We have decided to stick with Box Tops only. Since I am the one that runs the program it was an easy decission. I thought I was better able to push One with constant reminders than spread it too thin. It seems to pay the most with the most versitility. I know some pay more but it isn't as widley used. We have had good luck with it and since my youngest is in 1st we still have a ways to collect (the kids know me as the Box Top Lady)

Laura
www.westayhome.com

Hi Mom -

Long-time posters here have heard this before, but I really, really disagree with that last sentence of yours that "ANYTHING that you receive dollars for is worth it in my opinion.".

Every group is different, so the analysis is certainly different for each group.

But -- crazy example -- if you got $1 per bumper for collecting the bumpers off of old Fords and sending them in, would you do it? Obviously not -- it would be too much work, too much postage, you wouldn't get enough bumpers, and you wouldn't make enough money. You'd be crazy to participate in that program.

So there's some line.

My big point is that the "free" programs aren't free.

What do they cost?

1. Labor. There's some work involved. If you have a willing volunteer and/or your group is blessed with lots of help, then this one may be fine for you. I personally think that volunteers -- just think of how much time we spend worrying about finding more help! -- are too valauble to be counting/trimming/tying/mailing labels at a penny apiece.

2. Actual costs. Postage. Paper for all the photocopying you do for the program. Etc. Needs to be measured against revenue.

3. Reward. How much are you really getting? Average Campbell's group makes a fairly small amount. Average BoxTops group makes a lot more. Tyson? Not sure. How much did you make? This has to be relevant. When looking at the other three factors -- they have to be measured against this one.

4. This is the one that is often discounted -- attention. For most groups, this is at a premium. Do the parents at your school carefully read all your notices home and do all you ask them to do? No, right? Well, if you're flooding them with collect this, save that, clip this, "don't forget that tomato soup counts, too", etc. -- then is it any wonder that they stop reading your notes home carefully. It's a boy who cried wolf issue. We want parents to get involved, to get truly engaged at school, and then we peck at them all year long with, what?, a dozen (two dozen maybe?) messages about a program through which our group earns $30.

OK, I'll stop....

As I said, I think there are groups for whom most if not all of these programs are a great fit. But I also know there are groups (nearly all) where the worst of these programs are a bad fit and can actually hurt your greater efforts to build involvement and build community.

My $0.02.

Tim

yes Tyson is worth it because you receive .24 cents per ticket turned in. ...the only problem is that it is relatively new and there are few products with their labels on them but now that word has spread, we collect enough to send in the same two times a year that we send in Campbells and Box Tops . ...ANYTHING that you receive $$$ for is worth it in my opinion.

Our school has done the Tyson A+. Yes, you have to have at least 100 to turn in. After collecting them for 2 years...yes...YEARS...we finally got enough to make it worth the postage to send them in. Our school received $100 and I used a one-rate postage box to mail them out. So far this school year we have received about 50 labels. I think if we advertised it more, it may help. It is still FREE money for the school.

In our area, Tyson Project A+ is also included in their chicken & turkey deli lunchmeats. I personally turn in about 8 of those a month, and they are actually less expensive. Sorry, I don't know what we actually make from these, but every little bit helps!

Our school collects them but I think I may have received a total of 10 so far this year! There are just so many different brands of chicken that are cheaper and no one really thinks to cut the top of the bag or the box as easily as they do taking off a soup label or ripping off a boxtop. I may opt out of Tyson next year because, someone correct me if I'm wrong, you have to collect 100 before you can send in.