Whenever you can’t think of the right gift for someone, resorting to a gift card is a simple fallback option. But the amount of thought you put into the purchase can determine whether or not the recipient sees the gift as a throwaway or something that’s just right.

Well Heeled Blog shares three rules for gift-card giving:

* Buy it from a place the recipient likes. It’s easy to fall into the trap of buying a gift card for a place you like, assuming the recipient shares your tastes. Don’t assume everyone drinks coffee, buys paper books or eats ice cream.

* Don’t stick the gift-ee with a bill. A $25 gift card for a restaurant at which meals total $50 does little good. Sync the balance of the card with the expected purchase price.

* Personalize it. Adding a note or greeting card to any gift makes it feel more personal, but the act is especially crucial with a gift card, because the note will have to do most of the work.

3 Tips for Meaningful and Personalized Gift Card Presents [Well Heeled Blog]

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