American Express Gift Cards

Gift cards have been increasing in popularity for the last several years. At first they were cards just for particular stores, and the gift you gave could only be used in a certain restaurant or department store (like Red Lobster or Wal-Mart).

However, in the last couple of years companies such as American Express have gotten in on the gift card surge and have begun offering their own cards. The American Express cards, like Visa and Mastercard, can be used anywhere a normal American Express card can be used, so the gift you give with an American Express card really gives the receiver a lot of options in how they want to use the gift card.

American Express offers a variety of designs in their cards. You can go with the regular gold-type Amex credit card look. There is also a fun balloon-covered Birthday gift card. Also very popular is the marriage or "Bride & Groom" card featuring a picture of wedding bands on the card. Cards designed for teens, kids, and even movie lovers are also available. All cards can be bought at $25, $50, and $100 levels except for the Bride & Groom ($100 and $200 only) and Dining Cards (starts at $50 and stops at $500).

The ability to buy multiples of each card and the mix-and-match feature of your purchase is a plus, especially around Christmas when multiple purchases are usually made.

One thing we do not like about the American Express gift cards are the fees associated with the purchase. The card has either a $3.95 or $4.95 fee attached to the purchase (online of offline purchase). There is also a delivery fee of $5.95 for your total gift card purchase if you want it sent by the USPS to your home address. You can limit this fee by purchasing the card locally, but normally only the gold gift card is available in local grocery stores. So, if you want the specialized cards, then the fee may be worth it.

With the fees added, we still believe the American Express gift cards are good value for your money. And as usual with Amex, the card does feel a little more "gift-like" than your normal gift card, as it does have a certain prestige to owning an American Express card.