Holiday tipping 2018: anyone really tip postal carriers, sanitation workers, newspaper delivery folks? (apartment, rentals)

[bostonguy1960]

We keep hearing, year after year, to tip these regular people in our lives, as well as teachers, tutors, doormen, concierge, barbers, etc.

Some or many of us can't afford to do this, at least not with significant tips.

I do believe postal carriers can accept gift cards or gifts, just not cash or checks? Similar for many other categories?

I do like to tip, and often even tip $1 at takeout or coffee and ice cream parlors. Minimum $2-$3 on Uber and Lyft and taxis. But I rent and sleep days so have no contact with trash and mail workers, thus don't tip sanitation or postal workers at my building -- still no excuse, right? Seems homeowners and those in luxury rentals may need or want to tip more people vs. renters?

[bgrasser]

I'll keep my wallet in my pocket thank-you. 0

[tysmith95]

Didn't know tipping postal workers was a thing. Mine is usually too lazy to bring Amazon packages to the door, and just leaves them in the driveway.

[danii]

I've had the same postal lady for 20 years and always give her at least $15-20. It depends on your situation what
you want to give.

[Brave Stranger]

I just gave the postman $20. Do it every year. He's been my postman forever. Always checks on my house & the neighborhood. It's good to have a set of eyes around who knows everyone in the neighborhood and checks on folks, especially some of my elderly neighbors.

[bostonguy1960]

Originally Posted by danii

I've had the same postal lady for 20 years and always give her at least $15-20. It depends on your situation what
you want to give.

So cash is accepted? Obviously that's what they all want.

No matter what the policy about no cash tips allowed, which I thought I had heard?

[Brookboy]

My wife and I live in Brooklyn, which is a high cost-of-living area. We tip our letter carrier ($50), our building super ($200), our cleaning lady ($250) (she comes every other week), the newspaper delivery person ($50). That comes to $550, and we think it’s money well given.

Our letter carrier knows us and often knocks on our door when we have a package, and we feel like he is an extra set of eyes on our lobby and on our apartment. The super does us favors throughout the year and is there for us when we need something. Our housekeeper has been coming for some years and always does a great job. The NY Times gets delivered through snowstorms, downpours, and in 95 degrees heat and on single digit icy mornings.

We are lucky to have these services, and even luckier to be able to afford them and to be able to give such tips. We think that the people who are getting the tips would do the same for us even without the tips, so we are happy and gratified to be able to give them something for the holidays.

[G1..]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

We keep hearing, year after year, to tip these regular people in our lives, as well as teachers, tutors, doormen, concierge, barbers, etc.

Some or many of us can't afford to do this, at least not with significant tips.

I do believe postal carriers can accept gift cards or gifts, just not cash or checks? Similar for many other categories?

I do like to tip, and often even tip $1 at takeout or coffee and ice cream parlors. Minimum $2-$3 on Uber and Lyft and taxis. But I rent and sleep days so have no contact with trash and mail workers, thus don't tip sanitation or postal workers at my building -- still no excuse, right? Seems homeowners and those in luxury rentals may need or want to tip more people vs. renters?

We give a $10 Dunkin gift card to our Mail carrier.

[ramaka]

Box of chocolates for USPS, school bus driver, guy who clears the snow on the street, trash and recycle pick up guys every year!

[robr2]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

So cash is accepted? Obviously that's what they all want.

No matter what the policy about no cash tips allowed, which I thought I had heard?

Postal employees are NOT ALLOWED to accept cash or cash equivalent gifts such as gift cards and gifts cannot be more than $20:

https://about.usps.com/postal-bullet.../cover_025.htm