Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: How do you handle meal money?

[RowenaHC (RowenaHC]

We have a rather clunky system which is working while we figure out a better 
one, including the tax implications of having a "Community Fund" account, 
which would get cash from such things as renting guest rooms, "home" office 
space, and extra parking in the garage, as well as meals and laundry.

 Right now one individual runs a spread sheet for meals and our Treasurer 
keeps the cash in an account which is separate from the Association account.  
The leader of a meal team submits a bill to her which is divided by the 
number of people who ate that meal and charged to their account.  The leader  
and other shoppers on the team are credited with the amounts spent.  Every 
few months there is a reconciliation and the people who are in deficit are 
billed and those with large balances are given checks.   It works quite well 
if you have someone willing to do the spread sheet.

We are thinking about moving to a fixed fee for meals.  For one thing, right 
now the meal team leader also buys whatever staples are low when he or she is 
planning the meal, so the cost of some meals  includes, say, several pounds 
of coffee and a canister of bay leaves which will last for many meals!

This issue was discussed at the recent cohousing conference and there were 
many variations all of which had advantages and disadvantages, as far as I 
could see.   The only thing to be avoided at all costs is paying cash on the 
spot.  We tried it just once - it was a nightmare!!!

Rowena
CambridgeCohousing