Cookie Money: Expenses, Profits, and... Legos?

The cookies are sold, the market is behind us, and now it’s time for the Three Little Badgers to tackle a slightly less delicious part of running a business: the math.

Selling cookies brought in money! But the boys are learning that the money you collect isn’t necessarily the money you get to keep. We sat down together to figure out our expenses, subtract the costs of ingredients and supplies, and calculate what was actually left over as profit. Which led to a bonus business lesson: smart money doesn’t just mean knowing how much you made. It means knowing where your money goes. We also talked about credit cards, including the very important concept that using a credit card doesn’t mean something is free. (A lesson we’re hoping sticks before they discover online shopping.)

Once we knew our profits, the boys got to make some decisions about what to do with their money...

First, we made our very first Three Little Badgers donation to UW Athletics for NIL! It was pretty exciting to see their cookie business turn into an opportunity to support something they care about.

Then came the really tough decision: What should we do with the rest?

The boys had plenty of ideas: Saving some? Yup. Spending some? Definitely!

And, as it turns out, “spending wisely” includes a trip to Target for new Lego sets. Most of their profits may have found their way into the Lego aisle, but we’re okay with it. They worked hard for that money, made the decisions themselves, and are learning that earning, spending, saving, and giving are all part of running a business - and managing money.

Not bad for a bunch of little badgers who started out just wanting to bake cookies.

Now… if anyone needs us, we’ll be building with our profits.