Don't be afraid to regift an unspent gift card. Someone you know -- a friend, a family member, your child's teacher -- could make good use of a store gift card that has been gathering dust in a drawer.

"Use it for a present for someone else," Scott says. "It's not too early to shop for Christmas."

A gift card could make a nice housewarming gift and it could also be paired with other items, such as a book or coffee mug, as part of a small gift package, Scott says.

So be creative with those gift cards, and start giving.

Unused and partially used gift cards can also be donated to charity. PlasticJungle.com offers gift card sellers the option of giving part or all of a gift card's value to a nonprofit organization.