GAINESVILLE - "I love gift cards, i like to buy them for people." Marjorie Taylor a Micanopy resident says that with gift cards you get a "one-size fits all" deal. She says, "In fact I probably have bought 5 already this year, and on my way to get another one from somewhere else."

While it may not take much thought to pick a gift card as a last minute gift, statistics show people are checking them off their list sooner. According to the National Retail federation, two out of five shoppers have already purchased these store cards as gifts. that's 25 percent higher than last year. Taylor says they're convenient for loved ones at a distance. "I live away from my family. I have a son and a grandson's family live in philadelphia. And my daughter just left she lives in michigan so i have to send things," Taylor says.

When it comes to gift cards be on the look out for deals. For example: there's currently a promotion at red lobster, with every $25 gift card you receive a $5 bonus cards. If you plan on handing out a $50 gift card, by making two separate purchases you can pocket 10 bucks.

But not everything about gift cards is perfect. Although a 2010 federal law made changes to protect consumers, some cards still come with expiration dates and processing fees.

Janice Floyd, the mom of a UF student says, "You have to read on the back of them before you buy one to make sure. Because the whole point is to give somebody something they could use, not that it's going to cost them money."

Michael Gutter, a family economic specialist for the University of Florida says gift cards aren't an ideal gift for everyone. "So on one hand there's sort of this notion that we may end up leaving money on the table… on the other side of it, there's often the temptation too that some people will take the gift card and use it to spend even more money."

But for some people like Talyor, gift cards are always on her wish list. "I am a good person for gift cards, i like them and i give them," she says. And a growing number of others do, too.