Organizing a food co-op will save you loads of money every month. There are several different “types” of co-ops that can be organized, however I am going to spend time explaining the most popular two. I will explain each one, and show you how to create a food co-op with neighbors, friends or family.
Bulk Warehouse Co-op
This works best if everyone shops at the same bulk warehouse, so the products remain the same each time. However, if it works better for one family, to perhaps obtain a membership at one bulk warehouse, and the other family to obtain a membership at a different bulk warehouse, this can have its benefits as well.
A bulk warehouse co-op is simple to set up, entailing little more than, setting up shopping lists of items that each family/person frequently purchases at the warehouse store. Then comparing these lists with each other, you can find which families use the same products. Typically a “no purchases made” shopping trip is required to the store, to obtain prices and weight/quantity of items.
After this, you might want to go to the store to do the shopping together. Or perhaps each week/month a different family goes and does the shopping. You purchase the items you wish to share, and then bring them home. Everyone meets at that home, and they split the items up fairly between those that wanted that item. Each family pays their portion of that item.
For instance, three families wanted ground beef. The package from the bulk warehouse had 6lbs of ground beef. The ground beef would then be separated and each family would receive two pounds each. The cost of the ground beef was $6.94. So two of the families would give $2.32 to the person who originally bought the ground beef, and would take their two pounds home with them.
This is a great way to save money, get extra food you might not have otherwise purchased due to size, and be friendly and neighborly as well.
Please let me know about how your co-op is run and share any handy tips.
See my article, Save Money By Starting a Meal Making Co-Op for more ways to save time and money!
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