Sorry, Diana, if the card can be exchanged for the item without any money leaving my pocket that constitutes "free" to me.

Say Una's item costs $160. Assuming the card is worth $160, using the card means she pays nothing. If she buys the item at Site B, after the discount, the item costs her $80. Granted, she still has the possibility of finding something else in the future at Amazon, but there is nothing to guarantee that a future purchase would give her as much pleasure as knowing that she has the item she wants without any money leaving her pocket.

But, as I said, I've always been a bit dubious of the logic that seems to imply that spending more money now will guarantee I'll come out ahead at some future date. Sometimes it works out just fine, but life has a funny way of throwing curveballs at us, despite our best plans and intentions. I'm sticking with my vote for using the card now.

Fascinating. I've never really understood what was meant by girl math here - that was one reason I asked. I guess the comparison assumes the money and the card WILL be spent eventually. But if I wouldn't buy the item at cheaper price using "real" money, does the card make it different? Is the card value more negligible?

This is why I ended up not buying anything! Which is a good outcome too. Sometimes I agonize MORE over using found money or gift cards than I do my own cash. What is the psychology of that?!

To me, the girl math is what is the bottom line on my credit card bill I have to show the SO to pay. Maybe I'm reading it wrong. If I can use Paypal balances and/or fold return credits in towards a 'big' purchase so that the final outcome appears less than it is - that is girl math. In my opinion anyway. Hence, I said no out of pocket expenses would be preferable, should the discount not be over 25%.

Ah, more questions. I'd say it is the "windfall" nature represented by such cards (or refunds, "found" money, gifts, and the like) that makes us want to use the money for something special or significant, especially if we have sufficient funds to take care of our day-to-day needs.

Which raises another interesting question: what could you do with the Amazon card that would give you the most pleasure? Buy an item for yourself? Buy an item for your family? Gift the card to someone who would spend it on essentials like shampoo and toilet paper?

To me, girl math seems specifically designed to rationalize my decisions to spend money on my acquisitions. But, oddly enough, the result doesn't always end up giving me the most pleasure. It's like the general who wins the battle but loses the war.

I think I would get the cheaper one as long as the return policy is good and I would use the gift card for something else. Of course you could argue that you can use the gift card and save your money and you will be right too...
Or you could do what you did, save the card and not buy anything. That may be the smartest option. I should keep it in mind so that I spend less.

For me it would depend on whether or not I want something at the site/store for the gift card. If there is nothing else there that I really like, I would get the bag. If there is something that I like and couldn't find anywhere else either, I would buy the bag.

But I also believe that one someone gives a gift card, it is free money already so why not get what you want ?

80.00 is a significant saving so I would keep the gift card for something else x

If this were a Macy's, Nordstrom, or other limited use gift card or a card from a place where you don't shop much, I might say to use the gift card. Amazon, however, is another matter. Our family received an Amazon card as a Christmas gift, and I told DD she could use it to buy SENSIBLE (vs. fashion) winter boots. Had the zipper on her old boots not broken, I might have said she could buy/rent her college texts. Of course, I could find a million uses, like BB cream from Korea, shoes, etc.

P.S. Just learned DD bought Sorels for less than 1/2 price. More like mid-calf boots, but they pass my sensible test! Hooray!

I'm with Donna F - I'm not a huge amazon shopper but there are definitely plenty of things I could buy on there. If it were a more specialized card of something that I would have a hard time using before it expired, I might use the card. But with the significant savings I would buy from the other site and save the card for something else in the future.