Cohousing-L Mailing List: NOT Paying for common meals

[Chris ScottHanson (chris]

Having lived in three different cohousing communities, and having visited
many others, I have experienced a variety of meal tracking and billing
systems and they all seemed cumbersome. Usually well managed, but sometimes
very complicated.

Of particular concern to me was the community that ended up paying the State
of ??? sales tax on the money collected for meals.  Talk about accounting...

The one I heard about that I am the most impressed with, which I have not
actually experienced, was described to me (and others) by Jan Gudman-Hoyer
(the father of cohousing in Denmark).  If I remember correctly, and those
who know more about this should jump right in here, he described a money
free system that went something like this.

Each night of the week there was a dinner "club" made up of those who wished
to attend meals regularly on that night every week.  You took your turn
cooking on that night based on the size of your "club".  When you cooked,
you supplied and paid for all the food.  When you were not cooking, you
showed up to eat, without paying or tracking anything.  If you couldn't come
one night, you arranged to pick up your meal so you can take it home and eat
it, or otherwise.

This system had some interesting nuances, if I remember correctly.  For
instance, you COULD agree to make Monday nights vegan night, and Friday
night beef night, etc.  Of course Thursday could be Thai food night.
Second, your dinner "club." I don't remember what they did about visitors,
or even other member of their community who wanted to join in once in a
while.

Does anyone else remember this system, and if so, can they add anything to
my limited description of it.  It does meet one of my primary goals in life,
that of keeping things simple and straight forward.

In community,

Chris ScottHanson

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