Rewards: Everybody has them, why don’t you?

Recently, on a shopping trip with my daughter, it occurred to me that there are very few places I go that lack a rewards program.

For example, the first item on our agenda that day was a trip to Starbucks, where it turned out I had enough points saved up that I earned a free drink. While shopping later, I received $5 off my purchase. And it didn’t stop there either, we even earned a free appetizer for lunch. At every place we stopped that day, we earned some kind of discount, received something for free, or got points for a future discount all thanks to rewards.

Then, an odd thing happened.

Our last stop of the day was to my credit union to withdraw some cash and order a new debit card. While there, my daughter asked an interesting question. She wanted to know why I didn’t get any points, rewards, or discounts at the credit union. I explained that not all rewards come in the same form. For example, the debit card I just ordered was free, despite there typically being a $10.00 fee because I was a “Gold” member. I also started to explain other benefits and rewards that I receive based on my member status, like getting a higher rate on certificates. I saw her eyes glazing over.

 

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