1. Remove all those stupid discount cards from your keychain that are just taking up space.

2. Find a sturdy card about the size of a credit card. An old wallet-sized discount card works, as well as half an index card trimmed to size.

3. Visit the barcode server with your cards in-hand.
http://www.milk.com/barcode/

4. Put your barcode number into the barcode server and generate the barcode. If your barcode is missing a number to conform to the 8-, 12- or 13-number barcode limitation try adding a 1 at the end. Use the half-height options for more barcodes per card - and also - if you put #####:StoreName it'll come out with the store name at the top.

5. Print out each of these barcodes.

Repeat step 4-5 for each card you have.

6. Cut out each barcode with some scissors.

7. Glue, tape or otherwise affix each barcode to the card. You need to label each one as well if you didn't include the name in the barcode generation.

8. Now you can either leave it like this, or laminate over it. Mine has been taped down for about a year with no problems whatsoever.

That's it, enjoy!

Update: I just made another one and I sucked the barcodes all into Photoshop and put them on one card that way. Much more handy!

http://www.diymods.com/archives/2005/11/feature_lighten.cfm


[Edited on March 16, 2006 at 9:54 AM. Reason : k]

3/16/2006 9:53:27 AM

id rather have them all encoded into an RF chip, along with my ID, and then have it surgically implanted

3/16/2006 10:01:03 AM

When you give the cashier the card, will the scanner auto-recognize the right one? I've given the wrong keychain barcode, and they scanned it, and it read it (beeped) but obviously didn't work...

With four or more barcodes on the same card, how do they scan it? Does it scan all of the barcodes, ignoring (returning false,) the ones for other stores, or does the cashier have to look at the card and cover up the rest of the barcodes with their fingers, or what?

Just curious.....I might do this.

[Edited on March 16, 2006 at 10:04 AM. Reason : ^ I'll steal all your greenpoints with my hax0r phone ]

3/16/2006 10:02:29 AM

^I think that was why he was saying that you should label them, so they know which to scan.

I like it. My wallet's bursting with all the cards I signed up for just to get a special on juice or something.

3/16/2006 10:10:49 AM

my roommate has been doing this for a while now, he's never had any problems.

3/16/2006 10:18:35 AM

^^grocery stores dont have line scanners, so how could they pick?

3/16/2006 10:23:23 AM

Quote :

"I think that was why he was saying that you should label them, so they know which to scan."

Right, but the barcode scanner is not one of those hand held devices emitting a laser line, (like at Home Depot for when the item is too big to place on the scanner counter,) or is it?

Do all stores have those hand held scanners? I've never noticed them at grocery stores....

Cashiers scan one thing at a time. This card idea would be like if they grabbed four or five different candy bars or packs of gum, held them together in a block with all the barcodes facing down, and then try to scan the whole thing at once......How could that work?

Or does every cash register in every store (that uses barcodes) have the hand held scanner, and I just haven't seen it?

[Edited on March 16, 2006 at 10:29 AM. Reason : ^yeah, what he said.]

3/16/2006 10:28:58 AM

The way we did it when there were multiple barcodes on an item was to cover the others with our fingers so only the one that's needed is left uncovered, but I see what you're saying. BJ's had line scanning guns, so that's what I was thinking of.

3/16/2006 10:40:05 AM

it's a good idea, but i think it's sort of rude to make the cashier do that shit. if it could just be swiped as a whole over the scanner, i'd do that. but i don't know if most cashiers would use the little hand scanner.

3/16/2006 12:26:13 PM

yeah, it's rude to make people do their jobs that they get paid for

3/16/2006 12:33:24 PM

I have had people to this to me before, and it drives me insane.

3/16/2006 7:17:39 PM

it's not their job to carefully scan just the correct card. that's why they give you the small, store-specific keychain card.

but that's just imo. it's a cool idea, especially if you use the self check-out more.

3/16/2006 7:25:57 PM

kroger cards work at HT

3/16/2006 7:33:45 PM

i agree, eahanhan, that it's rude

when i used to be a cashier there is no way in hell i'd put up with that. i'd just say well it doesn't work if you can't scan the whole card over. why inconvenience someone else just to make your life easier? pretty selfish if you ask me.

3/16/2006 7:40:54 PM

i love the idea. i was thinking earlier today about taking some out of my wallet that i don't regularly use.

I don't see it being rude. It took me about 2 seconds to think of a way to scan a single bar code, and i probably could come up with a dozen ways in under a minute. we all have to do shit at our jobs that we don't like and as far as i'm concered this is about the best you can hope for that would fall into that category. Heaven forbid that someone actually thought about this and figured out a novel solution thus forcing you to think for a seconds. if someone can't handle this they need to go flip burgers, but they will then have to leave when someone orders one without a pickle.

3/16/2006 7:55:14 PM

the only discount card i carry has a magnetic stripe, no barcode....

3/16/2006 8:14:14 PM

Quote :

"id rather have them all encoded into an RF chip, along with my ID, and then have it surgically implanted"

hell yeah! this is exactly what i want as well.

3/16/2006 8:15:44 PM

Quote :

"I don't see it being rude. It took me about 2 seconds to think of a way to scan a single bar code, and i probably could come up with a dozen ways in under a minute. we all have to do shit at our jobs that we don't like and as far as i'm concered this is about the best you can hope for that would fall into that category. Heaven forbid that someone actually thought about this and figured out a novel solution thus forcing you to think for a seconds. if someone can't handle this they need to go flip burgers, but they will then have to leave when someone orders one without a pickle. "

except you're also making others wait in line so that the cashier can figure out which is their store's and get it to scan just right.

a NOVEL idea would be a way so that the scanner would only scan the right one. this is just stupid because now you have to fish a card out of your wallet instead of just hand over your keys. then you have to wait while the cashier gets it to scan the right one. keep in mind that with a few codes on the card you're hoping that the high schooler isn't completely retarded and figures it out quickly.

cost >> benefit

3/16/2006 9:58:21 PM