Tipping in Tucson (other than restaurants) (hairstylist, mover, condo)

[Jukesgrrl]

I've never lived in suburbia before and I am somewhat confused as to whom to tip.

For example, I'm having my house painted soon. Do I tip the painters? Most of the time I do my own property maintenance, but once or twice a year I have a landscaping company do a major pruning and clean-up. I have the same guys all the time. I always put out snacks and drinks for them while they are working but I don't tip them cash. They don't act as if they expect it.

Obviously the person who brings the daily paper expects to be tipped for Christmas because we get an envelope to put it in. So how much is appropriate? In cities I've lived where garbage was collected by public works personnel, tipping them at the holiday was considered the thing to do. But I find it rather hard to believe Waste Management employees aren't appropriately compensated without me chipping in.

I don't tip the people who deliver packages to my door because I don't get that many and it's a different person every time. But if someone brings a package in December I offer them Christmas cookies. I've never had one say no. If I have anyone else in my home to do any work (the bug guy, a plumber, etc.) I always offer them beverages because I don't want anyone to get dehydrated on my watch. Most of them seem very happy to take a bottle of water to go. In fact, I don't even drink bottled water, but I do keep it in the fridge for that purpose. But do any workers like that get money?

Your thoughts?

[2farsouth]

Good question. I lived in Mazatlan for years and got used to tipping everyone. The people who bagged my groceries got tipped 20-30 cents after learning the stores paid them nothing and they had to buy their own bags. (Usually $5-$10 dollars at Christmas to my regulars.) That always brought an immediate crossing of herself and a silent prayer. I tipped the guy who helped me find a place to park in the lot 20-30 cents and in turn he kept an eye on my car while it I was shopping. Sometimes when I went to eat out someone would offer to wash and dry my car while I ate ,usually for $4 and if he did a great job, I'd give him an extra $1. They pump gas there and a 20 cent tip was the norm, unless I wanted him to put air in my tires or check the oil and then he got 40 cents. None of the tips were necessary but they got you better service the next time you came back. Just like here when you tip your bartender. I always tip my bartender by looking him in the eye and saying something like, here, this is for you. Last call comes and I want a drink, I never have a problem. Plus the bartender learns your drink and you develop a friendship. I tip cabbies and waitresses of course. My paper billing office gives me the option for tipping the delivery person.

[Prodigal Native]

I think we go a little overboard with the tipping - and I say that as someone who lived off of tips for several years.

Other than the obvious waiters/taxi drivers/bellhops/doormen I tend not to tip for many things UNLESS they go above and beyond. If someone runs their own company I am less likely to tip than if they are an employee. My line of thinking is that an employee is at the mercy of their employer, but if someone owns their own company they have the responsibility to price their services correctly.

A couple of examples:

The guy who did some landscaping for me typically didn't get tipped because he owned his own company.

The cleaner that straightened up my house did get a tip because she worked for a company that dictated the rates and she worked her butt off.

The guys who delivered my furniture didn't get tipped, but it was just a quick drop-off of a table. The guys who delivered my couch and moved the old one to the garage for me DID get tipped.

I recently moved and the mover I hired has his own company (not a franchise or such); he actually rounded down a little when it came time to settle up, but I rounded up to the next $20 because he did a great job. If you ever need a mover PM me, I would recommend this guy without hesitation (unless you hate bad jokes).

As for your specific examples, I typically don't tip the newspaper courier. I probably should, I know they don't get paid jack, but this is someone I never interact with and doesn't do anything extra. I might tip the painters if they show me a trick to masking off some trim or help with another project, etc.

Beverages are a given and so are snacks (if I have anything laying around), but generally speaking most of these people are just doing what I hired them for.

[Marcy1210]

I have a girl who cleans my house once a month, and I'll give her a year end bonus/tip of one pay check. I used to tip the trash guy (Waste Management), but that was when I was in a single family home; now that I'm in a condo complex and we have community dumpsters, I don't even think about it. I tip the mailman with a small gift (Colorado keychain as he delivered a lot of mail and packages I put on hold going to CO this year), and I tip my hairstylist one typical appointment's cost for a Christmas bonus. I tip my dogs' groomer at PetSmart each time, but I'll give her a Christmas tip on top of the regular tip when I take them in close to Christmas. I don't have landscapers, don't have the paper delivered, don't have a milkman but I do have Truly-Nolen, only he doesn't come in December, so I don't tip him. This is Emily Post's guide to Holiday "Thanking", which could be a good guideline...

Holiday Tipping Is Really Holiday Thanking

[Bummer]

I believe Prodigal Native has the proper approach.

Other than the usual Waiters, Bartenders, Barbers, etc . . . I rarely tip unless I feel the individual has gone "above and beyond" their job's responsibility.

While working in Customer Service years ago, I never accepted a tip but I did appreciate and welcome a "gift of appreciation" no matter how small or unsuited . . . IT WAS THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS.

[Windwalker2]

I tip the trash guy, who works for a small hauler in the county. He will pick up extra stuff when necessary. He about fainted the first time I handed him a Xmas tip so I guess no one else does it. I tip the newspaper woman so she doesn't throw my paper in the street where someone can pick it up. I also tip the mail delivery guy who is a contractor. He calls me when I have a package that I would otherwise have to drive 30 miles to pick up. So recurrent service people who go the extra mile for me get a tip. It never occurred to me to tip a yard work person since I pay them and they only come maybe twice a year and it's usually not the same company/person.

[borregokid]

I dont tip the yardworkers money but about every three months I buy them a 30 can case of beer. I also tip the newspaper carrier.

[pepperhead]

Please forgive me.

Guy walking down the street carrying a box on his shoulder.

Passerby: "Hey, what you got in the box"?

Man: "It's a case of beer I got for my wife"

Passerby: "Good trade"

[Bummer]

Originally Posted by pepperhead

Please forgive me.

Guy walking down the street carrying a box on his shoulder.

Passerby: "Hey, what you got in the box"?

Man: "It's a case of beer I got for my wife"

Passerby: "Good trade"

! ! ! ! ! !

[Jukesgrrl]

Well, the house is painted. The guys were extremely polite, very neat and thorough, covered everything that didn't move, dug a little trench around the perimeter of the house, then put the dirt and gravel back after they were finished so there were no drips on it (never saw that done before).

As for the tipping, I gave them coffee and cookies on the day it was cold (that being a relative thing in Tucson) and iced tea and cookies on the day it was hot, and bottles of water for the car when they left. They finished in a day and a half (one-story house). They don't own the company so I tipped them each $10 when they were packing up to leave (they took every scrap of trash with them). I liked the guy who owns the company, too. He was also very polite and professional and gave us what my neighbors (who all came to smurf around afterwards) thought was a very fair price. (I figure they weren't lying since they all asked for his card.) His brother (co-owner) was there for the set up and one or both of them dropped in a couple of times during the day to check progress and supervise. I didn't tip them though.

Thanks to all who offered advice. If anyone wants the company info, DM me. They work all over Tucson. Gotta go put up the Christmas decorations now.