Points System

Overview

The Saginaw Community Food Club (saginawfoodclub.org) is a nonprofit membership grocery store based at 310 Meredith, Saginaw, MI. Rather than pricing items in dollars, the store uses a points-based system designed to make healthy foods the most affordable and accessible option for members with limited monthly allotments.

How the Points System Works

Inside the Food Club, every item on the shelves carries a point value rather than a dollar price. The system is structured so that the healthiest options — fresh fruits and vegetables — are priced at the lowest point values available in the store. Snacks and processed foods are assigned higher point values. This pricing hierarchy is intentional: it ensures that eating well is the path of least resistance for members operating within a finite monthly allotment.

The exact numeric point scale for individual items (for example, a range such as 1–6 points per item) has not been published publicly on the live site. Only the relative ordering is confirmed: produce is cheapest, processed foods are costliest.

Members shop for exactly what they need — choosing individual items in the quantities they want — rather than receiving a pre-packed food box. This preserves member choice and dignity, which is central to the Food Club's model.

Point Allotments by Household Size

Each membership comes with a monthly point allotment scaled to the number of people in the household. The published allotments are:

Household Size	Monthly Points
1 person	60 points
2 people	90 points
3 people	100 points
4 people	120 points
5 people	130 points
6–7 people	150 points
8+ people	170 points

Source: saginawfoodclub.org/faq — "How does it work?"

Grocery Coverage Window

According to the Food Club's own FAQ, a household's monthly point allotment is sized to redeem for approximately 9 to 11 days of groceries across each 30-day membership period. This means a single membership is not intended to cover all of a household's grocery needs for the month, but rather a meaningful supplemental portion. Prospective members unfamiliar with the model are encouraged to confirm coverage expectations with Food Club staff.

Point Expiration and Top-Ups

Points operate under two firm rules:

• No rollover: Points that are unused at the end of a 30-day membership period are forfeited. They do not carry forward into the next period.
• No top-ups: If a household exhausts its point allotment before the 30-day period ends, no additional points can be purchased that month.

These rules apply uniformly regardless of household size or circumstance.

Membership Renewal

Membership renewal is handled in person at the Food Club's Membership Services Desk. Households are not required to renew every month — participation is flexible, and members can choose whether to purchase a membership in any given 30-day period.

Key Facts at a Glance

• Pricing unit: Points (not dollars)
• Healthiest items: Lowest point cost (fruits and vegetables)
• Processed/snack items: Higher point cost
• Allotment range: 60 points (1 person) to 170 points (8+ people)
• Coverage: ~9–11 days of groceries per 30-day period
• Rollover: Not permitted
• Top-ups: Not available
• Renewal: In person at the Membership Services Desk; not mandatory every month

Source References

All facts in this article are drawn from the live Saginaw Community Food Club website, specifically:

• saginawfoodclub.org home page ("How It Works" section)
• saginawfoodclub.org/faq ("How does it work?", "What will I be able to buy at Food Club?", "What if I don't use all of my points in a month?")