Tipping for the Holidays

Consumer Reports lists a chart on how people tip, who they tip, and how much they tip during the holidays. Their findings:

Cleaning Person

• 39% tip nothing
• 49% give cash, check or gift card
• 12% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $50

Child's Teacher

• 51% tip nothing
• 11% give cash, check or gift card
• 38% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $20

Hairdresser

• 56% tip nothing
• 36% give cash, check or gift card
• 8% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $15

Manicurist

• 62% tip nothing
• 35% give cash, check or gift card
• 3% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $10

Barber

• 63% tip nothing
• 32% give cash, check or gift card
• 6% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $10

Newspaper Carrier

• 65% tip nothing
• 29% give cash, check or gift card
• 4% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $20

Pet-care provider

• 65% tip nothing
• 25% give cash, check or gift card
• 10% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $10

Gardener

• 68% tip nothing
• 22% give cash, check or gift card
• 8% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $25

Mail Carrier

• 78% tip nothing
• 13% give cash, check or gift card
• 8% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $20

Garbage Collector

• 88% tip nothing
• 7% give cash, check or gift card
• 5% give a gift
• Median value of gift: $20

What's interesting to me is that I've done this list for several years now (2010, 2009, and 2008) and in almost every case, either the percentage giving nothing has gone up, the amount given has gone down, or both. Either people are getting tired of tipping (perhaps the service is not there to warrant a tip) or the economy is hitting tippers where it counts.

Anyway, here's where we stand on each of these:

• Cleaning Person -- We don't have one.


• Child's Teacher -- Our kids are homeschooled.


• Hairdresser -- My wife goes to a friend of ours who we cover with a gift.


• Manicurist -- As you might imagine, we don't have one. ;-)


• Barber -- My wife is my barber.


• Newspaper Carrier -- We give a $20 gift card to a local superstore.


• Pet-care provider -- No pets, no added expenses. BTW, it was interesting to me that the percentage giving a gift to their pet-care provider bucked the trend and went UP.


• Gardener -- My son does not get a tip for this -- though he does get paid for mowing the lawn. ;-)


• Mail Carrier -- We give a $20 gift card to a local superstore.


• Garbage Collector -- Nope. Service isn't good enough to receive a tip.

A few other thoughts:

• I get a gift (usually a nice tin of cookies) for the workers at my pool.


• Cleaning people are the only ones that get either cash or a gift from 50% or more of the people.


• Cleaning people are by far the best off concerning the amount of the gift ($50 versus $25 being the next highest). Is this because this person usually performs a higher-costing service? Or maybe because the cleaner is more trusted/considered more a part of the family?

How about you? Do you give a holiday tip to these people (or any others) who provide services to you during the year?

Comments

[Texas Wahoo]

"Cleaning people are by far the best off concerning the amount of the gift ($50 versus $25 being the next highest). Is this because this person usually performs a higher-costing service? Or maybe because the cleaner is more trusted/considered more a part of the family?"

I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that cleaning people are in your home and so you have more familiarity with them. I could not pick out our mailman/newspaper delivery person/trash pick up people if I saw them on the street. I actually think our trash is picked up by different guys depending on the week.

I'm guessing the numbers would be much higher for secretaries/administrative assistants.

[texashaze]

We give our cleaning person $100. Since there are three boys in our house we figure she's earned it!

[mdb]

As former newspaper carrier that number surprised me. Though this is going back 30+ years, I used to get close to 100% for Christmas tips - paid for 2 high school ski trips this way (big ski trips - Colorado or Europe). The major change has to be how the carriers were/are paid - I use to collect money weekly in person, now it is usually automatically billed.

[jim]

I don't have most of these services.

I don't know our mailman or garbage collector. Even if I did I've never known the custom of tipping those people.

I also read recently that mail carriers are not allowed to take cash gifts and the value must be under $20. So if the median value of the gifts are $20 then half the people giving gifts are giving too much apparently.

[Pop]

Newspapers used to be delivered by kids from the neighborhood. Now, not so much (at least where I live).

