During a recent visit to a hair stylist, I found myself in a quandry: Am I supposed to tip Kathy a bit more during this time of the year? I did. Then I ran into my mailman later in the day. Do I give him a little something? What about the trash guys? And if so, how much? I did a little research and found this.
- Shampoo Girl $10.00
- Manicurist/pedicurist $15.00 and up (usually whatever the price is of a basic service like a plain manicure – in fancy salons, consider giving more)
- Hairdresser/stylist $15.00 and up (usually whatever the price is of a basic service like a hair cut – in fancy salons, consider giving more)
- Mail carrier $10.00 for just showing up – more if he actually does helpful stuff like pay for the missing 33 cent stamp on your credit card bill envelope
- Doorman/concierge $50 to $100 – and could be much higher depending on the building and the clientele.
- Household help A cleaner (whether through a service or independent) who comes weekly or biweekly should get an amount roughly equal to what he gets paid each time he works for you.
- Nanny or babysitter Full time nannies expect a generous gift – often approaching or equal to a week’s pay. Babysitters should see anywhere between an extra $20.00 to $50.00 depending on where you live, how often she works for you and how desperate you are for her to sit on New Years Eve. Be generous with pet-sitters as well, but not to the magnitude of human sitters.
- Newspaper delivery boy (weekly) $10.00 for just showing up – more if he actually does helpful stuff like bring the newspaper up your driveway rather than tossing it in a snowdrift.
- Newspaper delivery boy (daily) If you haven’t tipped him or her on a monthly basis, between $25 and $50
This may seem like a bit much (a few did to me!) but figure it this way: spread out over the year, it’s not much at all. Often we don’t realize how much people contribute to our day-to-day existence. And while they often get paid for their services, if they do them well, it’s really nice to show them some extra acknowledgment. Besides, it just feels really good.
Thanks for the advice, Party 411! Here’s a virtual tip for your solid tipping advice!