How to check your gift card balance

Gift cards let your friends and family choose exactly what they want to buy, taking the pressure off you when thinking of the perfect present, if you’re not sure what to get them. If you’re gifting one to yourself, they can also be a smart way to help you stick to your budget and not overspend.

Whether you’ve received a gift card or have bought your own, it’s important to know just how much is on your gift card before you start spending. This means you can stay within the balance loaded onto it and not panic at the checkout when you owe more than what’s on the card.

Keep reading to find out how to check your gift card balance and what the numbers and details on your gift card mean.

How much money is on my gift card?

Your gift card balance is the amount of money that is remaining on your gift card. You can spend this on items or services from the retailer the card is from. Your balance will then change each time you use the gift card to make a purchase.

For example, if you’re given a gift card for your birthday with $20 loaded onto it and you buy a new t-shirt for $15 using the gift card, your new balance will be $5.

This balance is often printed on your sales receipts. This will be displayed on the receipt from both buying the gift card and any purchases made with it.

How to check your gift card balance

Different brands will have their own process for checking your gift card balance.

If you have a Kroger gift card, we’ve made it easy to see what’s loaded onto your card. Just head to our gift cards site and click Check Your Balance. You’ll then just need to type in your gift card number and unique PIN to see your current balance.

For other brands, you have a few options when seeing how much is remaining on your gift card:

1. Head to the brand’s website. Once there, look for a ‘Gift Card’ tab. This should let you know how to check your gift card balance, either by typing your gift card details into a form on the page or through their FAQs.
2. Call the number on your card. Every gift card should have their terms and conditions printed on the back of the card. This usually includes a telephone number, which you can call to find out your balance.
3. Visit the store and ask. If the brand has a store nearby, you can always visit and ask the cashier to check your balance for you. They can normally do this at the checkout, and you can ask for a receipt with the balance printed on it.

FAQs

Still unsure about how gift cards work? Check out the most commonly asked questions about them below.

How do I check my Kroger gift card balance?

There are a few ways you can check your Kroger gift card balance:

• Visit our website and click the ‘Check Your Balance’ tab in the top bar.
• Check your sales receipt from when it was last used.
• Ask a cashier or Customer Care associate to check your balance.
• Call 1-866-822-6252 and follow the instructions for balance inquiries.

How do I check my gift card code?

Your gift card code is usually a series of numbers printed either to the front (for Visa and Mastercard gift cards) or the back (for branded gift cards) of your gift card.

If you have an eGift certificate, this code is usually sent to the email address you gave at the checkout when buying it.

How do you check if your gift card is expired?

You can usually check the back of your gift card to see when it will expire. This will display the date when your gift card can no longer be used.

If you cannot see this, you can call up the customer service number on the back of your gift card and ask.

How long can gift cards last?

By law, you have up to five years to use the money on a gift card before it expires. However, your gift card can still expire before this.

If that’s the case, get in contact with the issuer of the card, to transfer the funds onto a new card for no extra cost.

What happens if my gift card expires?

If you haven’t loaded any money onto your gift card for five years, it will expire. When this happens, you can usually reach out to the issuer and ask for a replacement card. Be aware, you may have to pay a small service charge for this.

Where is the 4-digit PIN number on a gift card?

You will need to enter your gift card code and unique PIN to redeem your gift card online. You can usually find this 4-digit PIN on the back of your gift card, underneath a scratch-off panel.

Now you know how to check how much is on a gift card, be smart with your spending by browsing the impressive range of gift cards for every occasion at Kroger.