Gift cards: why prefer them and where you can buy and use them

Gift cards are an interesting option for anyone using subscription-based online services, such as what happens with Play Station Network. Through a card it is possible to top up your account with funds, which can then be used whenever you want for any service available in the Play Station Store, as well as to pay the monthly bill for the Playstation Network subscription.

Why choose cards

Among the people who subscribe to Playstation Network, some, a small number, have linked their account to their credit card. This greatly speeds up transactions and purchases and basically gives us a very high spending limit. However, for many genre enthusiasts, it is a significant risk: the actual tally of expenses made on the Playstation store reaches us the following month, with the credit card statement. The risk is buying a large number of games compulsively, since the payment is not precisely perceived. The solution to this small problem comes directly with gift cards. These are indeed cards, similar to credit cards, emblazoned with a code that allows us to deposit a precise amount on the Playstation account, either from the website or even directly from the console. This will allow us to pay the monthly subscription, buy all the games we are interested in or even additional content or demo tests, all up to spending the amount we set, that is, what was present on the gift card.

Why funds on the account

After all, for those who use Playstation every day it is now essential to have at least a small amount of funds on their account. First, to be able to subscribe to the monthly service, which allows playing online with other friends cooperatively, as well as access to numerous offers, different month by month. Often there are games available to download completely free of charge, previews aimed solely at subscribers. Furthermore, through these funds it will be possible to purchase all games and accessories for the Playstation directly from the Store available online. This activity can also be performed from the computer, or even directly from the console.

How to use the cards

Using the card is very simple and intuitive: the first step is to purchase the gift card with the amount we intend to use, for the month or even a longer period. At this point, you buy the card and look for the code printed on it, which is hidden by a protective film. With this code it is possible to load the chosen amount on the Playstation account, even from the console, using the numeric keypad displayed on the screen. The money loaded this way does not have to be used immediately, it will remain on our account virtually forever. So I can decide to load 10 euros or 100 and activate the subscription to the online services or immediately buy games or other content. Or I can leave the funds available indefinitely until the day I decide to use them to purchase something, whatever I want.

How and where to buy gift cards

Gift cards today are available not only for Playstation, but also for many other online services, such as for Google Play accounts. They can be purchased in some physical stores; for example, many large supermarkets have them near the checkouts; or numerous gift cards are available in electronics stores or even in game shops. They come in various denominations, usually starting from 10 euros up to 200 and more; for some services it is possible to request a card recharge for a customized amount, so if you want you can have a card for 155 euros, for example. Just choose the card you want to buy and pay with any available method, from credit card to cash. These products are also available on some websites, giving the purchase an extra convenience. These stores are indeed available any day of the year and at any time; so if you run out of funds in the middle of the night you can buy one quickly. The site does not send us the entire card, but only the code required for the recharge, which will arrive quickly via email.