives, and mothers out there for something a little more than a card.

I’m thinking the bridal business might be busy this year, because TIFFANY & CO came in at #11 on the sales chart. (Right now, there are no discounted Tiffany & Co gift cards for sale on Plastic Jungle. You can set a Tiffany & Co alert to be notified via email when gift cards become available.)

Where did lingerie retailer VICTORIA’S SECRET land during the month for love? Still in the top 50, at #28, but well behind #9, CABELA’S.

10 JCPENNEY

Purchase discount JCPenney Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 14% Off.

9 CABELA’S

Purchase discount Cabela’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently up to 12% off.

8 BARNES & NOBLE

Purchase discount Barnes & Noble Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 9% Off.

7 KOHL’S

Purchase discount Kohl’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 14% Off.

6 MACY’S

Purchase discount Macy’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle — when they come into stock. Set an Alert Now.

5 LOWE’S

Purchase discount Lowe’s Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% Off.

4 WALMART

Purchase discount Walmart Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 3% Off.

3 BEST BUY

Purchase discount Best Buy Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 6% Off.

2 TARGET

Purchase discount Target Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 3% Off.

1 HOME DEPOT

Purchase discount Home Depot Gift Cards on Plastic Jungle, currently at up to 7% Off.

Ready to ditch your unused gift card and trade up to one of the favorites? You can safely and securely SELL your gift card on Plastic Jungle, with many different payout options.

What’s your favorite gift card of the moment? Something to get ready for spring — sporting goods or travel? Let us know in the comments below.

It’s Deal Time! As the web’s largest secured gift card exchange, Plastic Jungle gives shoppers choice and flexibility with funds they’ve got trapped on gift cards. If you’d like to sell your gift card, take a look at all the safe and quick options Plastic Jungle offers. See your options when you Sell or Swap gift cards on Plastic Jungle now >>>

Now, let’s take a look at only a few of the key discounted cards for sale on Plastic Jungle (at time of writing — hurry, supplies are limited!):

American Eagle Outfitters – discounts up to 14% off.

FYE — discounts up to 17% off. FYE is a music & movie retailer.

JCPenney – discounts up to 14% off with eCODEs available too – save on purchases today!

Olive Garden – discounts up to 10% off — also good at may also be used at any Red Lobster, LongHorn Steakhouse, Bahama Breeze or any other Darden restaurant.

Starbucks — discounts up to 9% off

AMC Theatres — discounts up to 16% off

Go to a complete listing of discounted gift cards for sale right now on Plastic Jungle >>>

Friday Gift Card Giveaways & Sweepstakes

This week we take you to the savings blogs. Coupon-cutting has entered the modern age and the best way to find elusive deals is to troll the savings blogs. You’ll find one for every segment, from technology geeks to mommies to fashionistas, and I’ll bet every one of us falls into each of those segments at least once a day.

MyBargainBuddy.com – Enter to win a $50 Kohl’s Gift Card. Just submit your info (no Byzantine follows or reports required) and let Karen know whether or not you want her email newsletter on retail bargains up to 90% off. Drawing to take place on 3/1/11; see details on the MyBargainBuddy.com giveaway page.

CouponingFor4.com – Enter to win one of 10 $10 Amazon Gift Certificates. You are eligible to win one of five by leaving a comment on the Giveaway blog post. To be eligible for one of the other five, become a Facebook fan of CouponingFor4.com. See the Giveaway blog post for details; drawing takes place 3/2/11 at about 10 pm CST.

TechBargains.com – Enter to win an iPad. Well, it’s not a gift card or an egift card, but we didn’t think you’d mind winning an iPad with 32GB and WiFi + 3G – a $729 value. To enter, subscribe to the new TechBargains YouTube Channel, or become a fan of TechBargains on Facebook. The last day to enter the contest is 2/28 and the winner will be announced on the site shortly after; for details see TechBargains’ iPad Giveaway contest rules. Be sure to share the giveaway link with your friends because we’re going to ask the winner how they heard about the giveaway and the site. If they name you, then you’ll win a $100 American Express gift card.

PassionforSavings.com – Enter to win a $50 Amazon.com Gift Card. Entering is easy, Just sign up for Free Email Updates or Subscribe to the Passion for Savings RSS Feed. You can also follow on Facebook or Twitter. Each method gets you one entry into the giveaway. The winner will be selected at the end of the month. See giveaway page for details.

WellHeeledBlog.com – Enter to win a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card. This site about personal finance and savvy living is handing out a $100 Amazon.com Gift Card thanks to MrRebates.com. It’s complicated, so visit the Well Heeled Blog giveaway page for details and info on both informative sites. Deadline is Wednesday March 3 at midnight PST.

Won anything yet? Let us know… and let us know: Would you rather enter a big sweepstakes with thousands of entries or little giveaways where your chances are better, but the prizes are smaller?

Have a great weekend — shop away!

Saving money is not always easy. Many of us have to weigh a cost of time : benefit ratio. It’s got to be simple, foolproof, and secure. We do our best to make the gift card-swap process as easy as it can be. Plus, Plastic Jungle offers a few ways to redeem your gift card. You can exchange your unused gift card for an Amazon.com Gift Card; for cold, hard cash; to fund a PayPal account; and you can even exchange your gift card for Facebook Credits.

More stores are taking PayPal as a method of payment on their websites. For example, the Abercrombie & Fitch network of clothing stores that also includes Hollister Co., and Gilly Hicks. While you can’t use the same gift card to pay at all three sites, you can use a PayPal account as payment at checkout at each of these stores. It becomes really efficient to exchange a gift card for instant PayPal account funding on Plastic Jungle and check out at Hollister in the same day you make the gift card swap.

