I figured out a way to get 'Rewards' without CCs!

[Figment's Girl]

I know a lot of people on here like to use their Credit Cards for every day expenses then pay it off to build up various rewards, myself included but for those who either don't have CCs or don't want to use them, I found a great alternative.

My DS's Catholic school has a year long fundraiser called Scrip where you can purchase gift cards from various stores, restaurants, Visa even Disney. You pay a set amount like you would for any Gift Card let's say $20 and you get the $20 card from the office a few days later. Now the rewards part, various retailers have different percentages that you split with the school. Like Wal-mart is 2%, Speedway is I think 8% and some others are even higher so you would get 1%, 4%, etc. Our PTO keeps track and at the end of the school year they cut us a check.

Some churches without schools do this as well.

If you guys are curious, you can Google it.

 

[delmar411]

you could also just do the reward debit cards. Chase does both a regular one and a disney debit card. They were giving $25 in rewards after the first purchase to offset the $25/yr fee but I'm not sure if they are still doing it.

Could you PM me some info about the scrip program you do? I've been looking for a group that does it here in Indy since that would work really well for us. Does Kroger or Meijer participate?

 

[Figment's Girl]

you could also just do the reward debit cards. Chase does both a regular one and a disney debit card. They were giving $25 in rewards after the first purchase to offset the $25/yr fee but I'm not sure if they are still doing it.

Could you PM me some info about the scrip program you do? I've been looking for a group that does it here in Indy since that would work really well for us. Does Kroger or Meijer participate?

Kroger does but not Meijers. What side of Indy do you live on?

Here's their website, http://www.shopwithscrip.com/

 

[mrsklamc]

I'm not delmar411 but I live near the northeast corner of 465

 

[delmar411]

Kroger does but not Meijers. What side of Indy do you live on?

Here's their website, http://www.shopwithscrip.com/

I'm on the southside. Close to the city. If Krogers participates that would certainly make it worth my while to investigate this further. We do most of our shopping and gassing up at Kroger.

 

[Figment's Girl]

I'm not delmar411 but I live near the northeast corner of 465

Then you aren't far from me! St. Simon would have one as well as Guerin and probably Heritage Christian.

I'm on the southside. Close to the city. If Krogers participates that would certainly make it worth my while to investigate this further. We do most of our shopping and gassing up at Kroger.

I just checked and Kroger does participate with $10 GC for 3% and 4% for $20 and up.

So you'd get 1.5 or 2% back.

St. Barnabas, Our Lady of Greenwood, St. Jude, Roncolli, Nativity, St. Roch, should all have programs.

 

[delmar411]

Then you aren't far from me! St. Simon would have one as well as Guerin and probably Heritage Christian.



I just checked and Kroger does participate with $10 GC for 3% and 4% for $20 and up.

So you'd get 1.5 or 2% back.

St. Barnabas, Our Lady of Greenwood, St. Jude, Roncolli, Nativity, St. Roch, should all have programs.

oh I'm right by St Jude! I'll have to ask them on Monday. My kids don't go there but hopefully they have a program w/ just the church.

Thanks!!

 

[Figment's Girl]

They should, I'm sure they would take any money for the fundraiser that they can.

 

[mrsklamc]

So if it says on that website 18%, you get 9% and so does the school?

 

[Figment's Girl]

So if it says on that website 18%, you get 9% and so does the school?

Yep! Around Christmas, I'll write up a list of presents for people and where I'm getting them so I can buy the cards to use as payment otherwise I'm never able to take advantage of some of the stores.

 

[jennz]

DDs cheer gym uses scrips as a fundraiser and it's great! We don't get check, but 75% of our savings goes as a credit against her fees. One of the parents there gets about $2,000/year in scrips money - that's a lot!

Watch for specials too. Also things like speedway is 4%, but the speedway foodcourt card is 17%. Land's End is a huge saver too!

I just got that Disney debit card - love it! We did get the $25 credit you mentioned.

 

[Promomx2]

Question about the Disney debit card, do you have to have a chase checking account to get the debit card or can you use your regular checking account?

 

[klj27]

Three local schools (My kids grade school, their preschool and a local Catholic high school) had looked into splitting the rewards with the parents and were told we couldn't. The high school had actually started the program and had to quit it suddenly. It had to do with the schools losing their tax exempt status because they were fundraising for profit. The lawyers also said the parents would have to pay taxes on the income portion of the fundraising dollars. I would love to know how your school made this happen because I would fundraise a ton more if I could see the immediate rewards off of my tuition.

 

[delmar411]

Question about the Disney debit card, do you have to have a chase checking account to get the debit card or can you use your regular checking account?

You have to have a Chase acct. It's a Chase card.

 

[IndianaPrincess]

oh I'm right by St Jude! I'll have to ask them on Monday. My kids don't go there but hopefully they have a program w/ just the church.

Thanks!!

I'm on the southside too. St Mark has it, but the school keeps all the money. Honestly I have heard of a lot of Catholic schools that put money towards the tuition bill, but I don't know of any that just give you the money. OP - Please give us the name of your school!

 

[ajjollie23]

my son also goes to Catholic School in NJ and they have a Scrip Program as well

 

[princesspaige]

St. Barnabas, Our Lady of Greenwood, St. Jude, Roncolli, Nativity, St. Roch, should all have programs.

I think St Roch is ending their program at the end of the school year, once they sell the inventory they have on hand, they are done. I think I saw it in the bulletien a few Sunday's ago

 

[NotUrsula]

Our PTO keeps track and at the end of the school year they cut us a check.

Lucky you. Ours keeps track and cuts the school a check. In our school's case participation is required; we have to buy a minimum of $2K per family per year, or pay a $100 cash buyout instead.

 

[Figment's Girl]

I'm on the southside too. St Mark has it, but the school keeps all the money. Honestly I have heard of a lot of Catholic schools that put money towards the tuition bill, but I don't know of any that just give you the money. OP - Please give us the name of your school!

They used to take the credit off tuition but I guess there was a problem with organizing it. So now they just issue a check at the end of school year.

Our school is Holy Spirit.

 

[Figment's Girl]

Three local schools (My kids grade school, their preschool and a local Catholic high school) had looked into splitting the rewards with the parents and were told we couldn't. The high school had actually started the program and had to quit it suddenly. It had to do with the schools losing their tax exempt status because they were fundraising for profit. The lawyers also said the parents would have to pay taxes on the income portion of the fundraising dollars. I would love to know how your school made this happen because I would fundraise a ton more if I could see the immediate rewards off of my tuition.

I have no idea, but I know of several churches in the area that do it as well.