Smart Shopping (NAPSA)—Tough economic times inspire smarter shopping, especially when it comestogifts. Whencashis better spent paying bills, many people don’t want to waste money on a gift that might not fit or be stashed in a closet all year. They prefer to give gift cards so that recipients can buy exactly what they want and need. A gift card can be used to splurge on something extra or used to buy essentials. Gift cards are a smart choicein tough times. You can pick up a variety of gift cards at a single location. A survey by Blackhawk Network, the largest provider of third-party prepaid cards, recently found that a majority of consumers said gifts are still important in hard economic times. Sixty-six percent said that purchasing a gift card assures them that their moneyis not going to be wasted, and 70 percent find gift cards are a usefulgift. Buying gift cards can also save you time and gas money since you can pick up such popular cards as Barnes & Noble Booksellers, The Home Depot, Sears and Nordstrom at a single location. For more information, visit www.BlackhawkNetwork. com.
