GIMME MY CHANGE!

OK- rant here...don't read on if you don't want to hear my whining.
I recently celebrated a birthday (sigh) and got so many GENEROUS gifts. I really have the most amazingly generous family, but that belongs in a love fest post, not this rant. So anyway, I got some gift cards to some of my favorite stores. I go to one store and come up a dollar and change short of my gift card. And I don't get the change. Now do they sell anything for a dollar and change at this store? No. Do I understand the point behind the policy is to make you come in and buy an item for $10 and use the rest of your gift card but still owe eight dollars and change? Yes. Do I think it is highway robbery? YES! I get the point behind the policy. I understand they are in the business to make a buck. But is it right? I don't think so (my dad is so rolling his eyes right now). It's stealing in my opinion. My loved ones did not put $50 on a gift card with the hopes that the store would pocket a dollar or two from it. And I'm not going to buy something I don't want just to go over my gift card amount. That's ridiculous. I think the stores (like Ann Taylor for example) that give you the change if you come under $5 of the gift card amount are right on and I will only buy gift cards from stores who have that policy. In this day and age I need every dollar I can get in my pocket to buy groceries and gas! I would love to see how much stores make a year from unused gift card money. Someone paid them upfront for their products and they are keeping the unused portions for themselves. I don't know- I just think it's ridiculous. And it makes me mad. But I digress....