Best way of making my money back

weringo · 7 Jan 2011 at 07:30

After my flat got burgled a few weeks ago I got left with a load of HMV vouchers from the insurance company for the games and blu rays which were stolen. After treating my family to Christmas presents exclusively from HMV this year

, I've got about £500 worth left over. There's nothing I wanna buy from HMV and anything I may want to buy in the future will probably be far cheaper online.

So far I've thought of ebaying the vouchers but they only sell for about 70% of their value, after fees I can barely see myself getting 60% of what they're worth.

Alternatively I'm thinking of possibly buying goods from HMV which hold their value well online and are cheap to send such as Apple stuff, or maybe buying iTunes gift cards which appear to sell for a bit more on the bay.

Any ideas?

bsoltan · 7 Jan 2011 at 07:37

Do they have an expiery date?

weringo · 7 Jan 2011 at 07:40

No although the way HMV's share price is heading I'd rather get rid of them sooner rather than later!

fini · 7 Jan 2011 at 07:43

What I generally do with gift cards is let it be known amongst my family and friends that they are no longer allowed to buy from that store without using my gift vouchers. I typically force a 1:1 swap value, though occasionally drop to 90% if they're using a lot and I owe them a favour. We all operate a reciprocal voucher use relationship.

Kristoph · 7 Jan 2011 at 07:47

Buy an iPad for £500 and then sell it on with delivery on the members market for £450 new.

Greenlizard0 · 7 Jan 2011 at 07:57

You could try and flog them on eBay for slightly more (you'll have to cover fees etc.), though not sure if you'll be able to at this time of the year since most people, and probably your relatives are all trying to get rid.

Buying something like an iPad and selling it on isn't a bad idea, particularly with Apple as their warranties are easy to deal with when selling on.

Or just save them if they don't expire for when you want to get something.

A mate got burgled a few years back and said the fact they took his cds and dvds was a blessing in disguise. It cleared his shelves of all the deadwood he had ended up with and he bought only a fraction of what he had beforehand. Looking through my own shelves I agree; I have a lot of crap I could with getting rid of.

weringo · 7 Jan 2011 at 08:15

Greenlizard0 said:
A mate got burgled a few years back and said the fact they took his cds and dvds was a blessing in disguise.

Tell me about it, I got my 4 year old Xbox 360 knicked and the insurance company replaced it with a brand new slim 250GB model. My 3 year old 40GB Playstation also got replaced with a 160GB slim model

The games and blu-rays that got knicked I never watch/play and I probably never would again, and they gave me vouchers to well over the second hand value of what got stolen.

I'm tempted to make a habit of this getting burgled business

The only minor inconvenience was losing some save games off my hard drive and being without Black Ops for a few weeks.

So far I'm liking the iPad idea, although I'm interested to find out if the 64GB model selling for £500 on their website has the same price in store.

Kristoph · 7 Jan 2011 at 08:21

It's the 32gb wifi / 3g one that's £499 on the site. Unless you have £599 in vouchers?

weringo · 7 Jan 2011 at 08:23

HMV often have differing prices in store compared to their online prices and unfortunately I can't use my vouchers on their online store. Any idea if the iPad is the same price in store as online?

Kristoph · 7 Jan 2011 at 08:26

Go into the store and see if you can buy £500 of e-vouchers

Probably wont work.

weringo · 7 Jan 2011 at 08:30

Will give that a go actually, don't see why they wouldn't allow it.

Kristoph · 7 Jan 2011 at 08:55

weringo said:
Will give that a go actually, don't see why they wouldn't allow it.

I think you can only buy e-vouchers online.

Tefal · 7 Jan 2011 at 08:59

why do the insurance give you vouchers for hmv rather than cash? (is it based on where you bought stuff from or could you request say play or Amazon vouchers)

weringo · 7 Jan 2011 at 10:16

Tefal said:
why do the insurance give you vouchers for hmv rather than cash? (is it based on where you bought stuff from or could you request say play or Amazon vouchers)

It was based on the stuff that they were replacing: PS3 games, 360 games and blu-rays. I tried to haggle for cash but they weren't budging. Tbh I didn't think to ask for alternative, more useful vouchers.

Found out HMV sell the 32GB wifi iPad for £510 in store so I think I'll pick that up and sell it on the MM.

Tefal · 7 Jan 2011 at 10:18

Shame you could get awesome stuff with amazon vouchers

Knubje · 7 Jan 2011 at 10:21

Tefal said:
why do the insurance give you vouchers for hmv rather than cash? (is it based on where you bought stuff from or could you request say play or Amazon vouchers)

Insurance company in cahoots with HMV?

Seems a bit weak forcing you to a particular store to recover lost items.

I'd be well annoyed if I had £1000 worth of rig from OcUK nicked for an insurance company to turn around and give me the equivalent vouchers to the purple shirt brigade store.

koolpc · 7 Jan 2011 at 10:21

I would do as said further up. Buy something good from HMV and sell it on.

Bes · 7 Jan 2011 at 11:11

Odds on the OP just keeping his shiny new iPad?

Basher · 7 Jan 2011 at 12:33

Do HMV operate a credit card? If so take it out, spend £500 anywhere and pay it off with HMV vouchers.

Noxia · 7 Jan 2011 at 12:35

iPad idea is good but sell it quick because the more iPad 2 rumours grow the less they will be worth.