MUSKEGON, Mich. – Increasingly, gift cards have become popular gifts for shoppers pressed for time, the Muskegon Chronicle reports. For the 2007 holiday season, consumers across the country are expected to purchase $26.3 billion worth of gift cards — up $2 billion from last year — according to the fifth annual National Retail Federation Gift Card Survey.

Convenience stores and supermarkets stock a wide variety of gift cards. However, shoppers should be aware that some cards lose value over time and others are restricted to non-sale items.

And then there are recipients who simply never redeem their gift cards. Nationally, 10 percent of gift cards’ value is never spent. Some retailers even add fees that eat up the card’s value. Last year, unspent balances on gift cards reached $8 billion in the United States.

Last month, Consumer Reports began a public education campaign about gift card pitfalls. Experts say buyers should find out the fees and expiration date on gift cards before purchasing, and then make sure the card recipient knows that information.

Approximately three dozen states, including Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Hampshire, have enacted new laws about gift cards. Next year, Michigan lawmakers will consider a bill that would extend the life of gift cards and eliminate the hidden fees that decrease the value on some cards.