When I enrolled my daughter in Daisies, my main motivation was the low commitment—only twice a month, and I could enjoy a little free time (guilty as charged!). But when cookie season hit, I was handed 20 cases of cookies with a cheerful “They practically sell themselves!” Meanwhile, winter brought us the stomach flu, and I quickly learned that cookie selling was no cakewalk, especially when I had to unload 230 boxes in two weeks. No pressure, right? Here’s what I discovered along the way:
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Timing is Everything
The first couple of weeks are crucial. Everyone’s eager for cookies, but when your household is hit by the stomach flu (thank you for sharing, kids), you miss the window. By the time you’re ready to peddle cookies, everyone else has already stocked up. And good luck competing with Keebler’s Coconut Dreams, which are essentially the same as Samoas and available all year. -
Cookies and the Flu Don’t Mix
I thought I could savor an extra case of Tagalongs, but after indulging, I was struck down by the stomach flu. After a long, unpleasant night, I never wanted to see another Tagalong again. So much for savoring those delicious cookies throughout the summer; I ended up with only one untouched box left. -
Eating > Selling
Put a plate of Trefoils in front of me, and I’d bypass door-to-door sales in a heartbeat. For every house I visited, that was five minutes I could’ve spent enjoying cookies instead. -
Serious Cookie Moms Are No Joke
These moms are a dedicated force of nature! With their fancy booths and irresistible samples, they can sell ice to an Eskimo. When it came to our 230 boxes, I even found myself buying cookies from other troops. Clearly, I was outmatched. -
Kids and Commitment
My 6-year-old was all in until we hit our seventh house, which turned them down. Suddenly, she was ready to ditch the cookies for Lego playtime. Until they’re older and motivated by rewards, parents do all the heavy lifting. -
Turns Out, I’m No Hustler
I’m more comfortable settling for what’s easy rather than pushing for sales. My husband, however, is the real bargain hunter. Looks like I need to adopt some of his strategies for next year’s cookie sales. -
Secret Cookie Stashes Exist
Apparently, my husband has his own hidden hoard of S’mores cookies tucked away somewhere in the house. You never know where those sneaky snacks might be! -
One Cookie? Ha!
Good luck trying to limit yourself to just one cookie. I told myself I’d just have one, but before I knew it, I had devoured three boxes by noon. It’s a slippery slope when you have a mountain of cookies at home! -
People Shell Out Big Bucks
I was surprised at how casually people paid $4 per box without batting an eye. It felt slightly wrong to ask them for that much for something that might be worth $1.99 elsewhere, but they didn’t seem to mind. Perhaps it’s all about supporting a good cause or sticking to tradition. -
Cookie Mom? No Thanks!
Keeping track of sales with my makeshift tally marks on receipts was a chaotic nightmare. I realized I’m not cut out for the organizational demands of the cookie mom role.
In the end, we sold about half of our stock. I felt a twinge of guilt returning the leftovers, but at least I got them back in time for booth sales. I briefly considered buying the remaining boxes myself, but my husband didn’t buy into that idea. Next year, we’ll try to kick things off earlier—assuming no one gets the flu again.
For now, I have plenty of Samoas and S’mores to munch on and a half-eaten box of Tagalongs if anyone’s brave enough to share.