There's little doubt gift cards make good gifts. In fact, they may be the "perfect" gift. Why? Because, by giving a gift card, you allow someone to choose something that they actually want. No guessing. No mistakes. No bad gifts that get buried in the closet, never to be seen again. In the past several year gift cards have become a very acceptable and desired gift option.

However, not all gift cards are created equal. Some are actually much better than others. Because of their popularity (they are now one of the most-purchased gifts in the United States) gift cards are offered by hundreds of different retailers as well as credit card companies. It's very important that you take your time, read the fine print, and find out exactly what type of cards you're buying. Remember, several types of gift cards can actually "go bad" within just few months of purchase, so it's important to do your research and be careful.

Here are a few tips for buying gift cards will make everyone happy:

1. Watch out for expiration dates -- Some gift cards expire in as little as 6 months after purchase. Almost all cards issued by credit card companies have expiration dates. So no, they're not "as good as cash" like many people believe. It's becoming less and less common for retailers to issue gift cards with expiration dates, but it does still happen. If possible, avoid buying cards that must be used within a certain amount of time. And if you DO buy one be sure the person you give it to is well aware of that time limit!

2. Watch out for fees -- Be aware that a few companies sell gift cards that have "dormancy fees" that kick in after 6 months or so. These fees can reduce the value of a card by up to $5 per month. Make sure anyone you give these types of cards to is aware of this fee. There's nothing worse than going to a store and finding out your gift card is worth half of the face value due to dormancy fees.

2. Stick with established retailers -- It seems just about every little store and restaurant now offers some type of gift card or gift certificate. However, little stores and restaurants go out of business, have computer problems, get new ownership, and have all types of other problems that may keep them from honoring a gift card or certificate in the future. It's best to stick with the big, well-known, and well-established retailers. When you buy a gift card from your local "Best Buy" store, you can be certain it will be honored in the future -- not just in that store but in any of the hundreds of stores around the country.