3 Overlooked Ways to Budget with Gift Cards
The best way to raise money with the FundScrip gift card fundraising program is to change your behaviour to use gift cards instead of other payment methods. To do this effectively you have to plan your purchases in advance. Although it takes a little work up front, the benefits go well beyond raising funds, they also help you save money by forcing you to stick to your budget.
It’s easy enough to set up a recurring order for your daily necessities like groceries and gas or purchasing a reloadable grocery gift card that you can reload on the go when you need it. But there are other, often overlooked, ways to budget with gift cards that will help you raise even more money for your group or cause.
1. Home Improvement Projects
If you’re aiming to do a large home improvement project this summer, make sure you purchase gift cards from one of the many different home improvement retailers in the FundScrip list of participating retailers (Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Home Hardware, RONA, Kent, Réno-Dépôt). Home improvement projects are something you’ll be planning and budgeting in advance anyways, may as well raise money while making your purchases.
If you’re in the market for a new backyard pool, don’t forget that you can save by purchasing Club Piscine gift cards for your pool or backyard furniture and accessories.
2. Off-Season Big-Ticket Items
Many of the more expensive items are seasonal. Whether it’s an expensive winter jacket, a prom dress, a barbecue, or a snowblower, you can save big by purchasing the item during the off-season.
For example, right now would be a great time to buy a costly winter coat, because they’re out of season and are on sale. Make your off-season purchases with gift cards to save even more on these pricey items. It just takes a little bit of advance organization of your budget.
3. Travel Costs
No single line item in a budget, other than the ongoing cost of necessities, is more costly than travel expenses. Yet most people are simply content to sign away their travel budgeting destiny to a handful of travel websites. Whether it’s a summer road trip, or a tropical getaway, if you want to really save money, make plans to stay at one of the FundScrip participating hotel retailers (Best Western, Fairmont) or take advantage of one of the amazing experiences from Life Experiences. It’s always better to travel and save at the same time!