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Monday, August 16, 2010

an open letter to... well, whoever's in charge of the Box Tops...

Dear Guy that is in charge of the box tops on my cereal boxes.

I love your program.  I really do.  After my stint in PTA I'm sold on this - we got a hefty check each year that really helped out the school. I have a tendency to buy something with a box top on it and mentally subtract ten cents from the price knowing that I would happily donate a dime here and there to my kids' school.

Recently you have added "bonus" box tops to cereal... this is wonderful for me - not only can I mentally subtract 30 cents and feel good about donating, I am able to get MORE bonus box tops from the register coupons as well as another $2 off coupon. Using this coupon I'm only paying $1.30 for the cereal... which if I don't count my thirty cent donation it makes it just a dollar!)

My kids eat a LOT of your cereal - and will continue to do so if today's reaction to oatmeal is typical (and it is).

Might I suggest though that the term "box tops" be taken literally and the box tops actually be placed on the TOP of the boxes.  The effort of taking out a pair of scissors and performing minor surgery on each cardboard box to remove the box tops just isn't worth it to ManOfTheHouse - and although I have finally trained him to leave the empty boxes out so that I can perform this task later... it would certainly be easier (and make a lot more sense given the name Box TOPS) if they were more accessible.

Thank you.



Images from Google - and yes, I COULD have photographed my OWN box tops... let's call it a conservation effort... I'm recycling someone else's image rather than adding to the clutter of the world wide web!

17 comments:

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Amen to the TOP of the box. Sheesh!

I save these up and give them to my DIL.

Alexandra said...

Box Top shenanigans. They have me brainwashed , I just about jumped out of my chair to retrieve the scissors to cut the one out you have posted here.

Nutty Hamster Chick said...

Kristina how nice to be blissfully unaware of the box top drama. I have mixed emotions about the darn things, but I suppose bottom line it is a good idea.

CB said...

YES YES YES - That is a big pet peeve. Who should have to keep an exacto knife in the drawer with their spatula's?
I hope the guy/girl who is in charge of box tops reads your blog ;-D

Krista said...

Bless you. Why didn't I think of that? Maybe we should send the whole darned box in. And they could recycle at the same time.

Barbaloot said...

Way to butter him up before you make a request. That's the way to do it.

Megz said...

What about the ones on the refrigerated Pillsbury roll containers? Those curly, tinfoil covers are big fat pains to clip.

Jen T said...

Amen!

Sandra said...

I admit, I just throw the box out...most of the time I can't find my scissors anyway...

Saimi said...

I've been so brainwashed by the whole save the label thing that I feel guilty for not clipping the Campbell soup labels let alone box bottom tops!

LC said...

I agree. Sometimes I just throw the whole box away because my time isn't worth the 5 minutes it will take to find some scissors and perform the surgery.
How about perforated borders so you can just POP them out??

Holly said...

There were 2 on every box of Gogurts when we gave them out at TREK!! OMG!! You know how HARD it was not having time to get hose and having to THROW them all away??? GAH!!! If they'd have been on the flap instead of the BACK, I could have probably torn the flap and stashed them somewhere!! GREAT POST!! I mean... letter to guy in charge of Box Tops! BONUS POINTS for YOU!! ;D

S said...

So true, so true. Maybe we can take a poll and send it to them. I think if they read your letter it would take of it. You just have a way with words. Husband completely agrees with MathOfTheHouse!

Homer and Queen said...

YOu are too good...I just save them and then eventually throw them away because I don't have time to cut them up.

Heather B said...

Total agreement here. I've noticed that trend of shifting the "box tops" to the box sides, fronts or wherever, and wondered if I was the only annoyed parent out there! Fingers crossed for change!! Box toppers unite!!

Teachinfourth said...

Our school has the Box Top competition each year…my class was thoroughly whipped when it came to a few of those 2nd grade classes. I think they must have a secret supplier...

Holly said...

I think it was their ploy so people would think "OH, Box TOPS... I'll get that one..." and make it more difficult so less people would actually take the time to cut them out and turn them in. Therefore, less PAYOUT for THEM. MMMmHmmm... What do you think? Strategy maybe??