Alternative Holiday Gifts: TisBest Charity Gift Cards

Many people buy gift cards for friends, family, and coworkers during the holidays. They are the perfect gift for someone who you are not quite sure of what to get, or for the person who already has everything. TisBest has come up with a way to combine the ease that is buying and using gift cards, with another holiday tradition, giving to the less fortunate.

While making a charitable donation in someone else's name is a very thoughtful gift, it is often hard to determine which charity is most important and meaningful to your friend or family member. Now, instead of having to guess, you can make the donation yourself, and let them choose who it should help.

TisBest provides tax-deductible gift cards that can be purchased in amounts from $10 to $5,000. The recipient can then redeem their gift card at the TisBest web site where they can choose from 200 charities to give to, in a variety of categories such as children, peace and nonviolence, and environmental protection. For those who tend to lose or forget about gift cards, don't worry; if cards that are not redeemed after 3 years the value on them will be combined and donated to a charity chosen by TisBest customers.

TisBest gift cards are done completely online and sent through email. They are easy to use, colorful, and come in over 50 designs. You can buy a card for yourself, or have it sent directly to your recipient, complete with a personal message. If you don't want it sent to your recipient via email, have it sent to yourself, print it out on your printer, and give it to them in person.

TisBest doesn't offer traditional plastic gift cards, because email cards are more environmentally friendly. Also by sending cards through email there is no shipping and handling fees, allowing more money to go directly to charity. Charities receive the entire amount on the gift card, less a $3.95 transaction fee and a standard 3% fee that goes to the credit card company.