I don’t know about you, but I never know who I am supposed to “tip” around this time of year.
Seriously, there are A LOT of people who make life a lot easier, {the garbage man and UPS man for starters} but do I just get them a gift or tip them? To tip or not to tip, that is the question. If you’re in the same boat, here’s a little etiquette guide on Holiday tipping:
As a rule of thumb, you are supposed to give a tip or gift that is “equivalent to one session of service” according to money.cnn.com. So, if you tip your babysitter, tip her the amount you would pay her for one evening out. Some service providers {the postal service}, can’t except cash tips, but can accept gifts under $20 in value. {Make sure to look up or call about individual company rules}.
Here’s the thing, though: I think tips and gifts can range and are varied by region. I am sure in New York tipping your doorman is totally the norm, but out here in the ‘burbs a plate of cookies for the garbage man still packs a punch. Plus, I don’t think anyone should feel obligated to tip if it isn’t in their budget. It’s a gift-giving gesture of appreciation that counts–even a card or thanks goes a long way.
What do you think? Would you rather tip someone cash, or a gift instead?
~Mavis
GigHarborJoyce says
I would like the handy mini food processor in brushed chrome! How great would that be?!
Pam S says
I tip people I have a relationship with like the guys at UPS (who I see more often than I should….lol) or newspaper lady (she’s never missed a day!). I don’t have garbage collection but I did take a big tin of cookies to Chet (he’s the “director” of the local reclamation/recycling center). When I lived “in town” I usually went to McD or BK and bought $50.00 worth of $5.00 gift cards and gave them out to folks rather than tip them. Any leftovers went to the local school so they could use them as they saw fit. It’s a slippery slope to figure out who to tip and who to skip but I agree that it’s not something you should ever feel is “required”.
Elizabeth says
Am I a total cheapskate? I can’t bring myself to tip “one session of service” ($60) to my hairstylist, even though I really like her. That’s more than I spend on presents for some family. I tip all year and then give a bigger tip at Christmas. Do the rest of you tip a whole haircut-worth? And what if you get treatments like color that up the price beyond $100-200? (City prices.)
Wendy Steele says
I’ve been selling Avon for almost 3 years now, and I give my delivery guy a $20 Dunkin’ Donuts Gift Card. I either hand it to him if I’m home on delivery day–or tape it to the front door. I could give cash–but I feel the gift card is somehow classier–& he’ll use it on his daily rounds. I didn’t come up with this idea myself–there’s a forum on my Avon Representative Website, and I learned it from the more experienced ladies there!!!!
Butterflyweed says
I have to say I find this Christmas tipping thing annoying. When I get my hair cut or nails done, I give a very nice tip at the time of service. I see no reason to make a special trip into the salon to hand out cash. Why are we expected to give large gifts during the holidays? Several different people drive the delivery routes during the year. Who gets the tip? The guy hired on as a temp for the holidays? I have at least 3 different guys on the trash route. Garage, recycling and yard waste and none of them ever gets out of the truck. Maybe if they have to get out and lift an old-time can into the truck they should be tipped, but we pay extra for the cans that can just be lifted with the gizmo thingy. Bah Humbug!
Crystal says
I would love to tip my garbage guys (what a thankless job that is) but they use the new robot arm thing so they wouldn’t know their tip was even there… 🙁
Helen in Meridian says
I call the number on the garbage/recycle cans, and they have dispatch tell them to stop at blah blah for a gift. I call the morning of pick up. I give spiral cut ham, or turkeys. I am sure they would love money too.