The Apple Account Card feature is coming to six more countries very soon, although it isn't available for all users yet.
You might also consider putting those purchases on a credit card to earn rewards. Can you buy gift cards with a credit card? The short answer is yes, but there are some important caveats.
There’s also a simple trick you can use if you’re planning to buy some Apple gadgets yourself. If you send an Apple Gift Card to your own email address, you’ll end up getting $10 for free!