Utilize Box Tops for Education™ as an Incentive for Chores #BTFE
Previously, I outlined the ways your grocery purchases can aid local schools through Box Tops for Education™.
What Exactly is Box Tops for Education™?
Box Tops for Education™ is a prominent school fundraising program in the United States. With over 80,000 K-8 institutions involved, parents can contribute by simply clipping, saving, and submitting Box Tops™ labels, which have collectively generated more than $525 million for these schools since the program’s inception in 1996. Each label is worth $0.10, showcasing the significant impact of these small squares.
This is how it operates:
- Buy participating General Mills® products, which are easily identifiable. I often look for items featuring Bonus Box Tops™.
- Clip and collect the Box Tops™ labels from these products. I keep them organized in a plastic bag tucked away in my junk drawer.
- Submit the collected Box Tops™ labels to your child’s school by the designated deadlines, as they have certain cutoff dates.
- Your child’s school redeems them at $0.10 per label. For example, that 7 Bonus Box Tops™ certificate you submitted? That equates to $0.70!
- The school allocates the funds freely to enhance your child’s educational experience. At our school, they often fund multiple field trips for each classroom!
I can remember when my mother used to gather all of her Box Tops for Education™ in a container, and once it filled up, I would joyfully take them to school. I had little understanding of their significance back then—just that my teacher was always happy to receive them. Now that I have two children in elementary school, I appreciate the importance of these little cardboard labels for the school community.
Our school incentivizes students to bring in Box Tops for Education™ through classroom competitions, which really excites my kids as they wish to win. These friendly contests accumulate significant contributions for our school. The chart above displays our school’s earnings over the last five years. Just last year, we earned more than double our average, allowing the school to do extra special things for students, such as providing free yearbooks! This year, our goal is to reach $1,500, but I’m quietly hoping we can exceed last year’s total!
With both of my children eager to bring in Box Tops for Education™, I decided to create chore incentives at home.
Getting my kids to complete their chores regularly has been quite a challenge. I believe it’s essential for them to learn responsibility that matches their capabilities. They start with simple tasks like making their beds and tidying their space and eventually help in taking care of our family pet, learning to be considerate of others’ needs.
I began using a free downloadable chore chart I found on Living Well Spending Less. This can be printed weekly or laminated for repeated use. Next, I filled it with age-appropriate chores that I deemed important. Whenever they complete a significant chore throughout the week, particularly if it is a Bonus Box Top™ task—like walking the dog every day for a week—they earn a Bonus Box Top™ in addition to the regular Box Tops™ collected.
As the week progresses and I clip more Box Tops™, I enjoy adding them to the chart in various places. I was genuinely surprised by how many products I already owned that featured Box Tops™!
Now, I focus more actively on my shopping decisions. I love supporting our local PTA while purchasing necessities for my family. Thanks to the Walmart Bonus Box Tops™ on select General Mills® items, our weekly contributions to the school have nearly doubled!
Prefer to shop online? You can now earn eBox Tops at Walmart—another fantastic way to support your school.
This content was crafted by me in partnership with General Mills®. All opinions and text are my own.
