Resolutions are a New Year’s tradition — as much as breaking them is… usually less than a month later in my case (at least the diet ones)!  However, there are some resolutions that Plastic Jungle has made and won’t break – I wanted to share these with you so that you know what you can expect from us in 2011.

Always best value.  We will pay out the most for your qualifying gift cards.  And we’ll give you the best discounts.  Every time, everyday.  24/7.

100% transparency.  Plastic Jungle will always show you exactly what we’ll pay out for your gift card, and exactly what a gift card from us will cost.  No need for you to hope that your cards will be fairly valued by sending them to some anonymous processing center (btw, they probably won’t).

No hidden fees.  We know that when you sell us a gift card, you are already doing so at a discount.  That’s quite enough for us.  We won’t charge you any additional fees, like mailing or transport, and we won’t pay you less for a card if you sell it to us one way as opposed to another.  That’s just not fair.  And nothing when you buy from us either – your discount, your way, no fees.

Fast, fast, fast.  We’ll pay you fast, in many cases within minutes, when you sell us a gift card.  And we’ll deliver it fast too, especially if you select an eCODE.  We know you live life in the fast lane – we want to be right there with you.

Great customer service.  We like you.  A lot.  We guarantee that your experience with Plastic Jungle will be a great one.  We’ve built our business one customer at a time – we know how important it is that every customer experience be great.  Try us!

Those are our most important 2011 resolutions.  We won’t cheat, we promise, but hold us to these.  After all, our business is only possible with your participation – and we’re so happy you’re part of our success!

Finally, the Northeast has begun to dig out from the blizzard that dumped three feet of snow on everything, creating Currier & Ives winter scenes. This is just in time as the holiday season still has one banner event to keep us entranced: the arrival of the New Year, 2011.

Here comes 2011, and media all over the place is buzzing about how much we’ve come to rely on the ease of giving and using gift cards. Apparently, over 41% of consumers use gift cards (according to Internet Retailer). No doubt there’s a good chance you’ve given and received more than one gift card in the past few weeks.

It’s December 29^th. Do you know where your gift cards are?

Is this your house, too?

The infographic points out a few places, but misses the places I’m always finding gift cards: the second old wallet… the “girl’s brunch and shopping” purse… the jacket which should have been advertised as “wool coat with 100 hidden pockets”. So I believe it: The average American household has $300 of unused gift cards hiding around the house.

So now, while you’re developing your list of New Year’s Resolutions, think about that resolution to “save more” and all that unused money. When you do scare up those cards, you might wait and see if you’ll take advantage of them, buy why not swap them out? As the web’s largest secured gift card exchange, Plastic Jungle has made the news a few times recently, including CNNMoney.com and CBS Moneywatch.

In 2011, December’s holiday and vacation bills will show up. And you’ll have all those unused cards in your hands. It might be tempting to wait and see if you’ll use them. Take on that resolution to save more, be more careful with your money, and your time, and then come back to see us at Plastic Jungle.