I'm cheap....anyone else with me???

[cornflkgrl]

I have been reading and posting on the other boards about stuff like "turn-down service" and "required tipping," etc.
I would just like to say that I am cheap. I have said this before and I'm saying it again....why do I have to pay someone extra to do the job they are already being paid to do. Tipping should be for someone going out of their way, not just a required thing. Now you are expected to tip everyone you come into contact with and I am just not that rich.
I was also reading about tipping housekeeping and some people said 5 dollars a day?! They do get paid right? That sounds ridiculous to me and frankly I don't have an extra 70 bucks, I already spent every dime I have to go on this vacation.
If I sound jaded it is because I am spending 2200 dollars for 2 people for 7 days of hotel, tickets, and food. I know that sounds like a good deal to alot of people but I have flown to europe and back for cheaper than that. I really am excited about Disney World but I am suprised by all the "extra" expenses that have to be factored in.
I also read about tipping people to pull back the covers on your bed. I must be nuts but I really don't get that at all.

Just a total cheapskate venting here.

 

[MyGoofy26]

The way I see it, these people AREN'T being paid to do the job completely through their employer. They're paid very little and the employer gets away with it by expecting us to pick up the slack. If they factored it into their wages, we'd be paying for it anyway in the form of increased prices.

 

[Danemom]

I hope you're ready for the responses you are going to get. Most people will not agree with you. Especially though of us who have ever worked in the service industry and relied on tips to provide.

Yes, the housekeeping staff is paid to do their job. But they are not paid high wages, not even close. They rely on tips just like restaurant servers do to live. I don't know much about turndown service since I am frugal (not cheap!) and do not stay at those type of hotels.

I'm sorry that you feel your vacation is too expensive but your attitude that is a little off. Tips are not optional "extra" expenses, they are to be included in your spending budget. If you cannot afford your trip and the tips, you need to reassess your expenses for the trip. My view of what you're saying (and I understand that you don't see it this way, I certainly hope not) is that you're planning to cheat service staff out of wages to allow yourself a nice vacation. I'm not trying to be mean here, just trying to show you how what you've said comes across. Please reconsider your opinion of tipping the people who work so hard to make these trips magical.

 

[cornflkgrl]

The way I see it, these people AREN'T being paid to do the job completely through their employer. They're paid very little and the employer gets away with it by expecting us to pick up the slack. If they factored it into their wages, we'd be paying for it anyway in the form of increased prices.

See, i have a problem with that. I worked in the service industry in housekeeping and I think I was getting paid what I should get paid for doing a job that does not require much skill at all (I mean, come on, who doesn't know how to work a vacuum?) Now, if I went to college for 4 years and studied "domestic engineering " then maybe more. I think the minimum wage in this country should be raised across the board but that is a whole different issue and it still is not my personal responsibility to make sure someone is paid well when I don't have that much $$ myself.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I hope you're ready for the responses you are going to get. Most people will not agree with you. Especially though of us who have ever worked in the service industry and relied on tips to provide.

Yes, the housekeeping staff is paid to do their job. But they are not paid high wages, not even close. They rely on tips just like restaurant servers do to live. I don't know much about turndown service since I am frugal (not cheap!) and do not stay at those type of hotels.

I'm sorry that you feel your vacation is too expensive but your attitude that is a little off. Tips are not optional "extra" expenses, they are to be included in your spending budget. If you cannot afford your trip and the tips, you need to reassess your expenses for the trip. My view of what you're saying (and I understand that you don't see it this way, I certainly hope not) is that you're planning to cheat service staff out of wages to allow yourself a nice vacation. I'm not trying to be mean here, just trying to show you how what you've said comes across. Please reconsider your opinion of tipping the people who work so hard to make these trips magical.

I worked in housekeeping and janitorial for a major resort so flame away!!!!

 

[HaleyB]

I agree on the turn down service, what a waste of money. If I had the money, that is not what I would be spending it on.

Also $2200 for a week for 2 people actually sounds high by a few $100 to me

 

[jmminarik]

Your perpsective may be shaded by your environment as well. Gratuities are ingrained as a way of life more so in the NE than any other section of the country that I've seen. My SIL thinks it entirely reasonable to leave $1 at the pizza parlor for $30+ in food and a party of 7 in the midwest...I can't conceive of leaving less than 20% for a pleasant waitress/er or not stacking up the dishes so that we have more clean space on the table and it's easier for the waitress to haul away stuff.

