Education is Tops

January 23, 2008 By Tisha (Kulak) Tolar

In 1996, General Mills started a program called Box Tops for Education. Initially launched in California, the Box Tops for Education Program is now a national program which has helped over 90,000 schools earn millions of dollars to support school education programs.

The idea is simple. Purchase any product bearing the small Box Top logo, similar to a proof of purchase logo and after using the product, you cut off the coupon. Most of the product coupons are in the amount of $.10 but there plenty of other promotions such as Bonus Box Tops on participating products that vary in value. Coupons are collected by local schools and redeemed by the school’s coordinator in exchange for money for the school. There is also an online shopping site that allows you to shop online and still earn Box Top cash for your school.

Our local elementary school has been a participant of the Box Top for Education Program since 2002 and has, to date, raised close to $13,000 just for clipping the $.10 coupons. Truthfully, the hardest part is remembering to clip the coupon before recycling the trash. We keep a baggie on the refrigerator and as soon as we have few coupons, off to school they go. There is several large cardboard collection stations located in the hallways and my daughter gets a kick out of depositing her contribution once a month.

Obviously, schools hold various fundraisers throughout the year to help with increasing expenses but this particular program does not cost anyone a cent more than the cost of groceries you needed to buy anyway. I wasn’t aware of this program until my daughter started Kindergarten and often community members who don’t have any children or grandchildren in the local schools are not aware that they can still help out by saving their coupons and delivery them to the school. Local community groups can do the same. It’s a simple way to earn extra money for the kids.

According to the website, the program has grown enormously since its inception and every year, more and more “extras” are being added. The product list is also growing. You can download the entire product list at the Box Top for Education website http://www.boxtops4education.com/AboutBoxTops/Products.aspx. You can see that the coupons are found on common products you may have in your cabinet right now. Perhaps you have never noticed them before or weren’t sure what to do with them. You local school administration office will be able to tell you if the area school participates in the program. You can also check online to see if your local school is on-board.

Posted in children, education, food, free money, online savings, parenting, shopping

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