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The 2007 holiday shopping season is not over.� Over the next 7 days, shoppers will spend an estimated 60 billion dollars worth of gift cards.� As Chris Casquejo explains, redeeming gift cards right after you get them may save you a lot of headaches.

Hear it here: $8 Billion in Lost or Unredeemed Gift Cards Annually

Daniel Gay is cashing in his gift cards and adding to his wardrobe.� Each year, shoppers lose nearly 8 billion dollars because of unredeemed or lost gift cards.� Daniel isn�t wasting any time using his.

�Clothes, I�ll spend pretty fast,” Gay said.� “The movies, I kind of drag it out a little bit.� Food, we�ll spend it pretty fast, too.�

Florida and Minnesota ban outright any expiration dates or fees on gift cards.� 30 other states limit those restrictions.�

When you first get a gift card, check the back of it to see if it has a toll-free number.� That way, you have somewhere to call if it�s lost or stolen.� Also, check to see if the card can be used for purchases online.

Gift cards were so popular at Tallahassee’s Buckle clothing store, they almost ran out.

�It�s kind of splitting the difference between just giving money per se and being less confident in product purchase,” said manager Bill Abeln.� “It allows them to guarantee that someone will pick someone out that they know the like.”

Shoppers like Katie Weilbrenner agree.

�I�m getting exactly what I want instead of something I just like,” she said.� “I get something I love.�

The advice from experts, use the cards quickly.� That way, you�re guaranteed not to forget about them.

The nearly $8 billion lost each year in gift cards is more than double the $3.5 billion that�s lost to credit and debit card fraud annually.