For 15+ years, we’ve been required (well, either that or buy out) to participate in Scrip programs through the kids’ schools.  The simple explanation for scrip is that companies sells gift certificates to schools at a reduced rate.  We then purchase the gift certificates for full face value and the school gets the difference.  As an incentive, each school sets a mandatory scrip amount we have to raise each year and anything above and beyond that amount is split between the school and us.  It’s doesn’t cost us anything to participate… you just have to do some planning ahead of time to be sure you have the right scrip with you when you shop or eat out.  We also use it quite often for gifts… which is a little bit easier to organize.

Today is the official last day of the fiscal school year for the scrip program at CCHS.  This was my last opportunity to purchase scrip to receive credit for this school year.  Steel ordered his tux for prom yesterday and they were kind enough to waive the deposit and encouraged him to purchase scrip for the balance so I stopped in on my way to work to buy the scrip for the tux.  (An $8 profit from that single purchase.)  These ladies have worked with the scrip program at CCHS.  I will miss our visits (although they are brief and infrequent) but I will not miss feeling guilty whenever I’m making a purchase and realize that I could have used scrip.  I’ll still stop in and see these ladies once in a while.  I still think it’s the most convenient way to shop for gifts.  Now… someone else will get the credit.