-Joe

 

[Danemom]

I edited almost immediately. Sorry for any confusion because of it.

OP, sounds like you're set in your opinion. I'll have to agree to disagree because I completely disagree with your opinion.
I think we can both agree that that is one adorable little boy you have there though!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

While waiters & waitress make under the minimun wage & depend on tips, I do believe that the maid's at Disney make at least the minimum wage (maybe more).
Do you tip the clerk at a gas station, what about the cashier at McDonalds? Maybe a grocery clerk..they are all minimum wage workers....
I do not always leave a tip for the maids. If they have done something extra or beyond what they are to do, I do not leave one. I agree with the OP on this subject.. they do make minimum wage. If that were the case & everyone was to leave say $5 per day... shoot, I am going to change my profession.... I guess it pays not to go to college then?
Say they have 10 rooms to clean, that would be an extra $50 per day in addition to what their salary is $6.75 (which is what I think minimum is now here in FL). If they are working 8 hours @ 6.75 that comes to $54 per day, then add in the additional $50 and that brings them to $104 per day. If you divide that by 8 hrs it comes to $13 per hour! Yes, I think I will leave my job with school district to go clean rooms. Less hassle, do not have to worry about what the student scores on tests etc... just need to do what I do at home..clean! That figure comes out to more than many other positions here in Fl.... so think about that when you are making say $12 an hour & you are leaving that $5.00 a day tip... for what they should be doing anyway. As I said, if they do something above & beyond what they are paid to do, then yes ... I will tip. If not, I do not, I am not cheap either. I will leave a minimun of 20% at a sit down resturant & 10% at a buffet (especially when they only bring you your beverage).

 

[battricia]

in some aspects i agree. I'll start by saying, the wages of a waitress/waiter and a housekeeper are EXTREMELY different. Waitresses get paid maybe $2 dollars an hour so yes, they do rely on tips to make up for that. I worked as a housekeeper at a resort severel years ago and I was being paid $5/hour (or more depending on how many rooms I could clean in a day), which is a difference. I agree it's not that much, however I don't agree that they rely on tips to subsidize their wages. I was rarely tipped as a house keeper.

On the other hand, I worked at a grocery store making 6 dollars an hour, along with my co workers, and never ONCE did I hear someone say 'you need to be tipped in order to make up for the low wages', infact I was only ever tipped ONCE by a woman from germany who said it was customary in germany to tip grocery baggers.
and I'd guarentee most of the people who tip housekeeping at disney do NOT tip their cashier who is making probably less than the housekeepers. I guess the idea just makes me angry that it's OK for some people to be making such a low wage, but not OK for others and so they get tipped. And then it comes down to, as the OP stated, who has the money to tip every public servant that is making less than (I can't even say what a decent rate would be, to not be tipped), say 9 dollars an hour?

So why such a double standard?

tricia.

 

[tar heel]

Some of the resort newsletters actually address whether housekeeping is a tipped position, and they say that it is NOT. Housekeepers do get at least minimum wage, unlike restaurant servers. That being said, we generally tip at WDW and at other places when we stay in the same room multiple days. We don't do $5 a day, though, nor do we do $1 per person per day unless we've made a mess or asked for something special. We usually leave $3 for five people. A couple times at Disney the $ has not been taken -- I usually leave it on the vanity with the mousekeeping card -- which makes me think the vast majority of guests do NOT tip.

 

[graygables]

I'd like to think of myself as "frugal" rather than "cheap" and I hear where you are coming from. There have been a few solo trips to WDW on a super tight budget, but rather than "stiff" the mousekeeper, I just requested no mousekeeping and left the do not disturb in the door. I returned to fresh towels and soap in a bag on my door and that was that. Just be sure to decline any services you don't want to tip for (bell, mousekeeping, sky cap)

For the most part, I do budget tips into my trips. They are not being paid even a "decent" wage for the work they do, skilled or unskilled. They have families to feed, children to clothe, taxes to pay, and I am GRATEFUL if I can help, even just a little bit.

