Holiday Tip Etiquette Guide

[DiscoDiva]

I found this in the paper, so I thought I'd post it: (yes, I know there's a thread for mail carriers, but this is for other professions as well):

Letter carrier: up to $20 in gifts

Hair salon staff: $10 - $60, depending on services rendered, or the cost of one visit

Baby sitter: One evening's pay and a small gift from your child

Day care provider: $25 - $75 each and a small gift from your child

Nanny: One week's pay and a small gift from your child

Housekeeper: $25 - $50 or one day's pay

Newspaper carrier: $10 - $30

Personal trainer: One workout session's pay

Apartment doorman: $25 - $100 each

Child's teacher: gift, not cash. Gift cards are okay

Pool cleaner: cost of one cleaning

Yard/garden worker: $20 - 50

Dog walker: One walking session's pay

[KaliLily]

So my DH owes me at least $45-100 for the last year of housekeeping and yard services? Cool! What about cooking? :)

Seriously, thanks for the list. I have a hair appointment about 10 days before Christmas, and have been trying to decide what to do. Maybe I'll give her a larger tip than usual.

[TX Sweetheart]

LOL I like your way of thinking Kim...

[Sazoo]

I have practically none of those types of professionals in my life to tip! Well except for the mail carrier, but we have a big bank of mailboxes out by the entrance to our property so I never actually *see* him/her deliver the mail. So, for me, I don't see a reason to tip for that.

Hairstylist - nope. I've been bouncing around to different hair salons for a couple of years now & hardly ever go back to the same person. Just can't find anyone I like who doesn't charge an arm & a leg for a simple haircut. :rolleyes:

All the rest on the list just don't apply to me right now. *shrug*

I do get my nails done regularly, though, & always at the same salon. I think I'll go with the idea of tipping based on the cost of one visit/session...that seems reasonable to me.

Even though I personally won't use it much, thanks for posting this list of tipping suggestions, DiscoDiva! :D

[Sare79]

My list:
aesthetician - she owns her shop so I never tip after my treatments


I'm just wondering what reasoning made you decide to not tip because she owns the salon. I'm curious. (Not trying to be rude, just wondering if this is widely recognized)
A friend's mom owns a small spa and she doesn't like clients to know she is the owner because then she doesn't get any tips. I know that at Christmas she gets a ton of gifts from regular clients, though.

[Sazoo]

I'm just wondering what reasoning made you decide to not tip because she owns the salon. I'm curious. (Not trying to be rude, just wondering if this is widely recognized)
A friend's mom owns a small spa and she doesn't like clients to know she is the owner because then she doesn't get any tips. I know that at Christmas she gets a ton of gifts from regular clients, though.I remember when I was planning our wedding that I read several places that you are not expected to tip vendors who own their own businesses. You should tip employees, not owners. At least that's what I remember hearing, anway, & it is pretty much what we did for our wedding. *shrug*

[DiscoDiva]

Regardless of who owns the business, I tip for great service or when they go above and beyond.

[KaliLily]

I remember when I was planning our wedding that I read several places that you are not expected to tip vendors who own their own businesses. You should tip employees, not owners.

I've heard the same thing. And I found this on How StuffWorks.com


Who are we NOT supposed to tip?
There are still a few people out there who we are NOT supposed to tip. Some of these include:

* Restaurant owners
* Salon owners
* Other owners of establishments where you tip the service providers

[LyLMyssChaos]

As the daughter of a paper carrier that helps out on weekends, I'd like to remind people that perhaps live on a "motor route" that if you have asked for special service during the year (i.e. put the paper at the door on the left side of my house, even though you have a paper box at the road, or any other such request) to take that into account when tipping them. I'd also remember if they have been a curteous carrier about being quiet when delivering during early morning. You'd be surprised at the hundreds of customers that my dad has that he goes way out of his way to make sure that their paper is put inside of a door or he'll shovel their walk on his way up, or bring their dog treats or whatever, just something to make their day brighter, and they don't even wish him a Merry Christmas or Happy Holidays. I don't know too many other jobs that you work 7 days a week, 365 days a year, whether you are sick or not, no vacation, no time off, and get so taken for granted . Just something to think about when figuring out how to say thank you!

[LeighW]

The theory behind not tipping the owner of a business that provides services is the owner gets the profits (any income in excess of the exenses of running the business) if the business is going well.

An employee only receives his or her agreed salary, no matter how well the business is doing. So, you tip the employee for a job well done.

(Not advocating this theory, although I agree with it, just passing along info.)

Great list, DiscoDiva.

[Cali_Katy]

Not sure what to do in this situation. I have someone clean my house every two weeks. The business is run by two sisters. They drop off one of maybe five or so women who actually does the cleaning and then come and pick them up when they're finished. Who gets the tip in this case?

