Thursdays were my favorite day of the week when I was a kid. Why? Because every Thursday, my parents and my friends’ parents would get together to exchange items, borrow things, swap recipes, and organize group learning activities for their kids. Call it what you want; we called it a co-op.

It isn’t just for old people. Co-ops are a great way to form a strong relationship base with your community. If you’re looking for additional ways to save money and make ends meet, you don’t have to look much further. The best part? Anyone can start a co-op anywhere. Be it one in your apartment complex with your neighbors, at your college, at work, or…you know, anywhere else you can think of.

Still not sure why it’s a good idea? Here are six reasons.

Free Food

Let’s face it; this is probably the number one reason why co-ops are a great idea. You can ask everyone to bring one dish. It doesn’t have to be large enough to feed about four. You can all bring a plastic container or two and get a (mostly) free meal, plus leftovers of things you’ve never tried! It’s a great way to cut food costs and add variety to your diet.

Swaps

Have you got a piece of furniture, an article of clothing, or an appliance you don’t want or need? Swap it with a member of your co-op for something you do! If you all have a local place you meet or, even more efficiently, a social media page, you can post your item and ask if anyone wants to trade. Someone might have something you can use.

This way, you spend less money, have less clutter, and consume fewer resources. It’s a win-win all around.

Pooling Your Resources

If you have a co-op, not everyone has to own a ladder, a hammer, a screwdriver, or a carpet cleaner. You can pool your resources to buy community items and keep the coffers full if something breaks or somebody has an emergency.

This doesn’t just apply to physical items, either. Are you good at math, but you suck at sewing? Offer to tutor your friend’s kid if they’ll hem your jeans.

Make Extra Cash

This builds off of the previous idea. If you want to make extra money doing odd jobs, you already have a safe community of people you know and trust who might need your services.

People are more likely to hire someone they know to watch their kids, pets, or house or wash their car. They might even pay you more, too. It’s a great way to make a little extra cash on the side.

Community Garage Sales

Speaking of making cash on the side, garage sales are much more effective the bigger they are. You can host a community garage sale; that way, not all the planning is on you. Get your co-op, pool all your junk, and spend a weekend working together to eliminate it. Keep your items separate so you know what belongs to who, or divide the money equally. Your choice!

Putting Down Roots

So sure, there are lots of benefits, but having a co-op is more than that. It’s one of the best ways to build a support group of people who care about you and will be willing to help you when you’re not having the greatest of weeks or even years.

Having a support group like a co-op can make your life so much easier, and it’s a great way to save money and make a little extra.