OCUUC's Scrip Program
Scrip for Home Improvement
Fix up your house for your Staycation
Scrip has many ways that you can support OCUUC while fixing up all those things around the house.
To order send a list of the items you would like to scrip@ocuuc.org
Special order items ordered by Sunday will arrive the following Sunday. We can even mail them to you. Just ask us!
What is scrip?
Have you ever used a gift card or gift certificate? Well, that's what scrip is. Racks of gift cards are showing up in grocery stores and other retailers because they are a good gift item. They are also available from the church and the church gets a large benefit from your decision to purchase them here. In addition, we will give you an attractive gift card wrapper at no charge! You can use scrip like cash to pay for purchases of all types, from groceries and gas to airline tickets and hotel bills. After you make the purchase, the balance remaining on the card or certificate is automatically tracked and printed on your receipt, so you don't have to remember what the remaining balance is. There is also a phone number on the back of most cards where you can check the balance at any time.
Once you get in the habit of using scrip you might find it more convenient than paying by cash, check or credit card. You simply scan the card at the checkout counter or gas pump and that's about it. Many scrip cards come in multiple denominations, depending on how much you buy from a particular vendor. For example, most gas cards come in $50, $100 and $250 denominations. People who do a lot of driving often find it more convenient to buy the larger denominations. Some people keep the cards in a separate place in their wallet or glove compartment so they are always available for spur of the moment purchase. We also have handy accordion type scrip wallets to separate different scrip categories, such as grocery, restaurant, gas, etc.
How does scrip help the Church?
OCUUC, as well as many other churches, schools and non-profits, is able to purchase the gift cards and certificates at discounts ranging from 2% to 25% of the face value. So you pay the church the face value and it's worth that much when you spend it. This gives the church additional revenue without costing you one extra dime. Income from scrip is used to help pay staff salaries and expand and improve programs, furthering the growth and stability of the church. Our annual budget contains an estimate of what we think our income from scrip will be for that year. We always hope that this will be an underestimate of income earned from scrip. In other words, we always want to exceed the budgetary estimate. How can this happen? By having more people participate in the scrip program. And this means YOU!
When talking to church members, a common reason mentioned for not participating in the scrip program is the loss of airline miles or other rewards offered by many credit cards. That value to you is around 1% of the transaction. If you occasionally used scrip for high percentage scrip purchases there would be great value to the church at minimal loss to your rewards goals. These "high percentage" items are most often restaurants and travel.
What type of scrip is available?
Almost every type you can think of, nearly 300 retailers in all. A complete list of all retailers is described below in the last section, "The scrip retailer lists." In particular, we have scrip for purchases you make all the time: in supermarkets, gas stations and drug stores, as well as for restaurants and fast food outlets.
Do all retailers offer scrip?
Alas, no. Some of the most frequently asked for retailers who do not currently offer scrip are Trader Joe's, Costco, Target and McDonalds. But our scrip supplier, Great Lakes Scrip Co. has been very innovative in convincing retailers that it's in their best interest to make scrip available to the public. It's good for the community and good for business. Numerous retailers, who did not offer scrip in the past, now do so. So there's always hope that the place you like to shop will offer scrip in the future.
How do I buy scrip?
It's simple. About 50 or so of the most popular scrip cards and certificates are stocked and sold on the Church patio every Sunday, between services and after the second service. Just look for the prominent scrip display poster near the entrance to the Social Hall. A friendly volunteer will be there to take your order and answer any questions you may have.
If the item you want is not in stock, we can have it for you within three business days. You can pick it up at church the following Sunday, or, if you won't be in church that Sunday, we will deliver or mail it to you.
What if I need scrip and can't make it to Church that week?
No problem. Just e-mail us at scrip@OCUUC.org, or call Charles at (714) 838-0783. We will fill your order and make arrangements to get the scrip to you in a timely manner.
What else can I do to help the scrip program?
We need additional volunteers to sell scrip on Sunday mornings. Aside from helping the church financially, you'll get the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air as you greet old friends and meet new people. If you'd like to join the scrip team, e-mail us at scrip@OCUUC.org.
The scrip retailer lists
Listings of all available scrip items are contained in two PDF files which you can access by clinking on the links below.
To open a PDF file you will need Adobe Reader. If you don't have Adobe Reader, click here to take you to the Adobe website where you can download it.
The scrip items are listed in two ways: by category and alphabetically. In either case, you can browse the lists online, or print them. (Printed copies of the category listings are available at the scrip table on the patio.) Both lists also show, for each retailer, the dollar denominations available and the percentage earned by the Church.
- By category. Use this list if you want to give scrip as a gift for birthdays, holidays, etc. You have someone in mind and you also have an idea of what type of product they might need or want to buy. Under the category list, a given scrip retailer may be listed under multiple categories, depending on the kinds of products they sell. For example, Amazon.com is listed under 14 different categories because they offer such a variety of products.
- Alphabetically. Use this list if you have a particular retailer in mind and want to know if they have scrip. Each retailer is listed once, in alphabetical order. Simply scan the list to see if the retailer you want offers scrip.