their budget is. Whether reimbursing through bank transfer, cheque or another means, have two signatories as a precautionary measure to safeguard your PTA funds. Sharon West says, via Facebook: ‘We have set up a two-step authorisation on our online banking. I do a lot of the buying, and I send the receipt on to the treasurer. I then put the money to be reimbursed through the bank, and she authorises it, or vice versa. This means I can buy and be reimbursed on the same day. We don’t have a debit card, as that would mean changing the authorisation to one person only.’
Where can you get
the best deals? Supermarkets: Take advantage of seasonal deals on multiple purchases, and get bonuses by setting up a loyalty card for your PTA. Supermarkets will sometimes have limited stock or set limits on how much you can buy in one transaction, however. Pound shops and discount stores: Stores such as Home Bargains, B&M
and Poundland have similar issues to supermarkets in terms of limited stock. Be aware that pound shops often sell smaller versions of items, so you may think you’re buying the same product cheaply when actually it’s a smaller pack. Wholesalers: At wholesalers such as Booker you can easily buy as much stock as you need in one trip. Booker offers sale-or-return on leftover non-perishable goods, meaning you can over-buy and take back any unused items, avoiding the risk of running out of stock. Sign up to a Booker account with PTA+ by emailing
booker@pta.co.uk to access its wholesale prices, normally only available to businesses. Online: It’s easy to find discounts when shopping online, thanks to the multiple voucher code websites available. You can also make purchases through shopping affiliate schemes such as Give As You Live or The Giving Machine, so you can make money as you buy (see p23). Specialist retailers: The PTA+ suppliers directory (
pta.co.uk/ suppliers) is full of trusted suppliers
with experience in the fundraising sector. PTA+ has many offers with retailers who specialise in fundraising products, so check pta.
co.uk/magazine for current deals. Local suppliers: Your high street butcher or baker will often be happy doing a charitable rate to support a local cause, and being able to say you’re serving local produce at your events can only be a good thing. To sweeten the deal, offer advertising at your event in exchange for produce or a discount. Survey your parents to find out if they’re associated with a company who would be happy to support the school. You can often get the best deals by
shopping around, as demonstrated by Hayley Nash via Facebook: ‘We tend to buy closer to the event for storage and use-by-date reasons. Turkey for Christmas is from Costco. Things like tea, coffee, canned drinks, hot dogs, cups and napkins are from Booker. We buy wrapping paper and decorations from Poundland, and we ask parents for donations for the tombola. Bread rolls are donated by Warburtons.’
Small equipment This includes prizes for games, gifts
Hiring equipment
If you don’t have the storage space or justification to commit to purchasing a large item, you can always hire or borrow it. Start out by contacting your local
council or charities, as many have equipment available for hire, including PA systems, fundraising games, marquees and barbecues, plus harder- to-source items such as buzzer games and stocks. Some services require an annual subscription of around £20-£30, but this may still be cheaper than making your own investments in equipment – or why not ask a local company to sponsor your membership? Other local PTAs or organisations such as the Scouts may have equipment you can hire or borrow, and in return you may find you have items you can hire out to them. When considering hiring an item, think about whether it would be cheaper to invest in the long run.
20 SPRING 2019
pta.co.uk
Hiring items out to others
A way to recoup money on purchases is by hiring them out to other organisations. Promote your items for hire on local social media pages, or keep an eye out for requests. To ensure this venture is as
risk-free as possible, draft out a contract for borrowers to sign when hiring the item. This should state how long the item is being hired for, when and where it needs to be returned, and clear guidelines on the state in which it must be returned. You could take a cleaning deposit which will be returned once the item is brought back in the correct condition. Take pictures of the item so you have evidence of its state upon lending in case of any issues.
for secret rooms or grottos, cups and plates for serving food or cleaning products for the event aftermath. If you have the storage facilities,
shop all year round for bulk bargains to maximise profits. Hit the shops when non-perishable items are being sold off in the days after Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, Halloween, or the January sales, to buy good-quality items at discount prices. These can be saved for the following year, or generic items can be used at your next event. For example, floral mugs being sold off after Mother’s Day can be a great option for your Christmas gift room. If you lack storage space, specialist
websites such as Your Fundraising Gift Shop offer packs of wrapped or unwrapped presents suitable for gift rooms and grottos. Events such as Black Friday can
offer great deals, but sale periods aren’t always the cheapest time to buy items. Use price comparison websites such as
pricespy.co.uk and
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