Our K-8 school this year sold 'entertainment books'--they have a program nation wide. I went into this thinking it would not go over very well, but we have made close to $5250.oo so far. I believe you can negotiate the percent you receive with the sales- person. We recieved 50%. A book went home with each child and the family could pay for that book and order more if desired. The book was to be sent back if it was not purchased. That sounds like a nightmare, but the company did not hold the PTO accountable for the little darlings who do not return the book. All money was paid up front. I would not conduct a candy sale through the PTO, the mass amount of product would drive me crazy( not to mention all that chocolate!!) I would also leave that for the sport teams. Concentrate on bigger fish, you will have less money worries.

No one gets more candy without having paid for the candy they got first. That's one thing. We had maybe 3 people not pay for the candy they took home out of over 100 sellers so the very few losses didn't really cut our profits.

For our big fall sale we do a catalog and we only accept checks. Teachers collect order forms and checks (in envelopes) at homeroom time and we collect the enveloes once a day.

Like your first respondant, our PTO sells wrapping paper. We had the option of collecting the money with the orders, or waiting to collect until the orders came in (one fundraising company told us people would buy more if they didn't have to pay up front). As treasurer, I knew I didn't want to become an Accounts Payable clerk, chasing down people who hadn't yet paid, so we insist on payment up front. We even have a form letter we call an "Ooops" letter that we send home before we process the order if the order came in without payment, or with the wrong amount.

Candy sales might be easy to manage, but I would stay away from any kind of fundraising where you have to collect $$ after the fact.

We sell wrapping paper and all money must be submitted with the order or the order is not placed.
As far as candy goes, one person should be getting the money and a student must be checked off by this person before getting more. I would think that the parent would need to request additional candy for a student to get more, if the parent does not want it then it may not get sold and thus you may not see the candy or money again.

We have always stayed away from this type of sale for 2 reasons, 1)being stuck with candy at the end and 2)to many sports teams sell candy in our area.

Could someone please tell me how records are kept with fundraising such as candy bar sales so you are not going tobe burned in the end owing money ?Would you send home permisson slips home every day in order for that student to recieve more candy?We have had alot of problems with too many people having money and students recieving candy that last year we owed money instead of profiting from the sale >Thank You