Tipping at Christmas?

[Snowbirdtobe]

What tips do people give at Christmas?
Pool Service?
Lawn Service?
Postal Clerks?

[golf2140]

What tips do people give at Christmas?
Pool Service?
Lawn Service?
Postal Clerks?

Don't quit your day job. :jester:

[2BNTV]

Several years ago, I asked a friend of mine who worked at the post office what one should give a postal carrier.

He said they would be greatfful for five dollars and would be thrilled for ten.

Please be advised this information may be outdated.

[Bogie Shooter]

Several years ago, I asked a friend of mine who worked at the post office what one should give a postal carrier.

He said they would be greatfful for five dollars and would be thrilled for ten.

Please be advised this information may be outdated.

I thought postal employees had a limit on how much they can receive. Would not apply to the contract people who sort our mail at the mail drops.

[redwitch]

It is against the law to tip USPS employees. However, the ones who sort our mail are not USPS -- they are independent contractors who are making below minimum wage.

The reality is that about the only ones not making a hefty profit are the lawn guys -- the owners, not their employees. The trash collectors do make a decent wage for here.

So, I try to pretty much try to tip all of my service people. They work too hard and get too little.

[2BNTV]

I thought postal employees had a limit on how much they can receive. Would not apply to the contract people who sort our mail at the mail drops.

I never heard of it but if I am wrong and I frequently am, I apologize.

[Snowbirdtobe]

OOPS, I left out the home watch people. :oops:

[zcaveman]

I tip the Daily Sun carrier, the Orlandio Sentinel carrier, the House cleaning crew and the Mail Lady.

Z

[dsned]

I would NEVER tip anyone working for the government--they are getting way too much of our money already!!!!
As for the rest of your service people YES do,

[Posh 08]

My SIL is in the military, was in Iraq and may be going to Afghanistan. He works for the Government. I don't think he is taking too much of our money.

[BogeyBoy]

My SIL is in the military, was in Iraq and may be going to Afghanistan. He works for the Government. I don't think he is taking too much of our money.

:agree:

[skyguy79]

I would NEVER tip anyone working for the government--they are getting way too much of our money already!!!!
As for the rest of your service people YES do,I understand what you're saying, but that's not always the case. The lower you go in levels of government, the less you're likely to make. People that work at a county or local level worked at a pay grade far below what you'd find at the federal level.

I had an employee that left a supervisory level job in my unit with the state to work for the Postal Service at a much higher rate for a beginning level job. Also, I worked at a state level serving the public at in supervising position, and I've had more than a few customers that told me that they wouldn't want my job for anything!

BTW, most government workers are not allowed to receive tips or gratuities. I once received a $20 check in the mail from a customer I helped and had to return it to him! I had turned it in to my director who was going to use it to buy pizza for the entire staff, but changed her mind in that it could still cause us trouble if we didn't return it.

So don't automatically discount all government workers. Not all of them are sitting in a tub of butter!

[rhood]

It is against the law to tip USPS employees. However, the ones who sort our mail are not USPS -- they are independent contractors who are making below minimum wage.

What law would that be and why are they working at below minimum wage?

[nkrifats]

My SIL is in the military, was in Iraq and may be going to Afghanistan. He works for the Government. I don't think he is taking too much of our money.
I agree fully.

[BogeyBoy]

What law would that be and why are they working at below minimum wage?

It is contained in 39 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations). Section 447 has to do with rules of conduct for postal employees.

The contract carriers bid on the job. Sometimes the low bidder gets in over their head and needs more hours than they anticipated. And sometimes they hire additional help and that reduces the income they had planned because now they are paying it in wages to someone else.

[Bobcuse]

The original question kinda got lost in a discussion about gov't workers. Do most or many of you tip your lawn service personnel? My guys consist of the owner and 2-3 other young guys. At my previous home I always gave my mower guy $20 at Xmas but not sure how to tip a crew of 3-4. Could get expensive. What do you do?

[saratogaman]

I give 10 to the newspaper delivery person, 25 to the lawn lady, 25 to the cleaning lady and nothing to the mail people...