One of my solo trips was just after hurricane Jeanne and locals had stayed onsite for safety, I presume. I was resort hopping and went to the Wilderness Lodge for breakfast. As I was waiting for my rental car to be brought to me, there was a family loading up in 2 huge vans with 3 carts full of stuff (black garbage bags, Walmart bags, etc). They were yelling at the bellman about which vehicle to put the WalMart bag in and where the bag of diapers went and so on. It was quite the spectacle. After he had unloaded the carts, asked if they needed directions, they blew him off, got in, and drove away, leaving the poor guy empty handed. The look on his face broke my heart, he had worked his hiney off for these people without even a thank you. I had $22 cash left, so I pulled $2 for the valet and walked over and handed him the $20 (and told him what I'd seen). He nearly cried and he was so grateful. *THAT* is why I budget for tips.

 

[DisneyBill]

Some of the resort newsletters actually address whether housekeeping is a tipped position, and they say that it is NOT. Housekeepers do get at least minimum wage, unlike restaurant servers. That being said, we generally tip at WDW and at other places when we stay in the same room multiple days. We don't do $5 a day, though, nor do we do $1 per person per day unless we've made a mess or asked for something special. We usually leave $3 for five people. A couple times at Disney the $ has not been taken -- I usually leave it on the vanity with the mousekeeping card -- which makes me think the vast majority of guests do NOT tip.

FWIW, Birnbaum's Official Guide says tipping housekeeping is indeed to be expected.

 

[jenr812]

That being said, we generally tip at WDW and at other places when we stay in the same room multiple days. We don't do $5 a day, though, nor do we do $1 per person per day unless we've made a mess or asked for something special. We usually leave $3 for five people.

This is what we do too. $3 for 5 people unless we'd been complete slobs the previous day. I like a tidy room, esp. when there are 5 people vying for space in it, so we really do clean up after ourselves. We don't leave things strewn about, our towels are in a neat pile in the corner, sink area is tidy and rinsed out, etc. So $3 seems adequate to me for a quick vacuum and fresh linens.

BTW I had no idea tipping was the "norm" til I started coming to the DISboards, so I wouldn't have done it if hadn't been here first. We don't stay in hotels often so I guess we're ignorant of such practices.

How many rooms per day do you suppose a mousekeeper cleans?

 

[cornflkgrl]

This is what we do too. $3 for 5 people unless we'd been complete slobs the previous day. I like a tidy room, esp. when there are 5 people vying for space in it, so we really do clean up after ourselves. We don't leave things strewn about, our towels are in a neat pile in the corner, sink area is tidy and rinsed out, etc. So $3 seems adequate to me for a quick vacuum and fresh linens.

BTW I had no idea tipping was the "norm" til I started coming to the DISboards, so I wouldn't have done it if hadn't been here first. We don't stay in hotels often so I guess we're ignorant of such practices.

How many rooms per day do you suppose a mousekeeper cleans?

When I worked housekeeping (though not disney) we were assigned floors and wings. It usually lasted from about 8:30 a.m. until all your rooms were clean (usually around 3:30 p.m.)

 

[disneysnowflake]

I've honestly never heard of tipping housekeeping at hotels until I came on DIS.

 

[disneynutt1225]

Personally, I've never tipped housekeeping/mousekeeping, whatever you want to call it. And that goes for any hotel I've ever stayed in. I've never had an experience where they go above and beyond what they're supposed to do that warranted a tip. Maybe that makes me cheap as well.

Interesting tidbit found on Passporter.com:

Note: Walt Disney had strong feelings about tipping that are still reflected in official policy at Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Walt did not want guests "bribing" employees to receive preferential treatment, such as getting a table by tipping a dining room host/hostess, a better room by tipping a desk clerk, or bypassing a line by tipping a ride attendant. He wanted all guests to have the same high level of service, regardless of financial means. As a result, most Disney employees are expressly prohibited from accepting tips, and can be terminated for doing so. You can certainly express your appreciation by offering a gratuity, but expect that your offer will be very politely declined.

