How Much Should You Give As Tips During the Holiday

Giving tips at the end of the year has become quite a common trend. The results of a survey which was conducted earlier in the year found that about 60% of Americans gave tips to a minimum of one service provider or even more in 2017. The survey revealed that on an average, they gave out $45 as tips and the greater percentage of the tips came in cash form.

However, a lot of people are always unsure about what to give different service providers during the holiday. According to Elaine Swann, the best method of determining who to give tips is looking at the individuals that have assisted you throughout that year. They are the ones who have made your life easier and assisted you in a fashion or shape.

Study reveals that a lot of people are uncertain about what to give different service providers during the holidays

First on the list according to Emily Post Institute’s co-president, Lizzie Post, is looking at your actual budget as that will help in determining the number of people you can easily afford to tip. She mentioned that prioritizing one’s list is important as it helps to know one’s ability.

While generally cash is more preferred by people receiving, giving presents and gift cards are also viable options. In cases where you are short of cash, you can choose to give out cards or bake cookies in expressing your gratitude. According to Post, there may be times when you do not have a lot of cash and what would help you is the skills you possess. That is particularly useful in cases where the workers are not able to accept cash as gifts.

There are people that are not allowed to do so as a result of company policy. For instance, postal workers in America are not to collect gift cards or money and the presents they would be given should have a maximum cost price of  $20. Also, those who are home health employees or nursing home workers might also be unable to take monetary gifts.

Below are some tips on who to give tips and the amount to give each of them

1. Childcare Providers

Regardless of whether the help is a babysitter, a live-in or daycare provider, it is important to thank the people who take care of your kids. Not just giving them a monetary bonus, your child could also give them something and be sure that they will deeply appreciate that. For a live-in nanny, you can give as high as a week’s pay. For a regular babysitter, giving an evening’s pay should suffice and in cases where you use daycare providers, then giving between $25 to $70 to each member of staff working with your children is a good move.

It is very essential to thank those who take care of your kids

2. Barbers and Hairstylists

Some professionals are of the opinion that the tip, in this case, could be the cost of a visit. However, that would only be ideal for those that have regular and inexpensive haircuts with one barber rather than people who spend so much when they visit the salon on cut, coloring and highlighting. In this latter instance, giving a tip between $10 and $60 or giving a gift would suffice. For those who work at the beauty salon, the tip you give could be around the sum you pay for a visit to be divided among the people who attend to you.

3. Building Employees

They are the ones in charge of caring for the building, opening your doors, receiving your packages and fixing problems. As such, it won’t be a bad idea for you to acknowledge their contribution all through the year. You can give the elevator operator and the handyman a tip of $15-$40, the doorman between $15 and $80 each and the Superintendent between $20 and $80.

4. Garbage Collectors

Depending on whether your municipality collects your garbage, you can check the relevant regulations to determine if they allow cash and in a case where they do not, you may choose to give gifts. Where cash is not prohibited, you could give each member of the garbage collecting crew between $10 and $30.

Check the relevant regulations to determine if you can  give cash gifts to your  garbage collectors

5. Housekeepers

If your housekeeper works just once or two times each month, then consider giving them a tip which is nearly half the sum you pay for one service. For a regular cleaner, you could give up to the pay for a week or even a little gift. For the housekeeper who lives in, you could give between a week to a month’s pay together with a gift.

6. Pet Caretakers

You should not forget to tip the people who care for your dogs and your pets while you are not home. For those who regularly use groomers, you should tip them as well. You can give your dog walker a tip of about a week’s pay and the groomer the cost of a session.

7. Personal Trainers

You should consider giving a gift to the person who helps you stay fit. Also, if you have a massage therapist, you should also give that person a generous tip for helping to stay relaxed. The tip or gift could be the cost of a session.