Submitting box tops for education? Have I been missing out on something for 65 years?

Have you not heard of the program? For about 20 years if not longer, certain General Mill products (like cereal and Totinos) and other partner products (like ZipLock) have had these little coupons on the packages, to be cut off and turned into the school of your choice. The school then sends them in and receives 10 cents cash for each clip/coupon. Some schools would get a thousand dollars or more every year.

I have a baggie full of the Boxtops. I kept on clipping after the kids were out of elementary school. I meant to drop them off at the grade school (they donate them to a school in the next town which needs them more) but still, there they sit in the junk drawer. BTW, I'm over 60. I can get used to new things (glide-typing on my new phone!), but I don't like changing things I've done for years. I had trouble with that when I was 40, for that matter.

I know this wasn't the reason for your post, but thank you for making me aware that the clipped coupons are no longer valid. I've been collecting them from my cereal boxes for years for a friend's children. I guess I'll stop now as I don't want to fool with scanning receipts, etc., not because of my age, just because it's not that important to me.

Bpath Oh Sophie, the Boxtops do expire, so get your saved ones to someone who can use them.

They have given you an excuse because they do not want to do it. It is time to accept that this is not something they want to do. Has nothing to do with their age it is simply a way to tell you "Do not ask again".

A couple of years ago I was getting rid of old boxes and cans and thought this would be nice to do. Finding the school information to find a coordinator was not something that I wanted to do.

Unfortunately Nicole it's not a freebie for all Medicare plans. More often on the Advantage plans which I didn't want. Mine does provide a discount on certain gyms. I need to find out which ones and how much.

It has nothing to do with box tops, but my mother in law (in her mid 70’s) refuses to touch a computer or smart phone. If my daughter doesn’t answer the phone, she calls me to text my daughter to call her back. Lots of wishlists are online. My father in law (couple of years older) has to take care of that and bills that have to be paid online. She has relatives in Europe, it would be so much easier for her to keep in contact with them through email instead of snail mail. Or Facebook. Drives me nuts. I am always amazed with the older folks here at the KT.

How many box top codes would someone over 60 have each year?

I quit when my DGD finished grade school many years ago. She is now 19. I didn’t go crazy with it then. But Publix has a program where you can link your purchase to any local school and a percentage goes to that school. They used to keep a tally board of the schools and how much each school had received thru the year.

I don't buy things, that have the "box tops" on them.. Well, maybe one or two a year or so.

I guess it must surprise some younger people that older people actually purchase food.

It isn't always just a matter of age. My MIL when she was in her early 60s, had an accident where her car was totaled. It was an older car and it had too much damage vs. its worth. We had to search for a similarly aged car of the same brand and model (Olds Cutlass) because she knew where all the dials and gas cap release was and was unwilling or unable to learn something new. She never was able to get the hang of using a cell phone.

Even more recently, my daughter's MIL who is a contemporary of mine...both of us well over 60, has been unable to learn how to use an iPad. On the other hand, I love new toys.

But some of us don't buy the over processed junk foods that come with those coupons. How about never?

We go through a box of high fiber cereal every week because that's what we eat for breakfast. Fifty-two boxtops equals a whopping $5.20 for the classroom. I didn't mind clipping and collecting the coupons, but I'm not taking the time to scan sales receipts which usually are thrown away on my way out of the store.

Rhino, I haven’t collected them for a while, but I do remember ziplock bags, trash bags and some tissue paper having box tops. Most of ours came from the Nature Valley cereal bars though. My husband likes these.

So I should tell dh to toss his coupons? Not playing the app game.

My mother was reluctant and slow to use any new technology- back in the 90s she refused to have a go at setting up her new video recorder/player, preferring to "wait until [stepdad] comes home", which would be nearly a year as he worked overseas and had only just gone back from his annual holidays. We ended up travelling two hours there and two hours home to do it for her.

My MIL, on the other hand, who is the same age, has her own smart phone and iPad and PC, and merrily uses them all to do ancestry research, send and receive messages and photos, the whole schmear. And she'll be 90 in October.

