Anyone Ever Try the "Box Tops"

Updated on August 02, 2011
K.S. asks from Huntington Beach, CA
21 answers

So I found out that the school that my daughter will go to participates in this. Anyone ever participate? Is it really as easy as it seems? Does it really raise a significant amount of money or will all my work amount to a few dollars? Just wondering if it's worth the time.

THANKS!

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So What Happened?

YOU WOMEN ARE AWESOME! Thank you, I just noticed that they're on just about everything in my cupboard and when I finally checked online, I saw our school. It's very small, maybe 100 kids so all the money we raise helps. THANK YOU!!!

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S.K.

answers from Dallas on

Definitely!!!! There are lots of products that put bonus box tops on them esp. now so watch for those.
We have lots of people collecting them for us. Even the ladies in my mom's bridge group. :)

3 moms found this helpful
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M.R.

answers from Milwaukee on

I keep a container right on the counter and throw them in there when ever i get one. So easy. I have been doing this for years. It shows the child how to help out their school and that they and you are participating in helping earn things.

2 moms found this helpful

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L.R.

answers from Washington DC on

It has raised some good money for both the schools my daughter has attended. Not sure how much but I think it was a couple of thousand in each case. It's really no work -- you just cut off the tiny rectangle and stick in into a bag wherever you'll remember it. I do not go out of my way to buy brands especially because they have Box Tops, though. Some brands I use regularly anyway have Box Tops and that's great but I don't purchase things I don't really want just to get 10-cent donations for the school. Still I end up with a few dozen. The big secret I hear is to get the grandparents and aunts and uncles to participate and give all their Box Tops to your child!

7 moms found this helpful

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

our school participates in it - I think we've gotten some new computers and newer technology...i think it works.

4 moms found this helpful
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D.P.

answers from Pittsburgh on

Every box top earns .10. It's worth it if everyone does it!

Look at the PTO minutes from last year--there should be a total reported for Box Tops for the year.

ETA* If you go to www.boxtops4education.com and register, you can see what your school has earned in the past. Our elem school has earned roughly $24000 in the last 9 school years (total) so that's about $2600 per year. Not too shabby. The biggest complaint I've ever heard is that they are mostly on processed or junk food....

4 moms found this helpful
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K.M.

answers from Kansas City on

I am also a Box Tops lady for my kiddo's school, and have been doing it for years. We have raised literally thousands of dollars over the years doing this.

It is really that simple and very much worth the time. All you do is count them into sets of 50 and send them in to your coordinator at your daughter's school. The school will get a check twice a year. Cold, hard cash. No catalogs, no gimmicks!

If you get on their website, you and your daughter can find cute ideas to make a collection container for your house.

4 moms found this helpful

V.W.

answers from Jacksonville on

I was the "Box Tops Lady" (the school's designated coordinator) when my kids were in private school. I did this for about 4 years. YES. It costs NOTHING to do (just collect the little coupon emblem thingees and send them in) and your school gets cash money for them. In the small private school that I was at (less than 200 students in all), we earned over $800 in one year.

Just be mindful of expiration dates on them. If you cut that off on accident, then you cannot submit it.
Enjoy!

3 moms found this helpful

N.B.

answers from Minneapolis on

I have always clipped them. When my daughter was in elem school, they always did little "rush" contests for prizes like school pride shirts, hankies, pencils and the like a few times a year.

Once she got to the older grades it wasn't stressed so much and now in her still public, but unusual Art School, they do not do it all. I still clip them and save. I give them to my young Great Nieces when I see them every so often.

They are on goofy things sometimes too. Sometimes we get a code for like 50 or even 500 on a grocery reciept coupon thing. Those I do online (I registered with the Great Nieces school, so the points still go there). My panti liners have them on there! Hubbys "nut CLuster" granola snacks he eats for a grab and go breakfast every single day have them on there (we order from Amazon now as our regular stores no longer carry the product...plus its cheaper, they deliver at regular increments..and hubby just needs to tear off the top strip and tosses them in the glove box for me to gather at some point!)

Cake mixes, muffin mixes, etc. Many things have it on there. I don't use quite as many of the food products as I use to, but I do save what I come across. I have scissors or hidden razor blades in the kitchen...so I zip them off...and have a baggie taped inside a cabinet out of the way. When its full, and I kow I will be seeing the family, I just put a new one up and stash the full one in my purse!

When my daughter was little, all of my family with no kids did a good job saving them for us too!

