GIFT CARDS: WHY CASH IS STILL BETTER

Consumers don't lose every battle against sneaky fees. In the case of retail store gift card fees, it's time to claim victory -- just in time for holiday shopping. So-called dormancy fees -- where gift cards leak value over time if they’re not used -- have just about become a thing of the past. You can thank several consumer advocate agencies, along with widespread consumer disgust, and perhaps a pang of corporate consience, for the change. Most retail gift cards will never expire or lose their value now, a welcome change.

Of course, the fight against fees is far from over. Bank gift cards, like the ones available from Visa and MasterCard, are still a terrible deal. Later in this column, I’ll show you how a $50 bank card will cost you $60 and could easily be worth only $40 to the recipient.

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