[KaseyD]

Our once-weekly cleaning person gets $100, the equivalent to an extra week. Reason is she has been with us over 10 years, I trust her unconditionally, she is reliable, and can use the money. The Christmas tip is in addition to one week paid vacation and taxes paid on her behalf.

Our long-term mail carrier left a few years ago, he got ~$20 plus cookies or candy. The replacements vary from day to day, and they don't provide the same level of service. They don't ring the bell when droping off a package at the door, they mis-deliver mail, and don't even smile or wave when I happen to be outside when they deliver. So no tipping for mail carriers for the time being.

The garbage truck continues to drive over my landscaping..no tip.

We use none of the rest of service providers listed, at least not to any extent that would require tipping.

[Luis]

Is this end of the year tipping stats only? I'm unaware of tipping these kind of services except hair cuts after each cut. This is something I will start doingfrom now on.

[CLB]

I tip everyone who offers me a regular service - garbage collection, mail carrier, hair dresser...it was part of my upbringing, to be generous and give to those in our lives. This is a way of saying 'thank you for persevering in what I can only imagine is too often a thankless job'. I was blessed with the means to afford these services in these tough times - why wouldn't I want to offer something to those who make my life a little easier?

[Sarah]

This is our first year of having a child's teacher, although we did have daycare before, and we will probably give candy / cookies (something small like that). The only other services we have on the list are mail carrier and garbage.

Mail Carrier - ours walks the neighborhood as we don't have mail boxes on the street, so we are on a first name basis with him. We will probably do cookies (that is what we have done in the past). Daycare last year we did a $50 gift card and a box of candy. I'm guessing we will do that again this year. We feel very lucky to have found our daycare provider (an in-home provider who has been very flexible with our part-time use) and want to show our appreciation. That is really the only "big" gift that we give out.

I don't really think of it as a tip though - more of a christmas gift.

[Sarah]

oh - i forgot to add, our garbage is completely automated (they don't even get out of the truck) so I wouldn't even know who or how to tip.

[Kimberly D]

I have a cleaning lady, who cleans my house every other week and then my parents house on the off weeks. She is definitely trust-worthy, having full access to our homes even when we aren't there and does great work. She's as close to family as it gets. On her visit closest to Christmas, she gets a double check from me and the same from my parents.

I'll also give the nail people a double tip during any visits in December. That's usually two but depending on parties may be three or four. The hairdresser usually gets a better than average tip in December compared to the other months.

I've always been a big believer in tips, especially when people give good-great service. And when feasible (ie locals), customer loyalty for good service.

[Kyle Ambrosas]

Tipping a child's teacher? I think in some states that may actually be illegal now, if it is a public employee. I just read an article talking about how in Alabama any kind of gift that has any value is now illegal and punishable by jail time if the teacher accepts.

I didn't know people ever tipped teachers.

[Crystal]

•Cleaning Person - We tipped Jacqui $100 this year because we could afford it, she is great, and she has had a really tough year. Since she charges $60 a visit every two weeks, she was surprised. :-)

•Child's Teacher - No kids, but my husband got a giftcard to Subway from one of the kids that likes his library.

•Hairdresser - I only cut my hair once in a while (you know, to sell on Ebay). ;-)

•Manicurist - I went to one before FINCON and tipped 20%

•Barber - My husband always gives $20 for his $15 cut.

•Newspaper Carrier - I just met this guy for the first time today and he was trying to sell me something, so no, he will not be tipped for Sunday deliveries and annoying me.

•Pet-care provider - My in-laws watch our two dogs when we need help and we get them gifts or giftcards to places they like as a thank you.

•Gardener - We pay him extra for the first cut of the new year to make up for the fact that we let the lawn go from October-February.

•Mail Carrier - I have never seen the same person twice on our route.

•Garbage Collector - I leave them an 18 pack of beer.

[Laura]

I'm shocked!!!! Tipping a teacher? Totally inappropriate, if you ask me. These people make decent salaries, belong to unions, etc. What? I've never heard of this in my entire life. Tip them an apple or small present at Christmas, maybe....