An Orlando, Fla.-area church bookstore has been helping drive home a lesson on good financial stewardship by offering a free gift to customers who pay with cash.

The special was introduced at the bookstore at Northland, A Church Distributed in Longwood as hundreds of members went through financial planning author and broadcaster Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University program. It was the idea of Manager Donna Duckhorn, who completed the study herself last year and saw a two-fold benefit.

"We were looking for a way to cut costs in the store, especially credit card-processing fees," she said. "It was also a small incentive, a way of reinforcing what they have been learning."

The free gift offer has been available for shoppers Monday through Wednesday, "because on the weekends we just couldn't handle it," Duckhorn said. "It's too busy then to have someone picking through a jar to figure out what they want."

The promotion has been advertised at the store's blog and Facebook page and is offered by staff and volunteers at the point of sale. Among the giveaways have been votive candles, CDs, magnets and pocket prayer cards.

• Prev
• Next