2 moms found this helpful

J.G.

answers from San Antonio on

I used to even have a credit card where my purchases acted like Box Tops for my school I was teaching at at the time. I STILL cut out box tops (eventhought I'm not teaching, nor is my kiddo in school). I'm just waiting to find someone to give them to. I just can't throw them away! I find them most on Ziplock brand bags and Pillsbury Toaster Strudels. But yes, they are on a lot of other products too.

2 moms found this helpful
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M.M.

answers from Washington DC on

Are you the box top mom?
It usually is the same mom who does Campbell's soup labels. THere is organizing and checking each box top to be sure they have the current date and also clipping them and getting them to General Mills on time.
Otherwise it's pretty easy and I wish Homeschool Co-Ops could participate.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.W.

answers from Philadelphia on

YES!!!!! Have family/friends save too... Our Home & School raised over $3000.00 last year. Well worth having a couple parents collect them and count. You can set up little competitions rewarding the class that collects the most...give that class water ice, pretzels, etc.

2 moms found this helpful
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S.!.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have an old coffee can that I keep under my cabinets. I just throw them in there and once the can gets full I send them to my friends house for her dd to turn in. Since my son is starting school this year I will now ship them off with him for his school.

2 moms found this helpful
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J.F.

answers from Tallahassee on

I've been saving Box Tops for quite some time. My daughter starts kindergarten in a few weeks and we will be turning them in as soon as we get all of the details about how the program works. I always trim mine neatly so they won't have to worry about that. I just went through a couple months ago and counted them all and tossed out the expired ones and we had close to 275 at that time.

2 moms found this helpful

J.S.

answers from Chicago on

Our Home & School Org collects them from the schools. Kids bring them in and put them in a special box. We get thousands of dollars for the schools because everyone does it. The money goes to different things. Sometimes it goes for supplies, other times it's enough for a field trip. Who says no to extra money?

Like another mom said, we, personally, don't buy things to get the box top, but we do clip and send in whenever we get them.

It is worth it!

2 moms found this helpful
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J.B.

answers from Atlanta on

It doesn't get much easier! Rip the box tops label off the participating products you use and send them with her to turn in. Most teachers in the early grades help collect them or there will be a big drop box in the front office. You can also go to their website and access popular online shopping sites through box tops and get a percentage of your order donated to the school. With the lack of funding for so many extras in our schools, every little bit counts!!

2 moms found this helpful
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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

I save them and I have a couple of co-workers and family that saves them and gives them to me. Not sure how much they raise but every little bit helps.

1 mom found this helpful
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R.J.

answers from Salt Lake City on

our schools have been doing this for years, yes it really does help all you have to do is cut the box top label off the boxes they are on everything I swear. We send a plastic baggie with what he have gathered every month or so. easy peasy

1 mom found this helpful
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J.L.

answers from Chicago on

Yep been doing it...My daughter will have a nice collection to add to her first grade class in a few weeks :)

1 mom found this helpful
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S.B.

answers from Dallas on

10 box tops will equal $1.00. I don't know if they send a check to the school or allow them to order "something" from a special catalog. Someone needs to trim them up, count them and send them in. If everyone in the school is saving them and turning them in then it can amount to some extra funds for the school which is great. Also, it lets more parents participate without having to write a check to the school. If that is not your thing to buy things with the box tops or too time invasive to remember to save them, then just write a check as a donation or get your child's teacher a gift card to a school supply store. If your school district has an education foundation, consider a donation to help support all the special activites and materials that are not supported by tax dollars.

1 mom found this helpful

L.A.

answers from Austin on

Yes, Our daughters elementary collects them and has since the beginning.. It is super easy and they add up to $1000's of each year.. Our daughter is now in college and I still save them and send them to that elementary school, so do the other parents that sent their kids there..

I only purchase the products we really use.. It is a great and easy way to get money..

I also suggest you volunteer to sort or bundle them.. It is fun getting to know the other parents while all working towards a goal.. We used to sit in the work room once a month and work on them..

1 mom found this helpful

L.P.

answers from Tyler on

When I was PTA President at my youngest dgtrs school, we started a BoxTop Collection contest for the classes, at Valentines Day, the classes were given "coupons" based on the number of boxtops they had turned in and used the coupons to shop in a valentines store we set up in a classroom. The kids LOVED it! They were able to "purchase" gifts, it didn't cost the parents a cent and with the earnings from the boxtops it was virtually a no cost event for the PTA. If your kids school already a program set up, there is no reason at all not to participate. You can go to the BoxTop website and see exactly how much your school has redeemed, it can really add up!

1 mom found this helpful
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