Tipping in Canada

[bubbaray]

Do you ladies tip in the amounts that people have been posting in the Lounge? For example, a weeks pay for daycare/nanny, a months' pay for daycare/nanny, a visit for housecleaner, etc.

Just wondering -- I've always thought I was a pretty generous tipper (20% in restaurants unless the service is terrible), but I would never consider tipping my cleaning lady the cost of her visit, nor would I tip my daycare provider a week's equivalent, let alone a month.

Never thought I was cheap. Now I'm thinking I am?!


Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: c/s 01/2007

[EllasMum]

At restaurants, I usually use the ol' double the GST route, but lately, since the GST decrease, I've been aiming for 15% instead. I don't have a cleaning lady, but a week's wages seems exorbitant to me! Maybe I'm cheap too!! I was just discussing this topic with a friend who was wondering what she would tip/gift her son's preschool teacher. She ended up settling on $30 worth of Fruits & Passion stuff - for EACH (there are 2). I just about passed out - I can see being appreciative of the service but YOUCH! I guess it is whatever you feel comfortable with - I just never imagined a tip like that for a teacher. Perhaps I went into the wrong line of work. ;)

[bubbaray]

I've been asking around with my lawyer friends and none of us would tip a cleaning lady an entire visit worth, ditto daycare. And, believe me, these are people who definitely know how to spend money.

Then again, I haven't worked anywhere where there are bonus or where you can accept a gift of any sort in years.

At restaurants, I tip 20% if the service is good, particularly if we have DD with us (for the extra mess!). DH usually tips 15%. Having said that, if the service is horrible, he'll still tip 15%, whereas I don't hesitate to leave NO tip.

I have heard that Canadians have a reputation when travelling of not being great tippers. Oh well, guess that's because we're so friendly, LOL!

I have to figure out a Christmas gift for my very-religious, vegan cleaning lady for this Wednesday. I have NO clue. I got her a couple pairs of running socks last year, but this year her husband doesn't allow her to run anymore, so running stuff won't work. Maybe walking socks?!? Ugh. Can't even get her chocolate -- don't think its vegan. I know the F&P stuff your friend was talking about. Maybe I should consider that....

Bah humbug

Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: c/s 01/2007

[Piglet]

I think it depends...

When we were in a dayhome, and I knew the dayhome mom was pretty strapped for cash this time fo year, I would give her the equivalent of a week's extra salary in cash at the end of the year. That having been said, she totally undercharged me throughout the year and I knew she could use the money.

This year, we are in a large urban daycare. The money that I pay does not go directly to the daycare caregivers, so I will be buying them some sort of gift basket. I often default to Starbucks stuff and a nice gift card. Maybe F&P will work this year.

My cleaning lady and I have a bit of a routine. I buy her a gift basket or plop a bit more money onto her regular pay and she leaves me homemade cookies :) Typically I pay her about $75 every two weeks, so by the logic of a week's extra, that would be $37.50 extra. I probably spend in the range of $20-25 for a gift basket.

It is all very confusing for this Jewish girl to figure out so I err on the side of over-tipping sometimes?!

[hipmaman]

>I was just
>discussing this topic with a friend who was wondering what she
>would tip/gift her son's preschool teacher. She ended up
>settling on $30 worth of Fruits & Passion stuff - for EACH
>(there are 2). I just about passed out - I can see being
>appreciative of the service but YOUCH! I guess it is whatever
>you feel comfortable with - I just never imagined a tip like
>that for a teacher. Perhaps I went into the wrong line of
>work. ;)

I don't tip my kids' teachers or daycare providers. I give them gifts during Christmas, or if they leave/retire, etc. gifts that I wouldn't mind receiving.

Alternatively, I organise the parents together and contribute $5-10/child so the class(es) can buy a bigger gift for the teachers. Something like a spa treatment that would cost too much for one parent to buy/give alone. It's also something that teachers might not buy or indulge themselves.

Restaurant is about 20% for me. If the service is bad and it's the waiter/waitress' issue and he/she not making an effort, I make a point of leaving much much less than 10%. If it's not something the waiter/waitress could help, I still give 20% but tell the boss of the problem and leave possitive feedbacks for the waiter/waitress.

What I am not sure is hair dresser. I usually tip my hairdresser about 15% of the cost of the hair cut. I also leave smaller tip for the person washing my hair. Haircut is usually about $60, hairdresser gets about $8 and hair washer get about $3. Is that right or is that stingy?

[bubbaray]

While it appears I'm clearly NO expert in the field of tipping, I do believe in keeping my hairdresser (who owns her own salon and frequently doesn't have help/washers/receptionists) happy!

I tip her 20% normally, so on a $60 cut, I would tip her $12. Because I'm growing out my hair & haven't been going regularly, I gave her a 'double' tip last time (knowing I wouldn't be back during the Christmas season and until well after DD#2 is born). I've never tipped washers separately, though I know people do. On occasion, I bring Krispy Kreme donuts to my hairdresser, b/c it is on my way to her salon and she loves them!

DH recently got me a pedicure at a posh spa here. It was $75 and I tipped $15. Anyone who has to spend an hour on my feet deserves a nice tip, LOL!

I never tip the paper person (never seen them, have no idea if they are adult or child, etc.), nor my mailman/woman (we have a neighborhood supermailbox), etc.. I am just floored by the dollar amounts and wide tipping "net" people are talking about in the Lounge.

I'm much more comfortable giving a "gift" than tipping. Gifts are becoming a PITA as I get older, more picky and have less time to shop!


Melissa

DD#1: 04/2004

DD#2: c/s 01/2007