We've said it before and we'll say it again: Don't throw gift cards in a drawer and let them sit around for months. Spend them.

Consumers with Sharper Image gift cards are learning the hard way that good things don't always come to those who wait.

The gadget seller filed for bankruptcy on Feb. 19 and immediately stopped accepting gift cards, reward cards, gift certificates or merchandise certificates as a form of payment.

A few weeks later, Sharper Image reversed itself, but its new policy is far from customer-friendly. Those who choose to redeem a gift card "must purchase merchandise equal to twice the current value of the card/certificate in order to redeem it."

This is completely against our standard gift card advice of not spending more than $5 or $10 over the value when redeeming it.

Bankruptcy and closures are all too common in the retail business these days. We've heard of people stuck with hundreds of dollars on gift cards when stores shuttered unexpectedly.

When that happens, gift card holders are often the big losers.

That's why everyone needs a savvy plan to make the most of their gift cards, even if that means selling or re-gifting them.

Our 6 smart moves to get the most out of gift cards will ensure your presents get used.