an estimated $32 billion in gift cards are being bought right now. the average person spending 174 bucks on these plastic gifts. what you might not know is that these convenient gifts could end up costing you and even the person you re giving it to. gift cards have all of the disadvantages of money and none of the advantages. reporter: the things not on your wish list from santa purchase fees. paying money for money. those affiliated with credit cards instead of stores have an up-front fee just to buy it. the people who issue the gift cards to make money. reporter: next, dormancy fees. if the recipient doesn t use it after a certain amount of time, the fees start chipping away at the total value. card companies start to charge a monthly fee for basically doing nothing except keeping track of the fact you have this card out there.
cards are being bought right now. the average person spending 174 bucks on these plastic gifts. what you might not know is that these convenient gifts could end up costing you and even the person you re giving it to. gift cards have all of the disadvantages of money and none of the advantages. reporter: the things not on your wish list from santa purchase fees. paying money for money. those affiliated with credit cards instead of stores have an up-front fee just to buy it. the people who issue the gift cards to make money. reporter: next, dormancy fees. if the recipient doesn t use it after a certain amount of time, the fees start chipping away at the total value. card companies start to charge a monthly fee for basically doing nothing except keeping track of the fact you have this card out there. in many cases, no fraud protection. these are like cash, not credit. if someone steals the card
all right. it s christmastime. all you parents out there with kids, we have a gift suggestion for you. here it is. take a look. want to be a superhero? this is pyro. this is it. i m telling you. this will be hot with the kids this season. you can get your child a flame thrower. and they can throw flames from their wrist. wouldn t your son, 3 years old, love this? my 3-year-old is not going anywhere near this. adam wilbur is a magician and illusionist. this contraption here is available, it s for sale, apparently. he worked two years to build this. 174 bucks. you have to be 18 or older to actually use it, but yes, you are essentially able to shoot flames from your hand because of this little thing attached to your wrist.
all right. it s christmastime. all you parents out there with kids, we have a gift suggestion for you. here it is. take a look. want to be a superhero? this is pyro. this is it. i m telling you. this will be hot with the kids this season. you can get your child a flame thrower. and they can throw flames from their wrist. you see that? wouldn t your son, 3 years old, love this? my 3-year-old is not going anywhere near this. this is made by a guy named adam wilbur. he is a magician and illusionist. this contraption here is available, it s for sale, apparently. he worked two years to build this. 174 bucks. you have to be 18 or older to actually use it, but yes, you are essentially able to shoot