Wedding Gift Palooza - Follow Up - Another Way to "SAVE" $$

As I mentioned before, buying wedding gifts for all of your friends can be EXPENSIVE.  So I am always trying to think of more ways to save money.  Now this is sort of a work-around, and isn't exactly saving so much as using what you have.

I know that credit cards aren't for everyone - and if you aren't good at managing your money or keeping within a budget, then don't get credit cards!  But if you DO have one, make sure you have one that gives you some type of rewards.  My roommate has one that gives her 5% cash back on all purchases - and it's amazing and no longer offered due to that incredible rate.  JEALOUS.

I personally have the CitiForward Card (https://creditcards.citi.com/credit-cards/citi-forward/).

I like it well enough, I'm not sure I have the best one, but it works for me!  So they have a rewards system called ThankYou Points.  In the past, I would cash in for a $50 Banana Republic or Gap Gift Card, knowing that I would eventually spend it there, and I will always buy clothes.  But then I realized, I don't really "need" to spend money on clothes (currently), but I do HAVE to spend money on wedding gifts.  I checked out their full list of reward gift cards and realized that they have tons of cards available for the places I needed to buy gifts from registrys!

(PS if you don't know where your friends are registered, this is a great resource: http://www.weddingchannel.com/about-registry/index.html)

So the last time I had saved up enough points, I cashed in for a $100 Bed, Bath and Beyond Gift Card, so it was MUCH less painful when I went to the register.  A $146 purchase (after the use of the 20% off coupons - obv!), became only actually $46 out of pocket.  This is just a small way you can sort of use what you already "have" on more important things than a new pair of jeans from the Gap...(wait, I love jeans...crap!)

Again, I would LOVE to hear other ideas on how to save money buying wedding gifts for friends!