Three bucks.

It’s not very much and almost everybody can scrape it together.

It’s what a box of Girl Scout Cookies costs and we encourage all our readers to have that amount available near the front door. Between now and Feb. 19, area scouts will be making the rounds, knocking on doors to sell their cookies.

Twenty percent of the money goes to troops as troop discretionary money; some use it for short trips and others have traveled on extended trips; some use the money for community service projects.

Here’s how your $3 is put to work:

Twenty-nine percent of the money covers the cost of the sale, which includes cookies and training materials.

Three percent is used of individual girl recognition based on numbers of boxes sold.

And 48 percent remains in the council to provide training and support to volunteers; communications materials for parents and volunteers; maintenance of cap facilities, subsidies to camps and any number of worthy causes.

What a bargain. Being on a diet is no excuse – buy them and throw them away, if you like. The girls deserve your support.