You’re standing in the aisle at Five Below. Maybe you’re eyeing a fresh set of Bluetooth headphones or a massive bag of Squishmallows. You reach into your wallet, pull out that bright blue and white gift card you got for your birthday three months ago, and then it hits you: you have absolutely no idea how much is left on it. Is it $25? Is it $0.42? Nobody wants to be that person at the register waiting for the "insufficient funds" beep while a line of teenagers stares you down. Honestly, it’s a vibe killer.
Checking your check Five Below gift card balance shouldn't feel like a chore, but companies sometimes make these portals harder to find than they need to be. Five Below is the king of the "extreme value" world, selling everything from tech gadgets to fitness gear for under five bucks (mostly). Because their inventory moves so fast, their gift cards are incredibly popular. But unlike a bank account, you can't just glance at an app to see your standing balance unless you know exactly where to click.
The fastest ways to see what’s left
Look, you basically have three ways to do this. You can do it online, you can do it in the store, or you can call them up. Most people go for the online route because it’s 2026 and nobody wants to talk to a human if they don't have to.
To do it online, you’ve got to head over to the official Five Below website. Scroll all the way to the bottom. They usually hide the "Gift Cards" link in the footer near the "Customer Service" or "FAQ" sections. Once you're there, you’ll see a big button that says "Check Balance." You're going to need two things: the 19-digit card number and the 4-digit security code (CSN). That security code is usually hidden under a scratch-off silver strip on the back. If you’ve already scratched it off and can’t read it, you’re in for a bit of a struggle, but we'll get to that in a minute.
If you’re already at the store, just hand it to the cashier. They can swipe it at any register and tell you the exact amount in about four seconds. You don't even have to buy anything. Just walk up, ask for a balance check, and walk out. It's the most reliable method because it pulls directly from their Point of Sale (POS) system.
Why your balance might look wrong
Ever check your balance and see a big fat zero even though you know you didn't spend it all? It happens more than you'd think. One common reason is "pending transactions." If you tried to buy something online and the order didn't go through, Five Below might place a temporary hold on those funds. It usually clears up in 24 to 48 hours.
Another thing? Scams. If you bought your gift card from a third-party site like an eBay seller or some "discount" gift card exchange, there’s a chance the balance was drained before you even got it. Always try to buy directly from Five Below or reputable retailers like Kroger or Amazon to avoid this mess.
The "Check Five Below Gift Card Balance" phone number trick
Sometimes the website acts up. It's frustrating. The page won't load, or the "Submit" button stays greyed out. When that happens, you have to go old school. You can call Five Below’s automated gift card line.
Dial 1-888-892-3813.
It’s an automated system. You’ll just punch in your card numbers using the keypad. It’s actually faster than waiting for a web page to load on spotty 5G. Make sure you’re in a quiet place though; sometimes those voice-recognition systems are picky about background noise. If you're shouting your card number over a barking dog, it’s going to fail.
Digital vs. Physical Cards: Does it matter?
Five Below sells both physical plastic cards and "e-gift cards." The process for checking the balance is nearly identical, but the e-gift cards are actually easier to manage. If you have an e-gift card, the card number and the PIN are right there in your email. No scratching required.
If you use the Five Below app, you can actually store your gift card info in your account. This is the pro move. Instead of hunting for the physical card every time, you just open the app, and it’s right there. It saves you the "check Five Below gift card balance" search every time you want to go shopping.
What to do if your card is lost or stolen
This is where things get tricky. Five Below is pretty clear in their terms and conditions: gift cards are like cash. If you lose a $20 bill on the sidewalk, it's gone. The same usually applies to their gift cards.
However, if you have the original receipt or the gift card number written down, you might have a chance. You’ll need to contact their corporate customer service. Don't go to the store for this; the local manager can’t do much about a lost card. You need the "big guns" at the corporate office who can verify the remaining balance and potentially freeze the old card and issue a new one. It’s not a guarantee, but it’s worth the 15-minute phone call if there was a lot of money on there.
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Hidden details about Five Below cards
Did you know these cards don't expire? In many states, laws prevent gift cards from expiring for several years, but Five Below just keeps them active indefinitely. They also don't charge "dormancy fees." Some stores will start taking $2.00 a month off your balance if you don't use the card for a year. Five Below doesn't play that game. Your $10 stays $10 until you spend it.
One weird quirk: you can’t use a Five Below gift card to buy other gift cards. If you were hoping to trade your Five Below credit for an Xbox or PlayStation card they sell in the store, you're out of luck. Their systems are hard-coded to prevent that. It’s a common anti-fraud measure across the retail industry.
Maximizing that remaining balance
Let’s say you checked your balance and you only have $1.25 left. What do you even do with that? At most stores, that’s useless. At Five Below, that’s actually "candy money." You can grab a couple of loose pieces of candy or a small trinket in the clearance section.
If you’re buying something that costs $5.00 and you only have $1.25 on the card, you can "split tender." This just means you tell the cashier to use the remaining balance on the gift card first, and then you pay the rest with cash or a debit card. Don't let those small balances go to waste. Those nickels and dimes add up over time, and honestly, why give the corporation free money?
Troubleshooting common errors
"Invalid Card Number" is the error message that ruins everyone's day. If you get this while trying to check Five Below gift card balance, take a breath. Double-check the numbers. It is incredibly easy to mistake a '0' (zero) for an 'O' (the letter), or a '1' for an 'I'.
If the numbers are definitely right and it still says invalid, the card might not have been activated properly at the register when it was bought. This usually happens when a cashier is in a rush and swipes the card but the transaction doesn't fully sync with the gift card processor. If you have the purchase receipt, take it back to the store. They can fix the activation error on the spot. Without that receipt, though, you’re probably looking at a paperweight.
Actionable steps for your balance check
Stop guessing and just get it done. If you're sitting at home, grab your card and follow these exact steps to ensure you don't run into a glitch:
- Step 1: Locate the 19-digit number on the back. If there's a silver scratch-off, use a coin, not your fingernail (you don't want to accidentally scratch off the numbers themselves).
- Step 2: Go to the Five Below official site. Do not use "third-party balance checkers." These are often phishing sites designed to steal your gift card info. Only use fivebelow.com.
- Step 3: Enter the data. If the site fails, call 1-888-892-3813 immediately.
- Step 4: Take a Sharpie and write the balance directly on the back of the card. This saves you from having to do this whole process again next week.
- Step 5: If the balance is low, plan your "split tender" purchase or grab a small snack. If it's high, maybe check out their "Five Beyond" section for the slightly pricier tech gear.
Keeping track of your gift cards is just basic financial hygiene. It takes two minutes and saves you the awkwardness of a declined card at the checkout counter. Now that you know the balance, you can go ahead and grab that giant 5-pound gummy bear without any stress.