Andie, the boxtops are being phased out which I think means that you can still submit any that you have on hand.

If you want to support education, write a check to your local PTA or school foundation.

Spending hours to accumulate little more than pocket change isn't and never was worth anyone's time.

I'm the same way with my old car - and with cell phones. I've used the old type cell phones before but not the new ones with a flat screen (I've had 2 that didn't work for me). could be my hand - I have 3 trigger fingers on that hand. I'm also not in for lots of change anymore. I've done that all of my life and don't want to do a lot of change anymore.

Don't even get me started on the new cars! My husband's new 2019 car drives up nuts...it's such a bossy thing! HAHA! It beeps when there is anything out of the ordinary. No keys, so if you get out of the car while it's running and you have the key fab in your pocket, it throws a hissy fit. HA! Don't dare try to lock the car if the extra fab is in my purse, in the trunk, it will not let your lock it with the button on the door handle. Took us a good hour to realize why the door button wouldn't lock the car and only beeped at us...HA!

They weren’t just on food items, they were on ziplock bag boxes and things like that at one time. I don’t know about now. I think for many it’s probably just an excuse not to participate.

I agree with Elmer, if you want to donate to a school, there are other ways to make it a one-and-done kind of thing or periodically give the teacher a gift card for badly needed supplies. Several retired teachers here set up a ‘closet’ (a fairly large building) for teachers to be able to come and pick out supplies for their classroom. They are limited to an initial amount at the beginning of the year of course, but can return through the year to replenish. Donations are made to fund this effort.

It’s a shame that low income schools won’t have much participation now. My kids are well beyond school and Box Tops but I would save them for someone who could use them. I’m not going to bother with the new system. Not because of my age ( I use all sorts of grocery savings apps on my phone and easily have $1500 combined on them). It’s just not worth the effort for Box Tops for me. You are right though-some people just refuse to learn new things.

I don't own a cell phone, I never felt the need for one and still don't. But, with all these apps there will come a time, and perhaps that situation already exists, that if I don't have one there will be situations that I will be shut out of and that I object to.

And the phrase - I'm too old for that - if I use it it's because I really want to say "How effing stupid is that"

" some people just refuse to learn new things "

It's true. It's an attitude I'll never understand.

Using some version of that thought as an excuse to not do something is kinda lame and doesn't convey a sense of ones-self most people would want others to have.

To be fair, for some it's not a choice, some people's brains just seem to 'harden up' and they simply are not capable of adapting to new things.

How many of us don't care very much for the latest in popular music, but prefer the music we grew up with?

My poor mom, never comfortable with technology, now that she's in her late 80s and on meds that slow her thinking, has a horrible time dealing with all the technology of today. No matter how many times someone tries to show her, no matter how many different people do it, it just doesn't stick anymore - at all. Her vision and hearing are failing and that's also a contributor, I think.

So many people much younger than that are on meds these days, I wonder whether that's a factor as well?

I'm almost 60, but I enjoy learning how to use new tech. I know I have my son to thank, who taught and encouraged me early on not to fear screwing up, and to just experiment with the computer. My dad was a tech lover from way back (pre home computer days) too, and taught me to appreciate new technology. I'm also not on any medications, thankfully.

I don't get the "I am too old to learn ---------" excuse. I am 57 and enjoy new technology.

As for school funding, considering that we have to pay close to $200 per month in school taxes for our modest house and property, definitely not going to scan receipts nor donate additional funds.

Just to clarify -- I was not asking anyone to do this, and in fact no one was soliciting or asking -- it was a discussion among people who have been active and who said that they are disappointed with the change. No one needed to make any excuses for not wanting to; they joined the discussion because they say they do want to but are unable to scan because they are over 60!

I didn't mean this as a discussion of the value or validity of the program itself.

