Did I tip okay?

[Justsyd2]

First let me just say that no one should feel obligated to tip no one just because it's Christmas. That is not the true meaning of Christmas. Secondly those figures seems unrealistic unless you're making 100,000 plus per year esp if you have kids. That's just my 2 cents

It says that those figures are the average. I would say that they're on the low end, and that higher incomes would tip more.

 

[summerrluvv]

I was a house cleaner fresh out of high school while I was going to college at night. We never got tips and nor was it expected. We made a wage that was more than minimum wage (not much more though). A house cleaner is not a tipped position like a waitress or a hair dresser.

 

[thefirebuilds]

on the subject of tipping, but more related to diz..

when a bellhop picks up my suitcases from the bus and holds them till we get to our room, a different bellhop delivers them to my room. Am I to tip BOTH of them or just the one delivering them?

 

[thefirebuilds]

I was a house cleaner fresh out of high school while I was going to college at night. We never got tips and nor was it expected. We made a wage that was more than minimum wage (not much more though). A house cleaner is not a tipped position like a waitress or a hair dresser.

I disagree, if they do a nice job, do something special or you have a nice relationship I think it's perfectly cool, especially this time of year.

OTOH, I don't believe in tipping a manicurist or a barber that owns the business, my fiance and i argue this but I think it's rude to tip an owner.

I also dont tip on an unwaited counter or a barister, i think its stupid.

 

[Justsyd2]

Both of the Bellmen, or anyone who touches your bags.

 

[thefirebuilds]

Both of the Bellmen, or anyone who touches your bags.

is it ok to yell STOP TOUCHING MY BAGS?!

 

[CherylA]

is it ok to yell STOP TOUCHING MY BAGS?!

I feel like yelling that all the time. I feel bad not to tip but I don't want to tip everyone and their brother!

 

[Justsyd2]

is it ok to yell STOP TOUCHING MY BAGS?!

 

[MMitchell29]

I feel like yelling that all the time. I feel bad not to tip but I don't want to tip everyone and their brother!

I don't feel bad at all. DH works very hard for his money and no one tips him

 

[mjkacmom]

First let me just say that no one should feel obligated to tip no one just because it's Christmas. That is not the true meaning of Christmas. Secondly those figures seems unrealistic unless you're making 100,000 plus per year esp if you have kids. That's just my 2 cents

I think it's regional - those figures seem low to me, but I live in a very high COL are.

 

[MMitchell29]

I think it's regional - those figures seem low to me, but I live in a very high COL are.

It does not matter where you live, a person should not feel obligated to tip all these people if don't want to. That is a personal choice. I don't follow what everyone else do or just because someone wrote an article about tipping and how much you should give. If and when I tip someone it's because they went above and beyond their duties not because it's a holiday

 

[mjkacmom]

It does not matter where you live, a person should not feel obligated to tip all these people if don't want to. That is a personal choice. I don't follow what everyone else do or just because someone wrote an article about tipping and how much you should give. If and when I tip someone it's because they went above and beyond their duties not because it's a holiday

That's fine, but you seemed to think those numbers were high for people who CHOOSE to tip, and I disagree. I don't feel obligated - I don't mind tipping those who I think deserve it, and tend to do it during the holidays, when I'm feeling more generous!

 

[berlymama2]

This is a tipping cart I have used from CNN/Money for the holidays:

CHILD CARE
Babysitter: 1 evening's pay + small gift from child
Au pair: 1 week's pay or a gift + small gift from child
Nanny: 1 week's to 1 month's pay + small gift from child
Daycare providers: $25-$70/each + small gift from child
Child's teacher: Gift (but check school's policy to see if it's allowed)

HOME/CAR CARE
Housekeeper: 1 week's pay or more (depending on length of service)
Trash collectors: $15-$20 each
Parking attendants: $10-$35 each or up to half a month's rate for the group if they regularly provide extra service
Gardener: $20-$50

APARTMENT SERVICE
Doormen: $20-$100 each (those who provide the most service for you should get more than those whom you barely see)
Superintendent/custodian: $30-$100 (closer to $100 if there's no doorman and few staff)
Porters/handymen: $10-$50 each
Elevator operators: $15-$40 each

PERSONAL CARE
Hairdresser: Cost of 1 cut (or $20-$100) if you go frequently + small gift
Manicurist: Cost of 1 session (or $10-$50) + small gift
Personal trainer: $25 up to 1 week's pay (or cost of 1 session)
Massage therapist: $50-$100 or cost of 1 session

PET CARE
Dog groomer: Small gift + ¼ to ½ the cost of 1 session
Dog walker: Cost of 1 session up to 1 week's pay

DELIVERY SERVICES
U.S. mail carrier: Gifts under $20*
UPS: $15 (if you get regular deliveries)
FedEx: Gift up to $25 (if you get regular deliveries)
Paper carrier: $15-$25 for daily delivery ($5-$15 for weekend delivery)
*Civil servants are not allowed to receive cash tips. But if you wish to recognize your mail carrier, the U.S. Postal Service asks that your gratuity not exceed $20 in cash value.

 

[OHJulie]

Someone please explain something to me. I understand tipping all of these people that do a service for you all year long that don't receive tips, but I have never understood why it is expected to tip your manicurist and hairdresser at Christmas. I tip 20-25% every time I get service from them, so I just don't see a need to tip them again at Christmas. I am missing something here?

 

[ICF]

tip what you want or can afford........and dont worry about it too much.

 

[pearlieq]

Do people really tip their garbage men?

It never really occured to me to do it. We pay $45 on every other water bill for 2 can/week. We put them out, they take them, we pull them back in.

I guess I don't really see it as a personal service for which I would tip. I've never even seen them.

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Just the holidays! I cut and pasted this, but I'm guessing the $50 average here depends upon how much a weekly housekeeper costs - there is no such thing as a $50 cleaning here!

Average Holiday Tip Amounts
The table below reflects a summary of the average tips in Consumer Reports' survey of 1,800 people:

Apartment building caretaker - $25.00
Barber, hairdresser and/or manicurist - $16.00 - $20.00
Teachers and/or childcare providers - $20.00 - $40.00
Fitness trainer/Instructor - $25.00
Lawncare crew - $25.00
Housekeeper - $50.00
Mail carrier or newspaper delivery - $15.00 - $20.00
Trash collector - $20.00
School bus driver - $15.00


Read more at Suite101: Holiday Tipping Guide: Who to Tip, How Much to Tip and What Are Others Giving At Christmas http://personalbudgeting.suite101.com/article.cfm/holiday_tipping_primer#ixzz0aWpQ5dQh

WHY do you have to tip these particular positions?

Many of the teachers in my school district make over 100K per year. So WHY would I be required to tip them?

The school bus drivers in my town make over $20-25+ per hour. WHY do they have to be tipped?

My letter carrier is a government employee. WHY do I have to tip him?

You should tip a personal trainer? You mean the person who charges $100 per hour should be tipped? Whoever made this list up is kidding? Right????

Why don't you include the person who pumps gas? How about all of the cashiers at the supermarkets and malls, the meter reader, the guy who delivers my oil, how about the cop on the corner, what about the street cleaners, my dry cleaner, etc.?

I don't understand how or why certain positions are chosen to be "tipped" at the end of the year and others aren't.

Restaurant workers I can understand being a tipped position. They make BELOW minimum wage and they depend on tips to survive.

People can tip to their heart's content, but I still don't get the reasoning behind some of the tipping or gift giving practices.

It seems like every year the list of who to tip keeps growing and growing with more and more positions added to it. It reminds of of the movie "My Blue Heaven" with Steve Martin. He tipped everyone in sight.

 

[horseshowmom]

is it ok to yell STOP TOUCHING MY BAGS?!

I feel like yelling that all the time. I feel bad not to tip but I don't want to tip everyone and their brother!

I agree! We stayed at the Royal Pacific at Universal Orlando awhile back. There was a bellman who took the bags out of the car at the curb and walked them over the entrance bridge to the bellman at the hotel door (a very short distance). I was expected to tip both of them. The inside bellman had a much longer walk since he carried the bags to the room. I did tip them both, but I took care of my own bags on the way out.


OP, I think you did fine. Enjoy your clean house!


ETA: I've been in education for 24 years and have never received at gift that cost $20-$40 nor do I think I should have. That's way too much. A small gift is nice but certainly not expected. $5 is fine, and $10 would be generous.

 

[sharlon]

Do people really tip their garbage men?

It never really occured to me to do it. We pay $45 on every other water bill for 2 can/week. We put them out, they take them, we pull them back in.

I guess I don't really see it as a personal service for which I would tip. I've never even seen them.

Absolutely, people tip their garbage men. I do think it varies from area to area though. My husband is GM of a garbage company. In the main county they service tips aren't very common. But, head to the next county south (mostly retirees) and almost everyone tips. I will tell you that these guys really go above and beyond servicing those houses and the customers are very appreciative. He has guys who make between two and four thousand dollars in Christmas tips.

 

[8esther8]

Oh brother. I'll be the Scrooge here. I've given a gift to my children's teachers, and I've left a present for the mailman in the mailbox, but that's it, as far as Christmas goes. How would I tip the garbageman--tape it to the can? I can assure you that noone does this in my small southern town. My manicurist and hairdresser get their regular tip after their service. My hairdresser makes about $17,000. a year. Our teachers make about $46,000 a year, on average. These tip suggestions must be for larger cities, for people with larger discretionary incomes.