A blog series to help girls, parents, and leaders learn ways to fund your Girl Scout travels!

Are you ready to travel the globe and see what the world has to offer? Maybe you’re interested in joining a Girl Scouts Destinations trip or a Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana (GSGCNWI) council-sponsored trip such as our upcoming You-and-Me Trips to St. Louis, MO, or Door County, WI!

Whatever your future Girl Scout travels may be, you’re going to need some money, and now is the perfect time to start planning and earning!

Make a Plan!

Start planning for your adventure 6-18 months prior to the trip; the more money you need, the further out you should plan.  It’s important that you have a clear plan and purpose for your money-earning activities. These activities should be as girl-led as possible.  

1. Set goals for money-earning activities. What do you hope to accomplish through this activity? In addition to earning money, what skills do you hope to build? What leadership opportunities will be offered to you? 

2. Create a budget. Use a budget worksheet that includes both expenses (the cost of supplies, admission to events, travel and so on) and available income (the group’s account balance and projected cookie/fall product & money-earning proceeds). 

3. Determine how much the group needs to earn. Subtract expenses from available income to determine how much money your group needs to earn based on your anticipated travel plans. 

4. Make a plan. You or your troop should brainstorm for program ideas and anticipated expenses and then make decisions about your financial plans. Will cookie and other product programs earn enough money to meet your goals? If not, which group money-earning activities might offset the difference in anticipated expenses and anticipated income? Will more than one group money-earning activity be necessary to achieve the group’s financial goals? In this planning stage, consider the value of any potential activity. Weigh feasibility, implementation and safety factors. 

5. Write it out. Once you have decided your goals and proposed activities, describe it in writing or perhaps create a chart. If the plan involves a group money-earning activity, fill out an application for approval and submit it along with the budget worksheet your group created. 

6. Review the plan and troop treasury information. This will help you see where you as you work towards meeting troop financial goals and helps parents understand the troop finances.

Rule of Thirds

One idea that’s been passed down from Girl Scout generation to the next is the Rule of Thirds. Take the final cost of the trip and separate into it thirds: girl pays 1/3 of the cost, troop pays 1/3 of the cost, and family pays 1/3 of the cost.  

• Girls: Save up your own money or earn money to help pay for the trip! 
  • Babysitting 
  • Pet-sitting or dog walking  
  • Allowance 
  • Birthday, Christmas, holiday money 
  • Job
• Troops: 
  • Before selling cookies or fall product, you can ask you troop if you can use a portion of the sales to go toward your travel expenses.  
  • Taking a troop trip? Try one of the many activity ideas listed together as a group using the money to go toward your travels.  
• Family: Your parents or guardians could pay for 1/3 of the cost of the trip.

Use these money saving tips towards upcoming You & Me trips!

St. Louis, MO and Door County, WI

Need money-earning event inspiration? Read our FIRST blog in our “Fund Your Travels” series!