McMoney bags

AJ was given a $5 gift card to McDonalds a couple weeks ago as part of a goody bag from his hockey team. To say it's been burning a hole in his pocket would be a McUnderstatement.

A week ago Friday, we made plans to go to McDonald's for lunch. I told AJ he could use the card to buy an ice cream cone after he finished in his meal. But of course, in the typical chaos that usually accompanies our efforts to get out the door in a timely fashion, I didn't ask him if he actually had the card with him. Of course he forgot it.

So yesterday, we repeated the experience, verifying first that the card was in his wallet and the wallet was in his pocket. That's a lot to remember when you're five.


AJ was so excited, he offered to use his "McDonald's Credit Card" to buy an ice cream cone for all of us. Knowing that Sydney would need help with hers, I assured him two cones would be enough.


I have to say the gift cards are pretty slick. Forget the big gift certificates I used to sell. These plastic cards include a magnetic stripe on the back, so he got to swipe it through the credit card reader. Overall, it was a good experience for him to go through the process of standing and waiting in line, giving his order, swiping the card and putting it back in his wallet and then his pocket.

Of course, his favorite part of the experience was getting the ice cream cone, followed by learning there was enough of a remaining balance on the card to get to do this again some time.