Eagle TRIP
TRIP (Tuition Reduction Incentive Program) was developed by Grand Rapids Christian Schools as an easy and effective way to provide tuition assistance.
TRIP allows you to reduce the cost of tuition by purchasing gift cards and gift certificates for things you buy every day from hundreds of national and local vendors.
How does TRIP work? When you purchase gift cards at face value, a percentage of your purchase is credited to your TRIP account. Two times per year (Nov. 1 and May 1), the accumulated TRIP credits are applied as payment to your tuition account, or donated to the tuition account you have designated. See Program Overview below for complete details.
- Program Overview
- Hours and Upcoming Closings
- Limited Time and Bonus Offers
- Vendor News
- Find us on Facebook
- Statements
- Discontinued Retailers
- Policies and Procedures
Program Overview
What is TRIP and how does it work?
TRIP is an easy way to reduce tuition by purchasing gift cards, certificates and e-cards--at no additional cost--for things you buy every day from hundreds of national and local vendors.
When you purchase gift cards from Eagle-TRIP at face value, a percentage of your purchase is credited to your TRIP account.
- Gift cards, certificates, and e-cards are offered for a wide variety of national and local retailers. Use them like cash for goods and services that you purchase on a regular basis -- groceries, gas, clothing, restaurants, home improvement, entertainment, travel ...and more!
- The rebate percentages vary by vendor and range from 2% to 20%.
- Accumulated TRIP credit is applied as payment to family tuition accounts two times per school year (May 1 and Nov. 1), or held in your account for future use..
Who can participate?
Everyone! Parents, grandparents, friends and churches can set up a TRIP account. Even “future families” who do not yet have children enrolled may participate and have credits held until needed at a future time. To enroll, complete a registration form and return it to the TRIP office. You will be assigned a TRIP account number to use when you place your orders.
How do I purchase TRIP?
- GIFT CARD SALES
- Gift card sales take place once a week during the school year and selected weeks during the summer.
- Shop from our inventory of gift cards from over 100 popular vendors; orders are available for immediate pick-up and payable by cash or check. See Hours & Locations for current information.
- In addition to our in-stock gift cards, you can access many more vendors, additional denominations, and larger quantities by placing a special order.
- Special-order products are shaded in gray on our order form. Include payment at the time of order and it will be available for pick-up the following week.
- ONLINE ORDERING
- Set up a convenient online shopping account at ShopWithScrip.com.
- PrestoPay set-up is also required to pay for online orders. Your ShopWithScrip account allows you to pre-order plastic gift cards, reload an existing gift card purchased through our program, or instantly download printable e-cards for participating retailers.
- Visit our Online Ordering page for details.
- MOBILE APPs
- Purchase, manage and redeem TRIP e-cards right from your mobile device!
- Visit our Online Ordering page for details.
- VIP CERTIFICATES
- Available for purchase at Instant TRIP and accepted like cash at a wide variety of local businesses for a 5% TRIP credit.
- VOUCHERS
- Voucher vendors offer various TRIP credit percentages and require no advance purchase.
- Present a Voucher Form (available at the TRIP office) to a participating business with your payment at the time of purchase.
- The participating business sends your credit amount to the TRIP office and it is applied to your TRIP account.
Hours and Upcoming Closings
REGULAR HOURS
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Iroquois Campus
North entrance
Wednesdays - 7:30am - 5:00 pm
ROCKFORD CHRISTIAN SCHOOL
Tuesdays - 8:00am - 10:00 am
You may also contact us at the TRIP Office on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays (hours vary).
HOLIDAY HOURS
CLOSED for Christmas Break
December 21 — January 6, 2019.
You can earn TRIP credit every day — any time of year — by signing up for ShopWithScrip.com and/or the Benefit mobile app! The sign-up process has been streamlined and is now easier than ever! Visit our Online Ordering page to get started.
IMPORTANT NOTES
Cash flow considerations limit the quantities of Instant TRIP we can have on hand. The only way to guarantee that the item(s) you want will be in stock is to ORDER AHEAD. Please plan accordingly.
TRIP retains 15% of total credit earned as an administrative fee to operate and maintain our program.
Limited Time and Bonus Offers
Vendor News
- Grubhub is now available as a ScripNow e-card through ShopWithScrip!
- Chuck E Cheese now also available as a ScripNow e-card!
- New retailers!
- Vera Bradley ($50 physical cards and ScripNow e-cards) — 7%
- Chico’s (ScripNow e-cards)--6.5%
- White House Black Market (ScripNow e-cards) — 6.5%
- Wayfair ($100 physical cards and ScripNow e-cards) — 6%
- Bed Bath & Beyond cards include Buy Buy Baby and NOW also World Market and One Kings Lane!
- New Voucher Vendor: Scotts Skis & Snowboards
Find us on Facebook
Like us on Facebook (Eagle-TRIP LLC) and keep up with the latest bonus offers and updates from our favorite vendors.
Statements
TRIP Credit earned between 5-1-18 and 10-31-18 was distributed on Nov. 1 and applied to your December tuition payment. Statements are available to pick up at the TRIP Office.
