How the Family Bundles reward program works

Published 9:00 pm Saturday, May 28, 2005

Every time a customer uses the Family Bundles card at a participating retailer, he or she typically earns one point for each $3 spent at the business. The merchant is then billed 15 cents for each point.

That 15-cent charge is distributed so 6 cents goes into the customer’s rebate account, Family Bundles takes 3 cents and 3 cents goes to the merchant who signed up the customer for the program.

The remaining 3 cents is evenly divided among:

* The regional manager for Family Bundles (founder Kim Vogler is the only one right now).

* The company’s fund for promoting its merchants.

* A participating community organization such as a local chamber of commerce or a charity.

The bottom line is that the customer typically earns about 2 percent on what they spend at a participating business. Each month, Family Bundles totals up a customer’s points and sends a rebate check for that amount.

To participate, a business pays a one-time membership fee, which starts at $400. Customers who want the card can pick up and fill out applications at member businesses.

More information, including a list of businesses that accept the card, is available at www.familybundles.com.