Coffee Chat #27 with Eric: $244 in unused gift cards might be hiding in your junk drawer or inbox

August 22, 2025

This week, I'm filming from the comfort of my kitchen, and I’m putting on my consumer hat.

Did you know the average person has $244 in unused gift cards?

Across the U.S., that adds up to more than $21 BILLION in unredeemed value.

So my wife and I ran a little scavenger hunt at home—checking drawers, inboxes, and digital wallets—to see what “hidden money” we might find. We uncovered a variety of unused value in a variety of forms:

• 🧾 A paper certificate (Costco Wholesale)

• 📧 An email incentive from a loyalty program (Best Buy)

• 📱 Digital value in a crypto wallet (Flexa)

• 💳 A plastic prepaid card (Mastercard)

In this week’s Coffee Chat, I reveal what we found—and what we spent it on. As someone who lives and breathes loyalty, gift cards, and incentives at NeoCurrency, I had way too much fun with this.

Now it’s your turn: When you have a few moments, conduct your own scavenger hunt. Check your lesser-used loyalty programs, your wallets (digital and leather), your inboxes, and that favorite kitchen drawer. What hidden value will you find? 💵

Till next week --Eric ☕️