I am not thrilled with this change either. I don't want to send my receipts to another corporation, although I am fully aware that the information is already being collected by the store itself. However, the school that I donate them to - not one of your "wealthier" districts - had been benefitting to the tune of $2000-3000 per year -- the PSO used that money for enrichment activities. They didn't view it as "pocket change" and consider every source of added funds to be valid and worthwhile. If they didn't, they wouldn't be asking people to take the time (which amounts to a few seconds per, really!)

Those of you who do save them, you can continue to send them to the school until they expire. They will gradually disappear completely from the packages.

"I don't get the "I am too old to learn ---------" excuse. I am 57 and enjoy new technology."

and pray you never get to that point in life, but some people have disabilities and some are on meds that change things for them. hopefully you'll never get to that place.

Some people never stop being curious about the world around them nor do they lose the desire to learn new things. I believe this is one trait that keeps people young in heart and mind as they grow older.

Others just seem to give up as they get older. Fear of change/new things hold some back. Then there are those who feel new fangled things/technology are too difficult for them to learn as though they are not capable. Still others just lose interest in many things including activities they enjoyed at one time.

For some it's related to the decline of their health and/or mental abilities. It's as if when they start to slow down, the world starts to speed up and they find it overwhelming so they simply stop participating.

I observed this behavior in my MIL. She went from someone who had been fearless and full of adventurous spirit to someone who was afraid of her tv remote. As she aged, her world started to shrink and as her world shrank, her interest in it shrank as well. MIL would have freaked at the mere suggestion of scanning a box top.

Another person I know who well into her 80's and is one of the most youthful (attitude wise) people I know. Curious about many things, she is excited to try new things, loves to bake, travel, go on outings with her friends and to spend time with her extended family. I have no doubt she'd easily figure out how to scan box tops.

It is my hope, that as I get older, I will be more like my 80+ year old friend rather than the fearful person MIL became.

Desertsteph, the op posted about ladies whose only reason for not learning how to do something new is being older, not illness or disability. That is what I don't understand.

If you have the app (why not?) it’s easy to scan (a click photo on your phone) for Your school to get credit. Actually much easier then collecting Box tops and sending them in.

Perhaps the lady chooses not to or lacks interest in the particular item. I think the phrase is rather dismissive but it can end a potential discussion.

Again, no one was being insistent, or even talking about whether anyone should or shouldn't. No one was arguing. The persons had joined the discussion of the pros and cons of the new process of their own free will, and after the first person said " I shouldn't be expected to do this because I am over 60" several others chimed in with similar statements. I would have thought if there was disability involved, or inability to process, the people would have just said "I can't do it" instead of "can't because I am over 60".

It is that "because I'm over 60" that I don't get.

Pretty much everyone I know has a Smartphone (but me) and they are all older than I am...60s and 70s. Sounds like they've made the box tops things a total PITA if you ask me. Why all the rigamarole to do it? With the Smartphone app idea, it SHOULD make it simpler as everything else is with a Smartphone...not more complicated. That's why everyone uses the Smartphone these days, because it's so simple even a little child can use it, unlike the computers of old.

I've discovered over the years that "Gaul is divided in two (not three) parts": those that like technology and find it useful to adopt and those who find it overwhelming and prefer to stick to the way they've always done things. The two will rarely meet or change.

As DawninCal said, people age in different ways. For me, the "spirit is willing but the body is weak". I'm still very curious and always want to be learning something new. I'm just seriously limited in my ability to get out a lot or about easily. That's probably why a love tech - it's my "access to the world" and allows me to shop and do things I could physically need do.

I'll be 76 in about 5-6 weeks and I'm now trying to figure out a way to get an Echo (Alexa) to turn my oxygen concentrators on/off. The company who makes them is being ZERO help, so I may just go buy a one and a few Smart Plugs and have my SIL help me set them up and see if they work. Hopefully, they won't fry my concentrators or void my warranty!!

Assuming that a (lowly) male (90.5+) can participate in this discdiscussion?

You've heard me suggest that "It"s a poor day in which one doesn't learn something!".

