Before Easter, I bought a $100 JC Penney gift card from Plastic Jungle for $84. Today I am reporting back on my shopping trip.

The Purchase

I used the gift card to buy the following Easter clothes for my two boys:

• Two pair of khaki pants
• Two Izod pastel shirts
• Two coordinating ties

The Savings

The grand total came to $100.05. I handed over the $100 e-gift card I’d printed on the computer and owed just a nickle more. Remember, however, that I REALLY only paid $84.05 for my purchase. And yes, I felt just a little smug as I strutted out of the mall with my double-digit savings. I’m no extreme couponer, but am pretty proud of myself when I create a deal using a little smarts.

Worth the Effort

Because I already planned to shop JC Penney for Easter clothes, taking a few minutes to order a discount gift card before making the trek is like flipping through the ads before walking out the door. The process is simple. And if you order e-gift cards, the gift cards arrive the same day. These are the sites I regularly use.

Think Ahead

The holidays aren’t the only time you’ll likely have some pre-planned shopping to do. There’s “back to school” time, spring break, and summer vacation that will likely spur shopping as well. Think ahead and consider purchasing discount gift cards to ease the financial burden during these times of the year.

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If you’re planning to buy a new Easter dress, have a birthday gift to purchase, or are in the process of updating your home decor for spring, then check out these deals on gift cards. Plastic Jungle, one of the many gift card exchange sites, sells gift cards for less than face value. The discount offered depends on the popularity of the card. But in many cases, you will save at least double digits.

Through March 30th

While supplies last, take advantage of the following offers:

• Save 13% on JC Penney gift cards
• Save 9% on Old Navy gift cards
• Save 9% on Banana Republic gift cards
• Save 12% Kohl’s Options gift cards
• Save 16% on Anthropologie gift cards
• Save 6% on Best Buy gift cards

Follow my lead

I just ordered a couple of e-Gift Cards from JC Penney. I had already planned to shop there for my boys’ Easter Sunday clothes. Since I am able to get these cards quickly (don’t have to wait for the plastic cards to arrive in the mail), I decided to buy two for my upcoming shopping trip. I feel pretty good having done this because I often shop that store for my kids. This way I know I’m getting a deal before I even head to the register.

My favorite Easter memory comes from my childhood when my mom bought each of us kids a chocolate Easter bunny and then accidentally left them in the car. The bunnies melted into brown puddles with floating eyes and a little bow. Since replacing seven rabbits would have been costly, she plopped the boxes in our baskets anyway. We all had a good laugh and to this day, I can’t look at Easter candy without picturing those vagabond eyes.

Though I’m obviously a gift card junkie, I don’t often think of gift cards for this particular holiday. But today, proved me wrong. My kids each received a gift card in the mail from their Aunt Cher. When we called to thank her, she said, “I figured your kids would get enough candy for Easter. So I thought they’d enjoy picking out a different kind of treat from me instead.” Too fun! The kids are super happy and already plotting their shopping trip.

What a nice gesture. Now I’m re-thinking my position. Cher is right. The last thing we need here is more candy. It’s not even Easter and already I’ve eaten the two bags of Whoppers eggs I bought a week ago. (By myself! And I’m not kidding!) With the gift cards, however, the kids get to buy something that I won’t steal and have to jog off later. Bonus!