Bankruptcy and My Gift Cards

Receiving store gift cards for Christmas, birthdays or Father's Day seemed like such a good idea at the time. Of course, I'm the type of brother that lays the gift card down on my desk and never thinks about it again. Recently someone reminded me that the following stores filed for bankruptcy:

• Hollywood Video
• Levitz
• Sharper Image
• Performance Team Freight
• Linens n Things
• Circuit City
• Bed, Bath and Beyond

I looked through the pile of junk on my desk and discovered that I have a gift card from Circuit City and Hollywood Video. I'm heading to both places this week to see if I can salvage anything on either card. However, based on recent Wall Street Journal article, I may be ish-out-of-luck.

What about you? Do you have unused gift cards laying around the house?