My garbage man just knocked on my door...

[Rootskate]

Wow. Talk about having some nerve! Nothing like being subtle about fishing for a gift, huh?

 

[Wonderlandmom]

We don't tip people we are already paying to provide us a service, like the garbage men, the paper carrier, etc. And am I wrong or isn't it against the rules for postal carriers to accept monetary gifts or tips?

You are not wrong. It is against their ethical code. They cannot accept cash and only certain gifts up to $20. They are federal employees. I do not tip them, have several different ones. They get a salary and I pay for the service.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

We never had issues with our garbage folks but our newspaper person would knock on our door usually around this time of year and ask if everything was ok and put his hand out.

I explained I don't keep cash in the house and off he went.

I think we have someone new now so itll be interesting to see if this person does it too.

 

[TinkPinkPoem]

After figuring out what he meant, I gave him 10 Euro.

Wow 10 euros is quite a generous tip around here.

I don't get giving christmas gifts to everyone: teachers, sports instructors, mailmen and the list can go on and on!

It's not common practise, but it's not odd to give gifts to those you feel like you want to where I live. But to have someone actually ask for one - that, in my opinion, is rude.


Aren't gifts supposed to be given when and to whom the gift giver wants to give them?

I guess I missed the day where the definition of 'gift' was changed.

 

[Kath2003]

I don't tip anyone. Not the mailman, not the milkman, not the paper boy, not the garbage man...sorry, they are paid a decent wage for what they do. No one I know gets tipped around Christmas.

 

[Camicar]

Until I came on message boards, I'd never heard of tipping the mail carrier or garbage man in my entire life, in which I've lived all over the country.

Growing up, we did tip the paper boy at Christmas and my mother gave her hair stylist an extra tip in December. Then again, my parents also got BIG Xmas bonuses from their employers (I remember in 1974, my father got a $500 Christmas bonus in cash. That was a LOT Of money). In our entire working lives, my dh has never gotten an Xmas bonus and the very few I've gotten have been so inconsequential and had taxes taken out of them, making them almost nothing.

 

[Wonderlandmom]

Until I came on message boards, I'd never heard of tipping the mail carrier or garbage man in my entire life, in which I've lived all over the country.

Growing up, we did tip the paper boy at Christmas and my mother gave her hair stylist an extra tip in December. Then again, my parents also got BIG Xmas bonuses from their employers (I remember in 1974, my father got a $500 Christmas bonus in cash. That was a LOT Of money). In our entire working lives, my dh has never gotten an Xmas bonus and the very few I've gotten have been so inconsequential and had taxes taken out of them, making them almost nothing.

Amen to that. We tip the paper carrier, my hair stylist, and the yardman if we use him in Dec. That's it. I never heard all this tipping of people who are in salaried/benefits positions. I think message boards have fed this frenzy! People tip UPS delivery who average about $28 an hour, around $75,000 a year plus benefits. This is what they are PAID to do. I pay a LOT for UPS to deliver and it is thrown on my front porch. Never see the various guys anyway. I can understand a business tipping them perhaps, but not me.

 

[PaulaSue]

and asked for Christmas money.

Is this normal?

NO!

 

[Stitchfans]

No. I'd be po'd.

Big time po'd. Especially since the idiot insists on putting my trash can in the middle of my drive way so when I get home I have to get out to move it to pull into my driveway after work. Called and called about it but it is still happening.

 

[toocherie]

We actually got a card in the mail yesterday from our garbage collectors. Not sure if they're expecting something in return. I also wonder if my tax dollars paid for my christmas card.

Similarly--enough with getting the "personal" christmas card from my congressman/congresswoman--I don't need a card from someone I don't know, will likely never meet and that I paid for!!!!

 

[Allison]

That would really tick me off.. But then again, I don't give gifts to every single person who has crossed my path in the course of a year..

If someone goes "above and beyond" - yes.. If they are just performing their job - a job that they have agreed to do for "x" amount of money - I see no reason to give them a gift for performing job duties as required per their employer..

I agree.

 

[Emme]

How about this...
I'm getting into my car the other day and my "sanitation engineer" is collecting my trash and says to me...
"MMMM you smell good."
OK, I'm thinking he's making a joke about the stink of the garbage and that I smell better than garbage...so I laugh and smile.
He says "No, I mean it, you smell really good".
Mind you this guy is about 25 feet away from me and I don't wear perfume so what the heck is he smelling . Far be it from me not to accept a compliment but geesh, c'mon fella you're frieking me out!

I ignored him and got in my car...Hubby says he wants a Christmas tip

 

[Judy from Boise]

I don't think anyone around here tips anyone besides wait staff and salon providers. I also do holiday tips for my lawn guy and my normal cleaners....but certainly not someone who works for the city as a contractor.

 

[N&B'smom]

What about homemade cookies or something? Does anyone give that to their mail carrier/sanitation workers?

Shelby

 

[npmommie]

I pay for garbage pickup($54 every 3 months) since I am outside city limits. I have a hard enough time paying that bill and I won't be tipping extra, unless it is a tin of homemade cookies/candy.

Marsha

aaahhh that is a bargain, we have to have private trash pick up......i pay them $105 every 3 months and that is for pick up every OTHER week! 2x a month. yep thats it. and only 7 bags each time.

What about homemade cookies or something? Does anyone give that to their mail carrier/sanitation workers?

Shelby

i usually give the mailman a tin of homemade goodies. i have never done the garbage guys, but maybe i will this year

 

[evilqueenfan]

aaahhh that is a bargain, we have to have private trash pick up......i pay them $105 every 3 months and that is for pick up every OTHER week! 2x a month. yep thats it. and only 7 bags each time.



i usually give the mailman a tin of homemade goodies. i have never done the garbage guys, but maybe i will this year

 

[DarthKTrava]

aaahhh that is a bargain, we have to have private trash pick up......i pay them $105 every 3 months and that is for pick up every OTHER week! 2x a month. yep thats it. and only 7 bags each time.

We pay the trash company $45/3 months. And they pick up every week.

i have never done the garbage guys, but maybe i will this year

Hope your hubby doesn't know..... :WINK WINK NUDGE NUDGE: