Girl Scout Brownie Troops: How do you spend your cookie money?

[minniebeth]

So I am a leader of a Daisy Girl Scout Troop, we are bridging to Brownies this spring. We sold Girl Scout cookies, and now we have some money to spend. Not a LOT, but a fair amount. I know it doesn't go as far as it seems.
I asked the girls what they might like to do with the money (activities) when they became Brownies, and clearly they need some direction.
The few responses we got were: go shopping at the mall, go to the movies and give all the $ to poor people. (I like the service idea, but maybe not all the $ )
So...what have your Brownie GS done that is fun and interesting?
*or* any other suggestions for activites? The girls will be 2nd graders next year...

Thanks!

 

[LisaNJ25]

I would take a portion and put it towards the brownie vests. We did that last year whenb my brownies were moving up to juniors. Vests, all patches and books were approx $50 and we covered half.

We use out money towarads camping. Once a year by ourselves and once with the service unit, Service unit events, and try-it/badge council sponsered trips.

I am not the type to have them blow it on movies, build a bear, etc.

 

[ItsonlyExperiment626]

Since this year's theme is Imagine if you could change.... we asked our girls what they would change and one thought was to feed all those who are hungry. So from that we decided each of our girls are going to make a birthday basket for the local food pantry. It's a bag with cake mix and other birthday food items. Someone said the pantry has a list of what items goes into the bag. Some money will also go to Animeals which helps feed animals at our local shelter and the rest is for the girls to decide. Our girls will also bridge to Brownies next year too.

 

[Liann]

My girls didn't sell cookies as Daisies but when they were brownies they whipped some hiney! Our troop made just over $400 off of cookie sales.

First off we bought all the girl's their sashes and pins needed to become Brownies. I don't remember any of the the amounts - sorry. Then we decided to have a cookie/graduating to Brownie ceremony at the local Chuck E Cheese type establishment. (was called Larz land- 5 cent video games- yes they are out of business now) a few months later we went camping at the nearest GS camp. (Mirasol) And the remainder of the monies (about $100) went to buying our local Animal Shelter dog and cat food. We also did a "buy some pet food" drive to add more to that amount. Our service project that year was to paint over grafitti throughout our neighborhood. The paint and brushes were provided by the association so we saved $50 and ended up buying all of their badges earned as Brownies as well as their sashed as juniors when we bridged

Ours ended up being 25% of our profit going to charity but I think 10% is a fair figure. They work SO HARD. It's a good lesson about hard work paying off and reaping the benefits IMO.

I think a dollar amount is needed to really be able to you help tho. If you guys made $75 I'd go with blowing every penny having fun with yout troop but if you made a lot more consider having fun and teaching about helping out. They are babies, your goal is to make them want to be a GS FOEVER.

Mine quit at 10

 

[stephbillalec]

Second year Daisy troop leader here.
My girls made about 1K on cookie sales this year!!
We have a troop of 20 and we're spending most all of the money.

We donated to a memorial educational fund (a mom of one of our school families died so one was set up for her children) and are going on a (free) trip to Petco to learn about caring for animals. After the trip we're going to buy dog/cat food to donate to the local animal shelter.

We are going to see Charlotte's Web at a local school and have a Friendly's trip planned ($1 cones!) The girls are also going to go to Build-a-Bear and Rainforest Cafe as their big trip.

The girls voted on all of these things. We figured we might as well spend all of the money as some of the girls might not come back next year.

 

[kacaju]

I took the girls horseback riding one year (their idea) we donated some of the money.
I always let the kids come up with the basic ideas.

 

[Ohiodislover]

Both girls have done day trips to NYC. One went to the American Girl Store, and had tea. The other to Carmine's, and a broadway show.

We have done overnights in the aquarium, and different museums.

This year I only have one DD in. We used half the $$ to adopt 2 families for Christmas. We haven't decided what to do w/ the other half. We are thinking about saving it towards our trip to Savannah, that we are taking in 2011.

 

[aprilgail2]

As Brownies we used our cookie money one year to go to Great Wolf Lodge. Another year as Brownies we used it to go to a girls spa day. We are not sure what we are doing with it this year, we have the nut money still in the bank plus our cookie money should be an additional 1,000 so they have money for something, they are just not sure what they want to do. Its always a vote and always the girls idea on what to do with it since they earned it. I was hopng for a weekend to Hershey park but none of the girls suggested that one LOL.

 

[PatsGirl]

I'm a Junior leader but anyways... this year we went to see Blue Man Group and out for pizza/salads, last year we went to Canobie Lake Park and stayed overnight at a nearby hotel and the year before that we saved the money until the following Fall and went to Salem in October -- some great trips from selling cookies!

 

[cathyce2]

My girls are Juniors now, but 1st year Brownies we did a workshop and spent the day at a local childrens museum. For 2nd year we did an overnight trip to the Miami Seaquarium which was a total blast. Last year we made almost $1800 from cookie sales and ended our time as Brownies with a Disney weekend. We did the Pirate and Princess Party, overnight at Pop, Character Breakfast at the Grand Floridian, and a round of mini-golf. We also went to Build-a-Bear and donated the bears to the sheriffs office all three years.
Have fun whatever you decide. Just spending time together is what the girls want most.

 

[mumom95]

We are 2nd year brownies. We are going to COSI in Columbus, Ohio this weekend (an overnight) using last years cookie money. I think this summer or in the fall we are going to a hotel/waterpark (I don't remember the name right now) in Indianapolis, Indiana and to the Children's museum there using this year's cookie money. We should have enough to cover each girl and their mom.

 

[beavismom]

Our troop put aside a portion of our money each year and at the end of the year this year (last year of juniors) we are going on a nice beach trip. This way, they still got to do something with some of the money each year, but also learned the value of saving up for something special.

 

[Ohiodislover]

We are 2nd year brownies. We are going to COSI in Columbus, Ohio this weekend (an overnight) using last years cookie money.

I remember those days! Fun times! Where do you sleep. When we first started going, I remember sleeping in the museum. Then because of fire codes we had to be bussed to a local school, and sleep in the gym.

 

[mumom95]

I remember those days! Fun times! Where do you sleep. When we first started going, I remember sleeping in the museum. Then because of fire codes we had to be bussed to a local school, and sleep in the gym.

As far as I know we sleep on the floor in the museum.

I'm not sure how long ago you went, but I think the museum has moved to a different location from when I was a kid (I'm 36 now), so maybe it's bigger and there isn't as much worry about a fire code issue.

 

[Ohiodislover]

As far as I know we sleep on the floor in the museum.

I'm not sure how long ago you went, but I think the museum has moved to a different location from when I was a kid (I'm 36 now), so maybe it's bigger and there isn't as much worry about a fire code issue.

I knew it had moved- that's why I was asking. I started going in the mid 70s. I'm old!

 

[LaraK]

Our council sells cookies in the fall, which is nice because we use the money all year. We suppliment field trips, buy all the try-its (we've done a TON) and then we let the girls choose what major things they wanted to do this year (part of one of the badges by the way). We gave each girl four pennies and let them pick which of six bags they put it in. Each bag was labled with ideas we'd brainstormed the week before. The girls decided to put their money towards camping, swimming, ice skating and going to the SPCA. We just did our pool party this weekend and had a blast. We also gave them an ice cream sundae party as part of it for good behavior at the meetings.