Other online merchants who accept PayPal as payment include: Sears, Walmart, Best Buy, eBay, newegg.com, Delta Airlines, 1800Flowers.com, Zappos and many more. The PayPal Store Directory will give you a complete list of retailers who accept PayPal for payment.

Check the Plastic Jungle “Sell Gift Cards” page to see what the exchange value will be for your unused gift card.

Plastic Jungle’s Top 10 Gift Cards for January 2011 (in reverse order)

10. iTunes (down from #4 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted iTunes Gift Cards >>

9. Nordstrom

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Nordstrom Gift Cards >>

8. Kohl’s

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Kohl’s Gift Cards >>

7. Apple Store

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Apple Store Gift Cards >>

6. Macy’s (down from #2 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Macy’s Gift Cards >>

5. Best Buy (up from #9 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Best Buy Gift Cards Now

4. Lowe’s (up from #10 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Lowe’s Gift Cards >>

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Target Gift Cards >>

2. Home Depot (up from #5 in December)

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Home Depot Gift Cards >>

Check Plastic Jungle for Discounted Walmart Gift Cards >>

View gift cards you loved in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, Fall 2010, and December 2010.

 Have you been to Facebook yet to jump in on Plastic Jungle’s 40 Days of Holiday Sweepstakes? Hey – it’s not too late! There are still two drawings left for a $100 gift card of your choice. For details and official rules see Plastic Jungle’s page on Facebook. No purchase is necessary, we just want you to Like us!   (If you’re already logged in to Facebook, just seach for Plastic Jungle to find our page.)

Hot Gift Card Sweepstakes Ending Soon!

Don’t spend hours double-checking links on gift card sweepstakes or gift card giveaways searches. Every Friday, here at the web’s largest secured gift card exchange, we want to make sure you find something fun and exciting to get into — such as easy money! Check back here at the blog for all kinds of gift card bargains (ie, what discounted gift card can help you out right now?) and sweepstakes and give away updates. Good luck!

• Ski much? Doesn’t matter: The North Face has the cold weather gear that braves temperatures and a fashionista’s scrutiny. Win “Gear for a Year” in their sweepstakes that ends December 24, 2010. Ten lucky winners win $5000 in gift cards to choose their favorite stuff: camping equipment, puffy vests, backpacks, whatever! Check the link for rules.
  
• Kohl’s and Disney have teamed up for the Ultimate Room Makeover Sweepstakes. The grand prize is an ultimate Disney-character room makeover of your choice of Princesses, Fairies, Toy Story or Cars themes; one daily winner will receive a $500 Kohl’s gift card. Ends at 11:59 on December 24, 2010. Click here for official rules.
• Did someone mention cars? Enter to win a $50 gift card given away weekly, or the very exciting grand prize of a 2011 Ford Explorer XLT V6 4WD (ARV: $36,500) and a $2,000 gift card in Ford’s All-Area Access 2011 Ford Explorer Facebook Giveaway. Contest ends at 11:59 on December 26, 2010: see official rules for details.
• OK, OK, just one more: ESPN Radio’s “Who Knew?” with Mike & Mike Sweepstakes. Test your sports knowledge and get three chances to win a $1000 JC Penney gift card. Entries must be received by December 26, 2010. Check official rules for details.

Kohl’s department store is known for its great deals, and I’ll bet somewhere in your wallet you’ve got a Kohl’s gift card you could easily make use of this holiday season. If not, you can swap out that card for an Amazon.com Gift Card, or even cash, here on the web’s largest secured gift card exchange.

To find out your Kohl’s gift card balance or check the balance on your unused or partially used Kohl’s gift card, we’ve got the information and links you’ll need:

Check your Kohl’s Gift Card or Kohl’s e-Gift Card Balance

PHONE: 1-800-655-0554

ONLINE: Check the balance of your Kohl’s gift card or e-gift card, or your Kohl’s Cash balance

IN-STORE: Check the store locator for a location near you

Once you’ve acquired your Kohl’s balance, you can sell your Kohl’s gift card to Plastic Jungle, and save yourself the hassle of carrying around unused money. At Plastic Jungle, you can also trade your Kohl’s Gift Card for an Amazon.com Gift Card and increase the value of your exchange.

To know how much your Kohl’s Gift Card is worth in exchange on Plastic Jungle, on the main page, click “Sell Gift Cards” at the top of the page. Look up Kohl’s, enter the gift card balance you’ve just acquired, and you’ll see instantly what your gift card balance is worth in cash or trade.

Compound Your Kohl’s Deals

Check out the site RetailMeNot.com for a collection of Kohl’s offers and promotion codes available at this very moment.

You can also always check in to Kohl’s Customer Service for info on their shopping rewards program and how to redeem promo codes.

And you should be sure to check Kohl’s weekly sales advertisements for their latest sales and deals!

Sign up here for Kohl’s sale alerts and get a $5 off coupon and more deals.

And, of course, you can often find discounted Kohl’s gift cards on PlasticJungle.com to add to your savings.  They’re popular, so you might want to sign up for an email notification and then you can be one of the first to know when Kohl’s gift cards are available.

Check other Plastic Jungle blog posts for the same “Check Your Gift Card Balance” information for other stores, including Sears, Land’s End, Macy’s, Best Buy, Lowe’s, and more.