Tipping your service providers during the holidays

My gardener stopped by last week to see if I needed any work done. With the colder temperatures already here, the grass didn’t need to mowed, the hedges were already trimmed and I’d recently applied a fresh layer of mulch.

So, while I didn’t have any immediate needs, I did ask him to stop by next week for a visit. My intent is to give him a tip for his work all year. He is married and has five young children. An independent gardener, money doesn’t always go far enough. My next question of course was, how much of a tip is appropriate?

At the end of the year, people may want to tip their service providers. Whether it’s the mail carrier, trash collector, hair stylist, housekeeper or concierge, tipping is a generally accepted way of saying, “Thank you.”

But what is the appropriate amount?

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Hair stylists and lawn keepers are typically tipped the amount of one service. So, if you pay $50 for your hair, then you should tip the same amount, especially if you don’t ordinarily leave a tip. That may be too steep for many. The rule of thumb: Never tip more than you can afford.

Photo credit: Johnny Crawford, AJC

Mail carriers and other public servants are not allowed to accept gifts valued at more than $20, and no cash. Peter Post, director of the Emily Post Institute, said in the New York Times Bucks Blog that a gift such as a pair of gloves or a mug would be good. You could also leave a plate of cookies or other baked good.

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