Case Study
From Pony Bucks to Total Control
Rawhide Ranch · Overnight Camp · California
Cashless Operations
Parent Visibility Into Balances and Purchases
Hours Spent Managing Paper Currency
The Challenge
Before FunFangle, Rawhide Ranch operated its camp store with a paper currency system called "pony bucks." Staff had to cut and staple paper bills, campers carried physical currency that could be lost or stolen, and a bank operated during break times required dedicated staffing. Every transaction was tracked with handwritten tallies on clipboards.
The system was labor-intensive, error-prone, and frustrating for families. Parents had no visibility into what their children were spending. Staff spent hours managing a makeshift financial system instead of focusing on the camp experience. At the end of each session, leftover balances were unaccounted for, leading to phone calls and disputes.
The Solution
FunFangle replaced the entire pony bucks system with RFID wristband-powered cashless accounts. Each camper received a wristband linked to their spending account. Parents load funds through the FunFangle parent portal and can see balances and transactions in real time.
At the camp store, staff simply scan the camper's wristband to process a purchase. No cash changes hands. No handwritten tallies. No physical bank to staff during breaks. Every transaction is automatically logged and visible to both camp leadership and parents.
The remaining-balance donation feature means end-of-session leftover funds can be automatically directed to the camp's campership fund, eliminating the fall phone call chase entirely. Parents who want refunds can request them through the portal.
“We went from cutting paper pony bucks and keeping handwritten tallies to a fully cashless operation where every transaction is tracked and every parent can see balances in real time.”
Frequently asked questions.
What problem did Rawhide Ranch have before FunFangle?
A paper currency called pony bucks. Staff cut and stapled bills, campers lost them, a bank had to be staffed during breaks, and every transaction was tallied by hand. Parents had no visibility into spending, and leftover balances turned into fall phone calls.
What replaced pony bucks?
RFID wristband cashless accounts with our Pony Buck logo branding. Parents load funds through the parent portal and see balances and transactions in real time. At the store, staff scan the camper's wristband and every purchase is logged automatically.
What happens to leftover balances now?
The remaining-balance donation feature directs end-of-session leftovers to the camp's campership fund, and parents who want a refund request it through the portal. The fall phone call chase is gone.
What were the results?
100% cashless operations and 0 hours spent managing paper currency, with every transaction tracked and visible to camp leadership and parents.