Another silly article from the Lefty Lemon Lime Business Insider!

Gift cards are a $10 billion waste of money and you should never buy them

​More below.

She makes three points. 

1. A shocking number are never used. 

2. When people do shop with gift cards, they end up spending their own money. She means they spend more than the gift card amount, and at times pay full price for items.

3. Most people say they don't want gift cards. 

The last point is always true, people want cash mostly, or a very specific gift, and you are unlikely to know exactly which gift, so - cash. Except for this the other two points are uselessly inane.

Yes, a shocking number of gift cards are never used, but so are a shocking number of fondue pots, holiday sweaters, and endless nostrums, and nonsense which immediately goes into the "regifting" cupboard. Perhaps Ms. Lutz believes becoming a permanent regifted gift is something of value, I do not. 

Also, why is it a bad idea to buy something and give it to a person who is incapable of providing minimal accounting to make sure they use this valuable thing? People are irresponsible, get over it. It is their loss. 

So, Ms. Lutz, you seem to be all economist on this issue, how much gift cash is simply never used, or is lost, forgotten, or stolen? Because you really need to know these things before you start saying something broad like your lede. 

Also, I can't fathom why it is a bad thing that people want to purchase something more valuable than the gift card. I might want brand new SexBox video gaming console, but it might cost $299, you might only want to give me a $100 gift card. Perhaps others give me additional gift cards equal to $125. I now have $225 in gift cards which I can use with an additional $49 of my own money to buy something I value at $299 but don't have the money to purchase.

According to Ms. Lutz, this is very bad. Exactly why it is very bad is a bit unclear, but very bad!

And apparently paying full price is a world ending affair. Again, I am not sure why, but . . . 

About one half of Business Insider is tripe like this, I read it so you don't have too. Thank me later! With a gift card!!!

And always remember, Lutz rhymes with putz!