Mmmm, Girl Scout cookies are F’ing awesome but here’s why they suck

If the troop leaders are doing the right thing, the girls are learning what they are supposed to learn, but keep in mind, I have been a troop leader for 8 years, this is how you MAKE MONEY FOR THE TROOP. You can earn 75 cents per box. Yes, 75 cents. That’s nothing. So when you have parents selling cookies at work and the girls selling also, that’s a win-win situation as far I am concerned. My girls know about the financial part of the cookies and they want to sell as many as possible. So, long story short: Buy the d**n cookies!

I totally agree but………being the troop leader I spend so much of my money on stuff because I feel guilty using the girls money for stuff. So the more the parents sell the less of my money I use. The girls work on financial badges during our meetings and even though they might not sell every box they should all know how much and what kinds we have. The rest sometimes I even have to ask. Love your take on it though!

I agree wholeheartedly! Two years ago a distant niece was selling GS cookies. She sent out an email request to sell them to the family. I had forgotten she had done this. Mind you she also lives close to 2 hours away. Last year she wasn’t a GS for whatever reason, as she is this year. I received at least 10 emails from some girl I didn’t even know last year trying to sell me cookies. I was so irritated. Contacting the GS site that these requests were being sent through I was told that once your email is in the system it stays there even if the member that put it in no longer sells cookies. They send them out for underprivileged girls that don’t have anywhere to sell them. Whatever that means.

So now I will only purchase my GS cookies from the first GS that asks me in person or calls me. Not an email from them or the parent. Not from moms or dads at work. They have to at least make an effort. I have purchased from the group hanging at the exit of grocery stores, if they’re making an effort. When I was a GS I worked my tail off and I did sell over 300 WITHOUT my parent’s assistance. I wanted that badge and I was going to get it. Yeah, we used to get badges for selling over 300 boxes. Just saying. It can be done but it probably isn’t as ‘easy’ as it was back then as I went door to door. I even colored my own ‘calling cards’ leaving my name and number if they wanted cookies ~ if they weren’t home or wanted to think about it. HA

@Peeps hahahahaha I love the calling cards I never thought of that! That’s hilarious. My dad grew up with all the neighbors and I was the only girl scout for years so I lucked out with that one. They were all begging for cookies like drug addicts. Nobody sells my favorites from like 10 years ago though (I mean thin mints are freaking amazing as well as samoas and dosidos) but we had these delicious cinnamon snap things that were to die for.

I totally agree that the parents are not doing the girls a favor by doing the work for them. It happens every year where I work. I do see a lot of girls outside stores and set up in different areas to sell cookies.

Well my daughter is a daisy and age 5 she sold 375 bcause she wanted those prizes. And other then about 30 boxes SHE SOLD ALL OF THEM yes I had to walk with her and answer a few questions but she did most of it herself.

I am still completely traumatized by my cookie sales experience. So none of my kids will be reaching SUPER SELLER through me. I’ll just buy boxes at the grocery store. http://streamoftheconscious.com/super-sale/

My daughter is a daisy. She honestly sold 300 boxes herself. Soooo…don’t write off the power of a 6 year old.

Coming from a once girl Scott who sold over 1000 boxes, it can be done. Lots of store sales and a thing called door to door. I knew my stuff and many times was the only show for those darn stores. When my girls sold we did the same. Honestly, parents aren’t supposed to sell at work or over Facebook, but most do anyhow. It’s all about hard work by the girl. I am amazed at how easy it is for the girls I see outside the stores. 2 hour shifts and standing is how is done. Engage the customer and know your stuff. I even had to send a girl home because she had no coat and it was snowing.

“That’s right, call the po-po, I stole it.” ……. LOL
I haven’t enjoyed reading something this much in a while. You all are too funny.

As a girl scout leader here’s my perspective on it. Our girls are earning about 45 cents a box they sell. (It’s higher in some areas-the amount is decided by each council). The proceeds from cookies are what fund our troop activities. We have girls that have tons of family and friends that can buy cookies and some that don’t. Booth sales (like at Wal-mart) are an opportunity for our girls to practice talking to people, sales skills, marketing, and a whole host of other things. And for some unfathomable reason (because frankly I hate them) the girls love them. Our girls have been drilled that if someone buys great, help them and thank them, if they don’t tell them thank you anyway and have a nice day.

As far as selling at parents work most of our girls don’t have that opportunity. Typically they’re in school while Mom and Dad are working or their parents work in an environment where you can’t just come in and sell. The hubby works in a medical clinic-kid can’t be roaming around with her cookies. He takes orders at work, she fills the orders and handles the money, and then Dad delivers.

It is what is-we try to make sure every girl gets the opportunity to personally sell and work toward her goal but I’m not going to turn my nose up at money for the troop because the parent took them to work with them.

A interesting read… Bureaucracy Eats Girl Scout Cookie Profits — Some Volunteers Complain That Troops Get Only Crumbs

http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19930513&slug=1701067

My daughter, a kindergartner, is a Daisy Scout. She and I have shared the cookie selling duties this year. I posted on Facebook and brought the form to work. She and I did some door to door selling in our town, and she’s taken the form to school and worked at a couple of cookie booths at Wal-Mart with her troop. Between the two of us, we’ve sold about 300 boxes. Her troop is fully funding a camping trip with the money they’ve raised. I sold a lot of cookies at work. When the cookies arrived, I took an afternoon off and brought her to work in her Daisy uniform to deliver, collect money, and say thank you. She is gaining the skills she should, but I am helping as well, and I don’t see anything wrong with that. I know the troop needs all the money it can get. I lead my son’s Cub Scout den, and 90 percent of what his den does comes out of my pocket, due to lack of money. I want to do what I can do our Daisy leader isn’t funding all of our activities out of her pocket.

It goes to the baker and the local area council. Only 50 cents per box (for us) went to the troop.

Sadly yes. I’ve had many people (upon finding this out) that skip the cookies and just donate the money. There were many times at booths where we as a troop earned more money in donations than we did in selling the cookies! However, we always managed to have enough troop funds to do the projects the girls picked as well as the camping trips and the fun outing (usually Disney world).

My 7 year old sold 1600 boxes of cookies this year. 200 online, 500 in person, over 800 at cookie booths. Sure, she had help with the in person part. My husband works from home and I’m a SAHM. A couple of our friends sold to their co-workers, my husband and I sold to our friends, I hit up our neighborhood association email list (rural neighborhood, 1 acre lots, fenced properties, not suitable for door to door sales). But still. Over 800 boxes at cookie booths. My first grader worked her b**t off and she absolutely earned every single patch and prize. She sold over twice as many boxes as the next closest girl, whose mom sold tons at work.

As a troop leader, I can ten you that while we “only” get up to 75 cents per box, no one is getting rich from this. Money from the cookie sales stays within the council. It’s about $1.25 to pay the bakery and cover the cost of the rewards. The other $2 goes toward maintaining camps, providing financial assistance for families who can’t afford memberships, uniforms, camp, etc., paying salaries for the council employees, council events, etc.