The Yearly "What the heck do I tip them?" Thread

[Fairy]

We do this every year. Someone starts a thread asking what they should tip and/or gift the doorman or the cleaning people or the teachers. I know I could search the threads. But in this economy, and due to my laziness, being lost again, I thought I'd start the yearly thread. There are alot of great deals at Costco on giftcards, like five $20-Starbucks cards for only $80. But that means I'm giving a $20 gift, and some I don't want to spend that much on (or can they break tehse down at the store?) So ... what are you doing for teh following list? Not that I do all of these people, but trying to be complete. Feel free to add some that I missed:

Cleaning person (one)
Cleaning Crew (multiple + owner)
Gardner/Landscaper
Doorman
Daycare Teacher
Daycare Assistant (HS kids)
School Teacher
School Aide/TA/Assistant
School Bus Driver
Coach
Hairdresser
Colorist

Who did I miss?

[sste]

Cleaning person: $150
babysitters (occasional): $30-60
we don't have any teachers yet and my hairdresser is not that longstanding

*if anyone has any ideas as to what is appropriate for a 4 day per week nanny who will only have worked for us for four weeks by christmas, please add that to the list!!

[JoyNChrist]

I only have a few of these...

Hairdresser/Colorist - They get their usual tip ($20 each) when I go for my December appointment, and a $10 GC to Starbucks.

Postwoman - I usually give her a nice card with $25 inside...I do 95% of my holiday shopping online and she has to bring packages up to my door almost every day for over a month. She's really sweet about it, so I like doing something nice for her.

Cleaning person - I don't have a regular cleaning lady, but I always have someone come in and do my house really well the week before Christmas (does wonders for my sanity). I usually tip between $25-$50 (depends on how messy my house was and how good of a job they do.

[lmwbasye]

Well, for our cleaning person, I'm debating giving the full weekly amount as a tip ($90), but not sure if that's appropriate.

For teachers (3) we are giving Starbucks GC (probably $20 each).

Our mail people stink and they switch nearly daily, so probably will skip that since I can't keep track of who is who.

I think that's it for us.

[fivi2]

Do you guys tip UPS/FedEx or just USPS? And what is the deal with fed employees and tips - are they allowed or not?

And do you do trash collectors?

[wendibird22]

Daycare (in-home): $100
Hairstylist: $20 above the normal tip (my cut is only $30)
Mail carrier: $10 McD's gift card
Newspaper carrier: $10 McD's gift card

[hillview]

Cleaning person (one) -- she sometimes has someone else with her -- a week of pay rounded up + bottle of wine
School Teacher -- don't know there are 3 of them -- maybe an Amex giftcard?
Babysitter (2 days a week every week) -- one week's pay plus a small gift from DSs

/hillary

[spunkybaby]

We usually give our gardener an extra month's pay ($100). Haven't checked with DH yet, but that's what we've done in the past.

For daycare teachers, I have 3 for DD1 and 3 for DD2. They have gone two days a week since July. I bought Starbucks GC at Costco yesterday (5 $20 GC for $79.99) and then went to a Starbucks and used the GC from Costco to repurchase 6 $15 GC, which leaves $10 for me!

DD1 also attends preschool 3 afternoons a week. We will contribute to the classroom joint gift for that teacher.

I am debating whether to give gifts to DD1's Bible Study Fellowship teachers. I always gave gifts to her Community Bible Study teachers, but there were very few children in the CBS class, whereas there are many more at BSF. If I do, I will probably buy each one a $10 GC to the local Christian bookstore.

[deenass]

IF you buy an amex gift card at CVS this week (maybe you have to buy three of them???) you get $10 CVS bucks back and can mail away for a $15 gas card.

[emily_gracesmama]

Mailman-$15 Wawa g. card, (I think he'll be using it for his cigs)
Newspaper-$25 cash
Teacher-$25 Visa g. card (my bank does these free of charge and I am too gunshy on other cards w/ all the stores closing)
Teacher aides-$10 Target g. card each
I think I'm sticking some free water ice coupons in for the teachers and mailman too, but that's our family business.

[JoyNChrist]

Do you guys tip UPS/FedEx or just USPS? And what is the deal with fed employees and tips - are they allowed or not?

And do you do trash collectors?

I just do our regular USPS postal carrier, because she's great. She's always accepted it graciously, with no problem. I don't tip UPS/FedEx unless it's something really big or heavy and they carry it inside for me (like DS's play kitchen).

Our trash collectors are horrible - you never know what time (or sometimes even what day) they're gonna show up, and they always leave my trash can in the ditch. No tips for them!

[lfp2n]

I was wondering about this- not so much a tip but is it normal to give something, if so what- I have absolutely no idea about this!

Lucy DD 3/03

[JoyNChrist]

I was wondering about this- not so much a tip but is it normal to give something, if so what- I have absolutely no idea about this!

My MIL is a public school bus driver and she said that some parents will send candy or cookies, but it's not expected.

[JMS]

There are only a few that I have given any thought to:

Regular Babysitter (3x/week for 3hrs/day) - $100

Mailman - GC for $20 (haven't decided where to)

Trash collectors - our township changed it's contract and the new tc's are really not great (that's as nice as I can be) so I think I'm going to skip it. Ditto with the weekend newspaper delivery person.

Teachers/Helpers - both DCs classes pool money at the beginning of the year to cover all gifts. I'm thinking of also giving the teachers a bottle of wine (but please chime in if you think that's a bad idea) b/c I think they deserve a drink after dealing with 2 & 4 year olds week in and week out :)

I don't have a regular hair person so I think that's it!

[Melanie]

You know what? WE don't get a holiday bonus, we never have. Except maybe an AMEX gift certificate, that was taxed, for $20 or $50. This year, we're not tipping. It's always been hard to come up with bonuses for other people out of our regular holiday budget when we don't get one. I feel guilty, especially about the teachers, but it's not the reality it has been in years' past. Or so Dh has convinced me.