***Edit:  More added.  Plus check comments for reader additions I haven’t had time to add.  Thank you for every comment with suggestions! When I get  a free minute I will definitely add them to my list.

**Edit:  I have added some reader deals for restaurants as well as stores, and I will be adding more stores to the list as the season progresses.  Feel free to leave comments or e-mail me (kristin (at) making cents out of life (d0t) com-remove spaces and add symbols) with any store deals or any other gift card bonus deals you find! I will add them after I verify them, and give you credit.  It may take a little bit because I verify them all.  It took me 3 hours to verify all of my own!  I’ll keep this post with every day’s postings so you wont’ have to dig for it.

This is the best time of year to buy restaurant gift cards both for gifts and for personal use because many restaurants are offering bonuses with the purchase of a gift card of a certain denomination.

I keep getting these e-mails because I sign up for EVERY e-newsletter I can for my favorite companies.  I thought I’d share with you these deals.

Brittany at The Prudent Patron has a couple listed that you don’t see here, too.

Here are some great deals that were recommended by readers:

Qdoba: Get a $5 bonus when you buy $25 in gift cards, bonus to be used in Jan. and Feb. 2010  (Thanks CJ!)

Souper Salad: Spend $20 in gift cards, get a $5 bonus! (Thanks, Jen!)

Casa Ole: Spend $25, Get a $5 bonus, Spend $100, Get a $25 bonus (Thanks, Jen!)

CVS Pharmacy:  Get a $5 eGift card for every $25 you spend (Thanks, Mandy!)

Kroger *and select affiliates*: Buy $100 in a select variety of gift cards (Best Buy, Bath & Body Works, iTunes, Applebee’s, SpaFinder, Sears, Bass Pro Shops and one I couldn’t read–sorry!) and get a $10 off at  check out.  Limit 5 per family.   (Thanks, Mandy!)

Friendly’s: Friendly’s is offering a $5 bonus card w/ every $25 gift card purchase.  Bonus card is valid between January 1 2010 through Feb. 28, 2010.  (Thank you, Amelia!)

Subway: Buy $10 gift card, get a free cookie

California Pizza Kitchen: Spend $100 on gift cards, get a $20 gift card for yourself

Romano’s Macaroni GrillC: Buy a $25 Romano’s Macaroni Grill gift card and get a $5 bonus card (thanks Carie!)

Outback Steakhouse: Buy $100 worth of giftcards online, get $20 bonus card and a free Sugarland music download. Bonus card valid 1/1/2010 through 2/10/2010.

Carrabba’s Italian restaurant: Buy $100 in gift cards, get $20 bonus card

Moe’s Southwest Grill: Buy $25 Moe’s gift card, get $5 Moe’s Bucks for yourself

Applebees: Buy $50 in gift cards, get a $10 bonus card

Parasole Restaurants: Buy $100 in gift certificates, Get $25 bonus

Kincaid’s: Get $10 in gift cards for every $50 you purchase and they are giving 5% of gift card proceeds to local children’s hospitals. This is in Indiana.

McCormick and Schmick’s:  Purchase $50 in gift cards, Get $10 in bonus dining certificates; spend $100 in gift cards, get $25 in dining certificates.  Bonuses are valid January 1, 2010 through March 31, 2010.

Spill the Wine: Purchase $100 in gift cards, get $25 free.

Ruth’s Chris: Spend $250 in gift card purchases and get 10% back in bonus cards.

Benihana:  Spend $50, Get $10 Reward card

Bonefish Grill: Spend $100, Get $20 and enter to win $5,000

Buca di Peppo: Get $25 in gift cards for every $100 you buy!

Bravo Brio: Get $10 when you buy a $50 gift card

Chick Fil A: Spend $20, get a free calendar

Denny’s: Buy $25 in gift cards, get a $5 gift card bonus

Fleming’s:: Receive a $20 gc with every $100 in gc you purchase (I’m tired, I am abbreviating some!)

Furr’s: Purchase $25 in gift cards, get a coupon for a free buffet oyn visit.

IHOP: Spend $25 on gift cards, get $5 off your next visit

Maggiano’s Little Italy: Purchase $100 in gift cards and get a $20 bonus card

Not Your Average Joe’s: Receive a $10 appreciation card for every $50 gift card purchase

Potbelly Sandwich Works:  For every $25 in gc purchases, you’ll get a ticket for an original or skinnys sandwich

Red Robin: Receive $5 in Bonus Bucks for every $25 in gift cards OR receive a 20% discount for every $500 in gift cards

Smokey Bones: Buy a $25 gift card, Get a $15 gift card

Roy’s: Buy $100, Get a $20 reward card.

Ted’s Montana Grill: Buy 4 $25 gift cards and they will give you $20 gift card in return

RA Sushi: Buy a $50 gift card, get a $10 bonus (Thanks, Melissa with Saving Cents with Sense!)

Auntie Anne’s: Buy $10 gift card, get a free pretzel!

O’Charley’s: Buy a $20 gift card, get a $5 bonus card.

Texas Roadhouse: For every $20 in gift cards you buy you get a coupon for a free appetizer

This list is pretty massive but if I see anything else I’ll update it and repost it on that day.  If you know of any restaurants giving bonus cards or gifts with a gift card purchase leave a comment or e-mail me at kristin(at)makingcentsoutoflife(dot)com.  Remove parenthesis and replace the words with symbols.