Feb 6, 2010

Girl Scout Cookie Economics

Recent years, especially as my co-workers and I age, has seen a decline in the amount of Girl Scout cookies that enter into our household.  This is good on several levels. First, not sure I need to many of those tasty little cookies crossing my lips. Second, dollar for dollar, I think there are better ways to support your local community.  On the flip side, a box or two to help these fledgling entrepeneurs (teach them finances, leadership, strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth), their chapters, and our community cannot be bad.  I usually pick up a box or two when these little treasures are available outside one of our local businesses. 

It appears that cookies first become available 1/16/2010, and sales will continue into March in a variety of methods and venues.  To learn more about this program, go to http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/. 


Using an average of $3.50 per box as an example, here's a breakdown of how the money is spent.

For each box sold, 85 cents per box goes to the baker to cover production, packaging, shipping of the cookies to the troop, and other incidental costs.

Out of the remaining $2.65, 50 to 57 cents goes to the selling troop (cost of prizes comes out of this portion of the proceeds), which will use the funds to cover the cost of programming, community service projects and scholarships, and to offset the cost of participating in Girl Scouts.

Of the remaining funds, about 1 penny per box goes to the neighborhood "service unit" -- another level of scouting -- and stays within the community.

The rest goes to the regional council, which is usually comprised of numerous troops that are located near each other, this remaining $2.14 to $2.07 is used to fund local programming, support summer camps, train adult volunteers, and so on.

Contrary to urban legends, the proceeds from Girl Scout cookie sales are not funneled to the national scouting organization. "Girl Scouts of the USA has a deal in place in which they receive royalties directly from the two national bakers of the cookies," Ceravolo says. "The regional councils do not send cookie money to the national organization."
 
My favorite are the Samoas, how about you?
 
 
 
 
Original post on at Walletpop

17 comments:

  1. YOURS are $3.50!?!!?!? Mine are $4.00!!!! Sometimes I HATE living in L.A.!!!

    I ordered two boxes, and I'm sure I'll buy more in from of my local grocery store in March!!

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  2. Caramel De Lites (which in my opinion are better than the Samoas, but SUPPOSED to taste the same); Peanut Butter sandwiches (also better than the Do-Si-Dos); and I LOVE the Tag-Alongs, too!!!!

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  3. Samosas are the absolute best. I used to buy five boxes of them every year.

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  4. Samoas and Thin Mints. I will eat a whole box of the Samoas at once.

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  5. Tagalongs! And Em, I could eat a whole box at once, too, but I've learned to stop at one row.

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  6. Carmel de Lites and Thin Mints are my favorites. My daughters sold girl scout cookies more years than I care to admit. So far this year... I haven't seen any girls out selling them. So I'll have to do without. Oh NO!

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  7. They are $4.00 in my neck of the woods too.

    I always would buy them but now I stay away from sugar. I wish they would come up with another product as everyone loves "The Girl Scouts"!

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  8. Hi Ken,
    I definitely like the Peanut Butter Patties (also called Tag-alongs) the best. But these days I pay more attention to ingredient labels than I used to ... and these things aren't exactly 'homemade.'
    Best,
    Marty

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  9. Hey Ken, Do you mind if I copy your 'Three Years Blogging' tag.... I think I'm 2 months past my third anniversary, but don't have a tag for 3 years.... = )

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  10. Samoas, Thin Mints, and Tagalongs.

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  11. Girl Scout cookies are $4.00 here. =( I only allow myself to buy 2 boxes at the very most. I used to like the thin mint the best until I tried the Keebler chocolate mint cookie. So, now my favorite is the Tagalongs (which used to rank #2).

    I haven't seen the Girl Scouts out here yet.

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  12. Your right of the amount of sightings. I don't see them around here as much as I did years ago. But hands down my favorites were always the thin mints! I just have to remember not to smile right away!

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  13. thin mints and the peanut butter ones...whatever they are called. However, we won a big box of them a couple of years ago and I think we had our feel for a while. lol

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  14. oops, fill for a while not feel. lol You know, I've only had one cup of coffee this morning.

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  15. My favorites change from year to year (cookie styles come and go), but the perenial favorites at our household are the thin mints and the tagalongs. I've been a cookie-mom for our troop, so thanks for the shout out to GS cookies, Ken. The girls do the bulk of the work and I think they enjoy it. This year I bought my boxes from a little local cutie that came door to door with her dad. :)

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