Girl Scouts learn about money management and inflation ahead of Cookie Season

As Girl Scouts across the state gear up for 2024 Girl Scout Cookie sales, it’s a crucial time to prepare them with the core skills that will set them up for success during the upcoming Cookie Season and beyond.

Girl Scouts Western Oklahoma (GSWESTOK) recently partnered with University of Oklahoma Athletics to host a Cookie Rally at Lloyd Noble Center in Norman. During numerous breakout sessions, attendees learned about a variety of engaging topics including safe selling practices and marketing tactics.

The Cookie Program helps girls develop five core skills: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics. In addition to digital sales, Girl Scouts rely on door-to-door and booth sales to reach their goals. Through the program, girls take orders, make correct change, handle customers’ various forms of payment, develop a budget and more. In turn, girls learn skills that lay the foundation for more informed financial decision-making down the road.

“The Girl Scout Cookie Program is about so much more than a tasty treat. It supports a wonderful world of opportunity, leadership and growth for girls across our organization,” said Kathy Thompson, Senior Manager of Product Program and Retail. “Each year, Girl Scouts across the region learn the ins and outs of running their own business. As their biggest champion, we will always support them in their endeavors to build a brighter future by providing relevant resources and training activities with real-world applications.”

Girl Scouts also learned about inflation and how the rising cost of supplies can have a ripple effect on the economy. The United States inflation rate peaked at 9.1% in June 2022 and many businesses have been forced to raise prices as a result.

Like many other products, increased costs for everything from ingredients to shipping have led to a price increase to $6 for a box of Girl Scout cookies throughout much of the country, up from $5. This shift is a lesson in the pressures that come with running a business. 

GSWESTOK has partnered with Express Employment International to develop an Inflation Awareness Patch program to educate girls on the change. This program includes ways girls can engage their customers to demonstrate their knowledge on how inflation has specifically impacted their cookie business. 

Many former Girl Scouts can recount learning about finances for the first time through the Girl Scout Cookie Program, and in many cases, those early conversations can help positively shape girls’ relationships with money throughout their lives. Learn more about how you can make a difference by supporting The Girl Scout Cookie Program.