[Sazoo]

Not sure what to do in this situation. I have someone clean my house every two weeks. The business is run by two sisters. They drop off one of maybe five or so women who actually does the cleaning and then come and pick them up when they're finished. Who gets the tip in this case?
I'd say the women who actually do your house cleaning are the ones you'd want to tip. If it's a different one of the five women each time, maybe you could give the tip to one of the sisters & ask them to divide it up equally among the five women who have cleaned your house? Or if a particular person usually does your house, try to leave the tip for her directly in your house, maybe.

[daphne]

I understand the theory behind not tipping the owners of salons, but I think very few owners would be offended by such a gesture ;) My hair stylist is the owner & sole stylist in his salon & I always tip him. I've never seen other customers *not* tip him when they leave, as well. I'm guessing it's just a generous way of expressing your satisfaction and appreciation.

[Chimichanga]

Thanks for the list, DiscoDiva. Another one to consider is the garbage men. I definitely would not like their job!!

We left a card out for them (taped to the lid of our trash can). They took it. I only had $5 in cash, but I thought it could get them something at McDonald's or some coffee. Next year I'll try to see how many guys are on the truck (usually two right?) and give them each $5.

[udsweetpea]

The personal trainer? Really? After going to mine for three sessions, I've ended up with horrible knee problems, so no tip for her! She was awful!

My hairstylist is my cousin, so she gets a normal family Christmas gift.

Mailman gets nothing from me if he can't even say "hi" back to me when I say "good afternoon!"

[aussie]

I was thinking of this topic this morning. We are leaving town and have hired a dog sitter to come to our house twice a day to check on our dog. We have never used this person before, so I am only going to assume that she does a good job. Should I give her an additional Christmas tip? I mean, I wouldn't think twice about it if we have used her in the past, but since we pay upfront for her (we leave her a check), I don't know about tipping her without really knowing how good of a service she provides.

I do plan to leave her a little thank-you gift from our dog.

[villanelle75]

For those who tip your mail carrier, how do you do it? Do you just leave it (I'd do a gift card of some sort) in the mailbox, flag up, with "Postal Carrier" written on the envelope?

[jimmysgirl424]

For those who tip your mail carrier, how do you do it? Do you just leave it (I'd do a gift card of some sort) in the mailbox, flag up, with "Postal Carrier" written on the envelope?

DH says his tips usually come in a Christmas card with "mailman" or "letter carrier" written on the front. He also said make sure that you don't mix it in with any outgoing mail that you have!

[jmvan74]

DH says his tips usually come in a Christmas card with "mailman" or "letter carrier" written on the front. He also said make sure that you don't mix it in with any outgoing mail that you have!

Thanks for the tips. :D

[MichelleRenee]

So where do they come up with this list of who is supposed to be tipped for the holidays? Why not my chiropractor, bank teller, kid who bags my groceries, etc? Just curious...

[kristin]

Has anyone ever heard of tipping your trash collector?

My DH and I have always been bothered by the fact that we are the only house on the street where the trash collectors "miss" some of the trash and we usually have some strewn over our yard after a pickup (even though everything is tightly bagged). We are also the only house where they leave the trash cans in the street, and they are usually rolling around in the street or in our neighbor's yard when we get home. The trash is supposed to get picked up from the side of our house (one of the perks of living in community where the homes are 10 feet apart).

They've also "skipped" our Christmas tree once on the curbside for the past two years, and we alway end up hauling it off ourselves (and getting tons of needles in our minivan).

A neighbor recently told me that everyone in our neighborhood tips the trash collectors at least $50 EACH, so that they don't get the treatment we've been receiving. I thought this service was included in our taxes :mad: It seems like extortion to me.

[Hello Kitty]

Kristin - I think you need to report that to the trash collection agency - whether it's your city sanitation dept or a private company like waste management.

[kristin]

We've contemplated reporting it to the town, but my DH insists that it is not a good idea. We live in Northern NJ, and he is convinced that many services like this are contracted out to people with Mafia connections :rolleyes:. He is from California, and I think he's watched a little to much of the Sopranos for his own good.

Since we are trying to sell our home anyway, I hope it won't matter in a few months. I was just curious if anyone remembered their trash collector for the holidays. It just seems so over the top to me.

[cocopop]

I must say I'm surprised at all the people I'm "expected" to tip. Is there anybody that doesn't expect a tip these days? Good grief.

We tip our trash collectors and yard waste collectors with a six pack of beer each.

[DisneyGirl]

I have been known to leave a tip for our garbage men only because they take everything I put out. They never have given me a problem and some of the things they probably should not take like my DD old furniture they take with no problems. They bring my trash cans all the way up my driveway and leave them in front of my garage.

[pixielou]

tipping the babysitter

should i tip in cash? or gift card?

[Txfish]

You know, honestly I'm disturbed by needing to tip my housecleaner. She has been here exactly 3 times by Christmas this year, and while she does a good job, she's already overcharging me. (Honestly, she is. I've never paid more than $85 for a service to come in, with 3 people. My friend, who referred her to me, pays $65 for her 3 bd/2 ba. She's charging me $100 for a 4 bd/2.5 ba with the same number of living areas.)

I really don't want to pay additional $$. Am I just being heinous?