do you tip your newspaper carrier??

[slo]

I've never tipped my newspaper carrier, because I've never met them.
They do a cruddy job anyway - my paper is always at the end of my driveway - annoying!!

I remember my mom tipping the young boys that would deliver paper when I was a kid.
I understand that, because you have a kid trying to make a few extra bucks, and it was an incentive to do the job correctly. If the newspaper was by the door, than the tip would be decent. If it was in the grass, than the tip would be small.

 

[DVC-Don]

For the last 10 years I only read online newspapers. Don't have to go out in the cold in the morning, no more wet papers or papers buried in the snow. When I delivered an afternoon paper back in the 1960's maybe half my route tipped me.

 

[Mokat76]

I tip once a year at some random time, rarely Christmas because money is tight then. Usually $100,which sounds high but is under $2 per week for a terrific carrier who has never missed a delivery in 4+ years. He or she is an unsung hero in my book, on time every single day.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I get the paper on the computer now so I guess I could go to the building and tip the IT group?

 

[aprilgail]

Newspaper carries make most of their income from tips. They make less than 10 cents a paper for profit. Sunday's are a few cents more profit.

This is what I do too. I thought it was extremely common to tip the newspaper carrier.

I agree, I never heard of anyone not tipping them. Most of their pay comes from tips. I get billed every 8 weeks and tip 10.00.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hmmm, whoever bumped this must have either deleted their post or been deleted...

I don't tip the newspaper guy, never have.

That's what happened. Thread resurrected by an extremely lengthy post (obviously written by a newspaper carrier) basically saying - "without a doubt TIP!" As well as saving your rubber bands and plastic bags to donate back to them (so they don't have to buy new supplies out of their pocket).

 

[ColoradoDisneyFreaks]

That's what happened. Thread resurrected by an extremely lengthy post (obviously written by a newspaper carrier) basically saying - "without a doubt TIP!" As well as saving your rubber bands and plastic bags to donate back to them (so they don't have to buy new supplies out of their pocket).

If we gave the plastic bags back to them, what would we use to pick up dog poop on walkies?

And no, I still don't, and won't tip. When you drive around my neighborhood and fling the paper out of your car, you're doing your job, no more, no less, and not every position is a tipped position. The days where you knew the name of your paperboy or girl because they came around to collect payments for the paper, and they knew that you needed to have your paper on the porch, or preferred it in the driveway, or whatever are long over.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I use to give a Christmas tip when I got 6 day delivery. But those days are long gone. I just read online.

 

[tvguy]

My dh worked as a newspaper carrier for 2 years. He would get up at 2 am every morning, no matter what the weather and make sure that the paper was delivered by 6 am. Then he would come home and get dressed and go to his second job. He worked incredibly hard. Even if that had been his only job, he worked incredibly hard. His gas allowance was only $.31 a mile. That won't even buy you a 1/4 of a tank anymore. And he had to buy the paper bags, rubber bands etc. When he quit we figured out that his paper route actually cost us money.

So do I tip, I sure do. And often. It's a miserable job and those that say they don't tip certainly wouldn't want to do it. Sending a tip throughout the year is awesome and sending a bonus at Christmas time was so appreciated.

Must have been 1997 or before, because the minimum allowed IRS mileage allowable reimbursement hasn't been that low since then.
My wife's Uncle has a route in St. Louis. He is in place to pickup his papers at 1:30 am and done by 630 am, 7 days a week, rain, snow or sleet. 35 hour work week spread over 7 days. His route territory has expanded greatly in the last 10 years, but the total number of papers delivered has stayed about the same. He hires help so he can take 4 weeks off a year, and every federal holiday. He clears $100,000+ a year, and no matter how hard he works, nobody tips him.

 

[DeaverTex]

Must have been 1997 or before, because the minimum allowed IRS mileage allowable reimbursement hasn't been that low since then.
My wife's Uncle has a route in St. Louis. He is in place to pickup his papers at 1:30 am and done by 630 am, 7 days a week, rain, snow or sleet. 35 hour work week spread over 7 days. His route territory has expanded greatly in the last 10 years, but the total number of papers delivered has stayed about the same. He hires help so he can take 4 weeks off a year, and every federal holiday. He clears $100,000+ a year, and no matter how hard he works, nobody tips him.

When he "clears $100,000+ a year", why does he need tips? Just asking. Mrs. Tex and I both work hard too and nobody tips either of us.

 

[tvguy]

When he "clears $100,000+ a year", why does he need tips? Just asking. Mrs. Tex and I both work hard too and nobody tips either of us.

Exactly. Same reason why I don't tip movers or carpenters or electricians or other tradespeople who come work in my home and are earning $30 an hour.