Have you ever experienced this?
 

I noticed someone working in my area and I needed some hedge trimming. So I asked him if he could do it. He said yes, and the price was reasonable. He did a good job and I gave him cash. The bill I gave him was bigger than the price he was charging.

He looks at it and asks, "do you know you gave me this much?" I said, "yes." He didn't ask me if I wanted change and I didn't tell him to keep the change. But that's exactly what he did. He just kept the change. It's not that he wasn't worth it, it just seems strange that he would do that. If he wanted more money for his work, he could have just asked for more to begin with.

What do you think?

Um......
 

:shrug::shrug::shrug:

Normally, when I'm not planning to tip, I ask if they have change for whatever bill I have. So, I can well understand that someone would think you were paying extra for a job very well done. He did ask you and you didn't reply with wanting any change back, so I think he was totally correct in thinking you wanted him to have the entire bill.

I would have assumed that you meant to give him more as a tip.

Sounds like communication break down to me.

Yes, I guess that's it. I was caught by surprise.

What happens when you go to a barber? You either say, "keep the change" or not. If you don't say "keep the change", they give you your change. Then you can take one, two, or three dollars from the change (depending on the price of the haircut) and give it to them as a tip.

New rule: When it comes to yard work, you have to ask for your change.

Look at it this way, we often read here about folks who pay in advance and the worker never does the job. You got done what you wanted and learned something as well! AND probably taught at least one more person that lesson!

And probably gave a guy who needed the money a little extra cash -- a truly good thing right before Thanksgiving.