A Guide On Brownie Points

I have finished an exhaustive search of the Internet, trying to find a guide on the collection and use of Brownie Points.  After googling it and looking through the first 10 hits, it was apparent that no such guide exists.  I will attempt to rectify this in 800 or less words.

Brownie Point (BROW-knee poi-nt)

-noun Informal

a credit toward advancement or good standing gained especially by currying favor.

Origin:

1960-65; from the point system based on good behavior and performance used by Girl Scout Brownies for advancement

In modern times, the Brownie Point system has morphed into a way of storing up good will toward another person.  On rare occasions that good will can spill over into an act of kindness for the accumulator.  For example, an entire month of thoughtful actions toward the lady of the house might result in an evening of kicking back on the computer and playing Starcraft 2 all night without a stitch of guilt or negative repercussions.

(A note of warning here, indulging in a reward activity before accumulating the required amount of Brownie Points will most often result in nullifying the current stash of points, and in some cases cause a negative balance.  Extreme caution is advised!)

Collection

Brownie Point collection can be confusing at best.  The service rendered that may earn you 100 BP this week, may net you zero the next week.  Or even worse, you may lose points from your balance if the same service is expected and not performed the second week. For instance, if I empty all the trashcans in the house before trash day this week, Brownie Points!  If I fail to do the same next week, brownie point deduction.

Also, there is no set pay scale in the brownie point system.  This morning, I stayed up and fed the baby a bottle.  I knew my wife was tired and that she would appreciate me letting her get back to bed, so I probably earned about a bazillion Brownie Points.  That exact same offer, made during the afternoon, might only net me 10 to 15 BP.

As far as collection of points goes, I can sum it up thusly:

Points are earned for actions that meet a need, want, or desire in your partner.  The larger the need, the bigger the reward will be.  The amount of points will also vary on willingness to offer said service.

            Service Offered Out of the Blue – Mondo Point Reward

            Service Offered with few hints – Point Reward

            Service Offered at request – Meager (if at all) Point Reward

            Service Offered after nagging – You done blew your Brownie Point stash

Storage and Retention

Brownie Points are accumulated and held by the party receiving the service.  This can be a great disadvantage if that person is prone to transient global amnesia or some other mild cognitive impairment.  Basically, if they forget, you lose all your points.

To combat these occurrences, it’s best to keep a small but steady trickle of good-will going.  That way the ‘Brownie Bank’ is always open and making transactions.

Use of Points

Finally, we make it to the end game.  Stored Brownie Points can be used in one of two ways, intentional or unintentional.  Both are good in their own right, but intentional use is the best.

Unintentional use amounts to about the same as a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card, if you’re familiar with Monopoly vernacular.  For example, the wife walks into the room holding a small scrap of cloth in her angrily shaking fist, saying, “You threw my brand new drip-dry sweater into the dryer, and now it’s shrunk beyond all practical use.”  If you have a stash of Brownie Points built up, answering with “I’m so sorry” will usually diffuse the situation at the cost of your current Brownie Point tally.

Intentional use is the crème de la crème.  This is where good will is heaped back upon you, once you reach the overflow point at the Brownie Bank.  Unfortunately, the tipping point is also on a sliding scale that may or may not be related to the moon cycle and local ambient temperature.

I’m a numbers person, so it pains me greatly that I can’t lay figures to actions and provide you a complete table on how to earn the most Brownie Points in the smallest amount of time.  That being said, I think this guide is mildly informative and can be useful.  Please feel free to add to it or redistribute it where you think is necessary.