If you have any questions about how your TRIP credit is applied to tuition, please contact one of the following people at the GRCS Business Office:
Tim Stapert
School:
616.574.6006
Amy Doezema
Discontinued Retailers
Sears, Kmart, Dell Computer, Younkers, Toys R Us, Macaroni Grill, Bedandbreakfast.com, Hyatt Hotels, Fossil, Gordman’s, Gander Mountain, MC Sports, The Limited, Old Country Buffet, KFC, Crystal Flash, Olga’s, Premier Hair Designs, Family Christian Stores, Pietro’s, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, Spinnaker’s, Sweet Mellisa’s, Radio Shack, Marriott, Coldwater Creek, Pooh’s Corner, J.Jill, Quizno’s, Brann’s, ServiceMaster, DSW, Duthler’s, Forest Hills Foods (may use D&W/Family Fare cards), Chop House/Mainstreet Restaurants, Baskin-Robbins, American Airlines, Perkin’s, Kay Jewelers, Omni Hotels, Dots, Borders
Policies and Procedures
The TRIP program of Grand Rapids Christian Schools is administered by Eagle-TRIP LLC. Eagle-TRIP purchases gift certificates in large quantities at a discount and sells them at face value. The discount earned is credited to individual tuition accounts. Eagle-TRIP retains an administrative fee of 20% of total credit earned to cover the program’s operating expenses.
All families, friends and future families of Grand Rapids Christian Schools may participate. To get started, please complete a registration form and return it to the TRIP office. An account number will be assigned to you. Please use this account number, along with your complete first and last name, on all orders. You may designate your TRIP credits to be applied to your own tuition account, another family’s tuition account, a church’s Christian education fund, or a tuition assistance fund. If you do not yet have a child enrolled, your TRIP credits will be retained in your GRCS tuition account until needed.
INSTANT TRIP: Gift cards and certificates for almost 100 vendors are available for immediate purchase at Instant TRIP. We accept payment by cash or check (payable to Eagle-TRIP LLC). When school is in session, Instant TRIP is available on Wednesdays at the TRIP office (Grand Rapids Christian Elementary School/Alexander St. entrance), and on Tuesdays and at Rockford Christian School. Current hours of operation, summer schedules and closings are available here. If school is canceled on a Wednesday, Instant TRIP will be available on Thursday that week. If Rockford Christian School is canceled on a Tuesday, or experiences a 2-hour delay, there will be NO Instant TRIP at Rockford that week..
WEEKLY ORDERS: Many additional vendors, denominations and larger quantities are available by placing a weekly order. Orders may be placed at either Instant TRIP location during operating hours or mailed into the TRIP office. Orders received with full payment by 5:00PM on Wednesday will be available for pick-up at Instant TRIP the following week. If you would like an order to be mailed back to you, please include a self-addressed envelope and sufficient postage. Remember that gift cards are the same as cash and we are not responsible for lost or stolen mail orders.
ONLINE ORDERS: You may register for an online shopping account at shopwithscrip.com. Click here to get started. All online orders must be paid for online through PrestoPay which automatically debits your checking/savings account. Orders for gift cards received online by midnight on Wednesday will be available for pick-up at Instant TRIP on the following week. If you choose the Reload option, funds will be available on your gift card overnight, for orders placed online by 3:30pm. If you choose the ScripNow! option, you will receive a confirmation email within minutes, allowing you to print an instant e-certificate.
RETURNED CHECKS: Any check returned by the bank for non-sufficient funds (NSF) will incur a $20 fee. You will receive a letter from the TRIP office informing you of the returned check and requesting that another check be written for the original amount plus the $20 fee. We have the right to hold all future orders until the NSF balance has been cleared.
TRIP CREDIT DISTRIBUTION: TRIP credits earned for each participating family’s account will be accumulated and remitted to GRCS on May 1 and November 31 of each year. Account statements are available for pick-up at the TRIP office the week following those dates. If your tuition is paid through FACTS, your TRIP credit amount will be deducted from your payment twice per year (usually in December and May). If you pay directly to GRCS you may deduct your credit amount from any future payment.
SNOW DAY POLICY: If Grand Rapids Christian Schools are cancelled on a Wednesday, we will have gift card sales during regular hours on Thursday that week. If school is cancelled again on Thursday, there will be no TRIP gift card sales that week. If there is a delay or cancellation at Rockford Christian School on a Tuesday, there will be no TRIP hours at RCS that week.
ALL GIFT CARDS/CERTIFICATES ARE THE SAME AS CASH! Neither Eagle-TRIP nor Grand Rapids Christian Schools will be held responsible for any lost or stolen cards or certificates.
PLEASE DOUBLE-CHECK ALL ORDERS! Gift cards and certificates cannot be returned or exchanged. If we make a mistake in filling an order, however, please notify us as soon as possible and we will do our best to correct the error right away.
GIFT CARDS/CERTIFICATES ARE PURCHASED AT YOUR OWN RISK! Please read all terms printed on the card/certificate. We suggest that they be used in a timely manner. Eagle-TRIP is not responsible for unused cards/certificates from a retailer that has gone out of business or a card/certificate that has expired. When using paper certificates, do not expect to receive change back.