 

[jenr812]

I'd like to think of myself as "frugal" rather than "cheap" and I hear where you are coming from. There have been a few solo trips to WDW on a super tight budget, but rather than "stiff" the mousekeeper, I just requested no mousekeeping and left the do not disturb in the door. I returned to fresh towels and soap in a bag on my door and that was that. Just be sure to decline any services you don't want to tip for (bell, mousekeeping, sky cap)

For the most part, I do budget tips into my trips. They are not being paid even a "decent" wage for the work they do, skilled or unskilled. They have families to feed, children to clothe, taxes to pay, and I am GRATEFUL if I can help, even just a little bit.

One of my solo trips was just after hurricane Jeanne and locals had stayed onsite for safety, I presume. I was resort hopping and went to the Wilderness Lodge for breakfast. As I was waiting for my rental car to be brought to me, there was a family loading up in 2 huge vans with 3 carts full of stuff (black garbage bags, Walmart bags, etc). They were yelling at the bellman about which vehicle to put the WalMart bag in and where the bag of diapers went and so on. It was quite the spectacle. After he had unloaded the carts, asked if they needed directions, they blew him off, got in, and drove away, leaving the poor guy empty handed. The look on his face broke my heart, he had worked his hiney off for these people without even a thank you. I had $22 cash left, so I pulled $2 for the valet and walked over and handed him the $20 (and told him what I'd seen). He nearly cried and he was so grateful. *THAT* is why I budget for tips.

That was a sweet gesture I don't even think that is a story about tipping...it is more a story about the state of things today and what a little kindness from a stranger will do for someone's day. God bless you!

 

[71010]

I understand your venting, and thinking it is a lot of money. But it really isn't. Just our resort is well over $2200.00 for the week and that is not including anything else. Could you move to a cheaper resort or maybe go less days if its that tight? Maybe go a little later so you could save a little more? I always tip service people, because its just what we do, but if some expenses have to be cut I guess thats where they can be cut. I think if your paying $2200.00 for your whole trip your probably not staying where they offer "turn down service" anyway, so that shouldnt be a problem. Maybe you can just avoid stuff like room service and valet so you wouldnt feel pressured to tip. Disney should be a fun relaxing trip, so just do what you can and dont worry about the rest.

 

[cornflkgrl]

I'd like to think of myself as "frugal" rather than "cheap" and I hear where you are coming from. There have been a few solo trips to WDW on a super tight budget, but rather than "stiff" the mousekeeper, I just requested no mousekeeping and left the do not disturb in the door. I returned to fresh towels and soap in a bag on my door and that was that. Just be sure to decline any services you don't want to tip for (bell, mousekeeping, sky cap)

For the most part, I do budget tips into my trips. They are not being paid even a "decent" wage for the work they do, skilled or unskilled. They have families to feed, children to clothe, taxes to pay, and I am GRATEFUL if I can help, even just a little bit.

One of my solo trips was just after hurricane Jeanne and locals had stayed onsite for safety, I presume. I was resort hopping and went to the Wilderness Lodge for breakfast. As I was waiting for my rental car to be brought to me, there was a family loading up in 2 huge vans with 3 carts full of stuff (black garbage bags, Walmart bags, etc). They were yelling at the bellman about which vehicle to put the WalMart bag in and where the bag of diapers went and so on. It was quite the spectacle. After he had unloaded the carts, asked if they needed directions, they blew him off, got in, and drove away, leaving the poor guy empty handed. The look on his face broke my heart, he had worked his hiney off for these people without even a thank you. I had $22 cash left, so I pulled $2 for the valet and walked over and handed him the $20 (and told him what I'd seen). He nearly cried and he was so grateful. *THAT* is why I budget for tips.

What I'm getting from this and from most posters is that you view tipping as as form of charity. No one is required to give to charity and those who are poor don't usually donate what little money they have to other people who are poor so the way I see it is if you are wealthy enough to go around handing out dollar bills to other people for doing their job then more power to ya!
I agree with someone else who said "why don't we tip the cashier at McDonald's??" They certainly aren't getting paid enough and surely are getting paid LESS than mousekeepers. How do you decide who is entitled to this money? How do you know who works harder and gets paid less and who has a harder life and more mouths to feed? I might have a great job that pays 50,000 a year but have 12 kids at home and be in the poor house....should you tip me at my job (whatever it may be)??? Where do you draw the line?