[RichieLion]

The original question kinda got lost in a discussion about gov't workers. Do most or many of you tip your lawn service personnel? My guys consist of the owner and 2-3 other young guys. At my previous home I always gave my mower guy $20 at Xmas but not sure how to tip a crew of 3-4. Could get expensive. What do you do?

I would think for your lawn service pro that a Christmas Tip of equal to one month's bill is probably fair. My guy cuts, edges, weeds and blows my yard weekly. Break it down and it's not that much of a gratuity.

[cappyjon431]

I send a $25 Publix gift card to both my newspaper delivery person and my mail delivery guy.

[mikeandnancy1112]

We give our waitress, dog groomer, and lawn service tips.

[nitehawk]

My tip to the lawn care people is the two months (Jan-Feb) that they dont cut, but still bill me

[Villages PL]

I just put two tips in the mail this morning: $20.00 for my newspaper carrier and $10.00 for my mail carrier.

I don't tip the lawn guys because they keep getting rotated. I don't know how many there are but frequently they seem to be different from week to week or month to month. If it was one guy, I would give him something.

:)

[RichieLion]

My tip to the lawn care people is the two months (Jan-Feb) that they dont cut, but still bill me

You really can't think of it like that. They charge monthly, but you have to think of it as the costs being spread out over 12 months.

Don't they come around and tidy up the yard?

[jblum315]

We give our waitress, dog groomer, and lawn service tips.

Wow, you have your own private waitress?

[Shimpy]

What tips do people give at Christmas?
Pool Service?
Lawn Service?
Postal Clerks?

Just thinking,
What about those that don't celebrate Christmas? Are they expected to tip at Christmas? How does the person who usually recieves tips know who they are?
Left off the list is your hairdresser or barber who I put more importance to since it really is a personal service.
Have you ever wondered why you tip a cab driver but not an airline pilot? The pilot is responsible for several hundred lives and has an unbelievable amount of training in order to do his job, but you tip a driver of a taxi which is a job anyone can do. People will say that the driver makes less money, but that is what it should be. Employers pay low wages to those that traditionally get tips so that the consumer pays most of his wages.
Anyway, happy holidays to everyone.

[getdul981]

Wow, you have your own private waitress?

I wondered the same thing.

[ladydoc]

My SIL is in the military, was in Iraq and may be going to Afghanistan. He works for the Government. I don't think he is taking too much of our money.

The young people in the military are not paid enough! I will keep your SIL in my prayers...my hubby was career military.

[mikeandnancy1112]

Yes, and we took her out to dinner for her birthday.

[Villages PL]

I would think for your lawn service pro that a Christmas Tip of equal to one month's bill is probably fair. My guy cuts, edges, weeds and blows my yard weekly. Break it down and it's not that much of a gratuity.

That sounds about right for my situation. I wasn't going to tip because the workers get rotated and I'm not sure how many there are. But the owner usually sends two guys to do the cutting. So which ever two he sends the week before Christmas I'll give them $15 dollars each. That's more than the cost for one months cutting. They charge $28 per month.

I can't mail them a check because I don't know their names and addresses.

[nitehawk]

That sounds about right for my situation. I wasn't going to tip because the workers get rotated and I'm not sure how many there are. But the owner usually sends two guys to do the cutting. So which ever two he sends the week before Christmas I'll give them $15 dollars each. That's more than the cost for one months cutting. They charge $28 per month.

I can't mail them a check because I don't know their names and addresses.

May i ask who is your lawn care company - I pay $47 per month for 12 months

[laryb]

I was planning on leaving a tip in a card in my mail slot. How do I go about giving a tip to the paper delivery person, whom I've never seen?

[cappyjon431]

I was planning on leaving a tip in a card in my mail slot. How do I go about giving a tip to the paper delivery person, whom I've never seen?

Our paper delivery person put a Christmas card with her address on it inside the newspaper about a week ago.

[nitehawk]

That sounds about right for my situation. I wasn't going to tip because the workers get rotated and I'm not sure how many there are. But the owner usually sends two guys to do the cutting. So which ever two he sends the week before Christmas I'll give them $15 dollars each. That's more than the cost for one months cutting. They charge $28 per month.

I can't mail them a check because I don't know their names and addresses.

May I ask which company you use $28 per month sounds great