**** I received the following product in exchange for my honest opinion, no further compensation was provided. All photos are copyright Momma Told Me Blog 2013.
Momma Told Me: You've got to spend a dollar to make a dollar.
Momma put me to work at an early age.
Outside of a, seemingly, never-ending roaster of weekly chores I was expected to play cashier. Momma would spend all year long preparing for a single weekend, the local Fall Harvest Festival. This was much more than a carnival with pumpkin carving exhibits and hay rides, this was a full blown artisan and crafts fair with over 200 vendors spread across a giant municipal park. For some reason it feel on a 10 year-old to count the change and safeguard the cash; all in a little tan, Nylon, fanny pack. Over the course of those weekends Momma would do thousands of dollars in business, and bill by bill would be neatly tucked into the incredulous safeguard of a zipper. Looking back, today, I just may tell my therapist that was the beginning of a very anxious childhood.
It may not seem like it but today, as an adult, I conduct a fair amount of 'business' on my own. I frequent a spot at the local swap meet once a month, help out with charity fundraising, and even encourage the entrepreneurship of a 10 year old. I am ashamed to say, up until recently, I have always relied on a convoluted system of manilla envelopes and blind luck to get through my accounting endeavors without catastrophe. That was until Penny Wise Office Products sent me a SteelMaster Security Box with Media Slot (MMF 2216119G2) to review here on Momma Told Me. Let's just call it my 'training free' cash register. This starter cash box is made of 20% recycled material (a big plus for me), fairly lightweight, and includes a cam key lock system (optional for use) and anti-theft cable connection.
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At the beginning of the Summer I promised Sabrina (10) I would assist her in opening her first business (a Lemonade and Cupcake stand). We meticulously hunted down the perfect pre-made stand to decorate, put hours of Sharpie brush inhalation in, and hand crafted 48 kid-friendly cupcakes to hit the local beach park. While setting up I pulled out our brand new
Steelmaster Security Box and dedicated it's first official job as a register. Sabrina was over the moon, commenting how sleek the Charcoal design was, and letting out a little squeal for the secret 'hidden' compartment for big bills and change. With a six compartment removable tray for paper and coin organization one's funds can easily be removed and counted at a remote location for security.
Our SteelMaster Security box has a pressure sensitive front latch to keep the cover from popping open in transport, and can easily be carried by the recessed handle built into the top. We found the button for the latch required a little more pressure to open than we'd expected, and it took a little getting used to. We also learned quickly that the lack of pressure clamps (or covered drawers) meant money (particularly change) was subject to spilling in transit. This is an economy model of SteelMaster security boxes, so more features are available on other versions, though we found the MMF 2216119G2 met our basic needs. I certainly feel much more secure stashing our 'profits' in a container such as this, than mixing the money with the contents of my purse or easy to lose envelopes.
In all it was a very profitable day. We raised some donations for our Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fundraising efforts, and Sabrina(10) walked away with $20 and a refresher in her mathematics. In all honesty, I can't imagine why I never invested in a Security Cash Box before; there are so many events throughout the year (school, team sporting, fundraising, yard sales, etc) that I can use this for, and I've already had a request to loan it out for an upcoming community event. Penny Wise Office Products has everything you need to make your next Lemonade Stand, or other business endeavors, a success. Stop on by and request a free product catalog, and check out their stock of SteelMaster security boxes!
What Daughter Says: Secure your profits with a SteelMaster security box.
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