As evidences by this recent fiasco experienced by TXU Energy customers, bankruptcy of companies that issue gift cards is still a problem.  Customers who were promised a free gift card for switching to TXU for their electricity service quickly found out the card didn’t work, because the company behind them, Spring Box Services, had gone bankrupt.   This is a case where our advice to spend your gift card immediately, would not have helped.

While in this case the customers didn’t have a choice of who the gift card was from, perhaps sticking to gift cards from stable, large retailers is a your best bet.