That said I got one o' them fancy little boxes with a lighted screen on the front and a few buttons to push, to make phone calls, and found that one has to drag one's finger across the screen to get some results - sometimes - and from side, or top, or bottombottom, to get other things to happen, and sometimes the machine changes words, or reduplicates. And lately the last few letters/word disappears if I try to move he cursor rlsrwherr ... unless I hit "space" - or "next line" fifirst.

Enough to make the person with the finger, into a "cursor", at times! Had to retype the "a" before "cu"cursor" three times, then do a "sp"space" and a "ba"backspace" to get it to stick! (And forgot to "space" after "backspace" - so lost it)!

AND ... my memory being what it is ... ya gotta show me how to do eaeach action from three ... to about half a dozen times to get it toto stick.

Wouldn't ya love being my son ... and friends?

Did someone say something about "coupons" (of which I've seen none) now being available via apps ... to help fund education?

ole koyfuelled ... fingers not "pointy" enough

about ladies whose only reason for not learning how to do something new is being older, not illness or disability.

well, if they're saying that because their age changed to a particular # - that's too bad. my friend who is the same age I am is still very active - watches her little gd, travels, did my taxes the other yr (she's an accountant and was a tax auditory when she retired). There's lots of things I used to do that I can't anymore. I still try to do what I can. I'm still up to being under the hood of the car when my nephew works on it - but I can't even change my own filter anymore - my fingers won't work correctly and my hand shakes too much. I can't run around to different stores like I used to. I do think people should just keep on doing as much as they can (while they can). I wish I could. I was deep into computers from '82 until recent yrs, but that changed too. not in using them, but in keeping up with all of the changes they keep making. I can't keep up with it anymore. and I hate Win 10! I liked it better when I understood their workings, when things went wrong it was a lot easier to fix it or find a fix for it. I hate limiting myself, but if I don't I'll really pay for it physically.

I actually worked (many decades ago) for Safeway processing their point system for schools here. I loved doing that and the people there.

"I'm too old to do this" is a just variation of "My husband doesn't allow me."

FWIW, don't overlook 'herd mentality' as a possible explanation for multiple people repeating the same lame idea. It's a human trait to want to go along with others. Some folks are kind of lazy - even when it comes to thinking or expressing themselves. IMO, it might just be a case of 'me too' chiming in w/o a lot of thought behind it.

"I'm too old for this 'nonsense'." is also a cliche that I'm sure we've all used at one time or another - maybe with a different word than nonsense?

I generally don't buy anything with the Boxtops offers on them, but in the past, when I had a bunch, I simply brought them to the main office of a local elementary school. They had a basket on the counter to collect them.

Sometimes new tech "solutions" are supposed to make things simpler/easier, but they most certainly don't. Perhaps if enough people contacted the companies to voice their frustration/displeasure, it might change for the better?

It is pretty easy to send an email to a company these days. I tend to get answers and results when I do.

I like to think "I'm too old for this" really means "I no longer want to spend my time doing this."

I know myself well enough that I could easily become DawnInCal's MIL. My nature is not good with change, but I'm learning to take it on because I don't want my world to shrink as I get older. Technology is part of this.

Saying that, I see the boxtop collection as I do clipping coupons... the ROI just isn't there. But I'm fortunate that I can afford to think this way.

" "I'm too old to do this" is a just variation of "My husband doesn't allow me." "

" is also a cliche that I'm sure we've all used at one time or another - maybe with a different word than nonsense? "

No, we don't "all use this" one time or another. I think there are people who are simply accustomed to fibbing (or worse) as a normal matter when they interact with others. And people who don't.

If you want friends and others to have a consistently good impression of you, it helps to speak truthfully. When you do, there's no ambiguity about your thoughts or misdirection that will come up.

This may be an illustration of there being no age limit on finding life challenges very frustrating -- and Having A Tantrum About It.

Bluster may be 'cover': I'm embarrassed that I don't know how to do this -- or can't seem to master it.