3 On Your Side: Holiday Tipping Guidelines
By Jim Donovan
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Tipping is something that most people do year-round, but during the holidays, it can get more confusing. It's a topic that comes up every year, and as 3 On Your Side Consumer Reporter Jim Donovan tells us, it still leaves many scratching their heads.
It's the season of giving, but giving to everyone gets expensive! Etiquette Coach Alexandra Kovach recommends managing your list, by keeping it to those you deal with directly. She says, "It is your babysitter, your child's teacher, your hairdresser, your doorman, people who are taking care of you on a daily basis -- that make a difference to your day, throughout the year."
So what's a good tip? According to the Emily Post Institute:
Hair salon - the cost of a normal visit would be a nice tip for a stylist that you see regularly
Babysitter - one evening's pay plus a small gift from the kids
Newspaper Carrier -- $10-30 in cash or a gift, unless you tip regularly through the year, in that case a few extra dollars is sufficient
Housekeeper/Cleaning Person - the cost of one visit
Personal Trainer - the cost of one session
Cash is perceived as a tip for a service, Kovach says, and as such, isn't appropriate for a child's teacher. You can, however, give them a gift card.
To avoid getting caught empty-handed when someone has a gift for you, keep some small, wrapped items in your office and home. According to Kovach, "It's always good to have a couple of bottles of wine with a bow on it at the house in case someone shows up with something. You can spend an evening baking cookies, and it can be a lot of material for you and be very good on the budget."
Some workers aren't allowed to receive monetary gifts by law. Postal Carriers, for instance, can accept gifts worth up to $20, but they're not allowed to accept cash.
For an expanded list of tipping guidelines, click here.
