How to Spend that iTunes Gift Card
Did you find an iTunes gift card in your stocking over the weekend? If so, you’re not alone. With three-, four-, and even fifty-packs of iTunes cards showing up online, at warehouse clubs, and in line at the grocery store, the iTunes Gift Card has replaced socks as the go-to impersonal gift for that certain someone you know well enough to buy a gift, but not well enough to know what to buy.
Once you’ve redeemed your card, you’ll have a handsome credit sitting in your account. But what if you’re not a regular iTunes shopper? If you prefer your music on vinyl, or your video games on consoles, you might be wondering how to even begin spending this colorful piece of plastic burning a hole in your pocket. Well, wonder no more. Here are five ways to spend your iTunes gift card that won’t leave you with buyer’s remorse.
Premium Subscriptions
Even with Apple Music and Tidal on the scene, Pandora is still the best when it comes to music discovery radio. But those ads, right? Ever wish you could go ad free? Wish no longer. Now that you have an iTunes Gift Card, you can put it toward a premium monthly subscription to apps like Pandora, Netflix, new comedy podcast goldmine Howl, or virtual newsstand Texture. Just make sure to subscribe from within the app, and the remember to keep an eye on your balance. Once your iTunes credit runs out, you’ll start seeing charges on your credit or debit card.
In-App Purchases
“Freemium” apps like Angry Birds and Candy Crush are free to download and play, but sooner or later, you hit it: The wall of frustration. Whether it’s longer waits between replays or impossibly ramping difficulty, you’ll reach a point where they only way to move forward in the game is to pay for features and powerups. For a certain type of gamer, paying for premium content feels like admitting defeat, but if you already have the iTunes credit, it takes some of the sting out of the transaction. So, the next time you’re playing Marvel Future Fight, go ahead and buy the Spider Gwen Biometrics Package with the 180 X Norn Stone Selector and 100 Level 5 Experience Chips. It’s on old Saint Nick.
Movie Rentals
With Christmas and New Year’s Eve both falling on Friday this year, that means a lot of holiday weekend downtime. It’s the perfect time for a low-key movie night your family and friends. You may not be the type to buy a digital download of a movie, but that shouldn’t stop you from renting a few flicks! Check out new releases like Ant-Man or Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, or dig into iTunes huge selection of 99¢ documentary rentals.
iBooks
One of the well-kept secrets of the iTunes gift card is that it can be used on iBooks, too. Grab a little quality time away from the noise of the season and tuck into a recent bestseller from John Grisham or Nicholas Sparks, or dig into a classic from Hemingway, Faulkner, or Pynchon.
Apps for Mac
Why should your iOS devices get all the love? iTunes credits can be used for downloads from the Mac App Store, too! Bolster your Mac’s game library with Batman: Arkham City, or pick up Affinity Photo, the App Store’s App of the Year.
How are you going to spend your iTunes Gift Card? Share your wish list in the comments!
Social Media Coordinator Mike Shepherd spends way too much time playing Marvel’s Future Fight.