Getting a gift card?

Gift cards are expected to be the most widely-given gift this year. Cool with me; I like them. I store my gift cards in a small wallet and keep track of the balance by writing the value on the back of each card with a Sharpie.

So here's a new website that is launching next week that can store and manage all your gift cards (and loyalty programs liek frequent flyer clubs). It's called Leverage and it's free to register. According to the site you will be able to buy gift cards from many retailers and - somehow - receive "interest" on the value of your stored cards (3.2 percent for cards bought through the site, and about 1 percent for cards bought elsewhere).

A neat feature that I hope works is swapping a gift card with someone else. Now I know what to do if I get any Barnes & Noble cards (heaven forbid I read a book).

This is really nothing new since others sites like Swapagift and CertificateSwap have been doing it for years.

I can see this service being useful if you get a lot of gift cards and need to keep track of more than five or six. I like the suggestion posted on TechCrunch - if you got an actual Leverage card that acted as an uber-gift card. The way that could work is that the card is tied to your online Leverage account, which knows all your balances. You take it to Best Buy, it taps into the $50 in your gift card account. You take it to Macy’s, and it sees you have $75. The startup is working on just such a card.

Would you use this service?

SATURDAY SHOW ALERT:

"Doorbuster" sales are still going on so I will be sure to get many calls on good deals-bad deals, should I get a warranty, LCD v Plasma, boxers or briefs, etc...

I'll have an interview with the folks from Palm and give away a new Centro. Plus, get ready to be amazed and dazzled with an in-studio mindreader and hypnotist.