Need help finding the right word or term

[haller]

Hi,
I'm designing a computer program to be used for personal money management, and I'm having trouble coming up with a classification name for certain items.

I need a word (or short term) that describes gift certificates, in-store credits (as might be received when you return an item without a receipt), and gift cards/cash cards (MC/Visa cards that may be received for a product rebate or as a gift, etc.), and also differentiates them from "deposit accounts" (checking and savings accounts) and "credit accounts" (credit cards, etc.). The most relevant difference for my purpose is that the gift certificates, and the others in the group, start off at a certain monetary value which reduces as the money value is spent, and generally it’s not possible to add money value back to them.

Here are the ideas I’ve come up with so far. I thought someone might be able to improve or fix one, but I’m also wide open to not using any of them.

finite credit balances
finite usable funds
available credit balances
credit holdings
finite principal resources
usable credit balances
spendable credit balances
misc credit balances

Of these ideas, none seems quite natural sounding enough. I need the word or term to be intuitively understandable and as unambiguous as possible when it's in context along with "deposit accounts" and "credit accounts".

Thanks very much.

[kork13]

"Monetary Equivalents"

??

[zetta]

Simple terms are best. I'd take "gift/cash card" from your description.

[JourneyCC]

While I like "Monetary Equivalents" for myself........I'm not sure the average user would know what to group into it? Therefore, I'd stick with simple.

Cash Cards / Gifts

[FrugalFish]

Prepaid credits?

[jasonnoguchi]

Just gift cards.

For accounting purpose, gift certificates are "Deferred Expenses" and certainly not a monetary equivalent or prepaid credit. In fact, the issuer of gift certificates would have those gift certificates as "Deferred Revenue" on their balance sheets. So its really an income for the issuer and an expense for the user in accounting terms.

[paperkool]

Originally Posted by haller

Hi,
I'm designing a computer program to be used for personal money management, and I'm having trouble coming up with a classification name for certain items.

I need a word (or short term) that describes gift certificates, in-store credits (as might be received when you return an item without a receipt), and gift cards/cash cards (MC/Visa cards that may be received for a product rebate or as a gift, etc.), and also differentiates them from "deposit accounts" (checking and savings accounts) and "credit accounts" (credit cards, etc.). The most relevant difference for my purpose is that the gift certificates, and the others in the group, start off at a certain monetary value which reduces as the money value is spent, and generally it’s not possible to add money value back to them.

Here are the ideas I’ve come up with so far. I thought someone might be able to improve or fix one, but I’m also wide open to not using any of them.

finite credit balances
finite usable funds
available credit balances
credit holdings
finite principal resources
usable credit balances
spendable credit balances
misc credit balances

Of these ideas, none seems quite natural sounding enough. I need the word or term to be intuitively understandable and as unambiguous as possible when it's in context along with "deposit accounts" and "credit accounts".

Thanks very much.

What about un validated gift card?

[Seeker]

Essentially you're talking about "refunds" or "gift cards."

Don't get too detailed or complex over it.

Just define what the terms (words) you use incorporates or includes (all the different varities that you've defined here) upfront in your text somewhere, and nobody will misunderstand.