Holiday tipping newspaper carrier?

[lizzzi]

We still receive a hardcopy local newspaper all seven days because of an elderly relative who is not computer literate. Service has not been exemplary, but not terrible, either. The carrier (whom I've never met or talked to--papers are delivered very early in the AM) has included letters last month and this month detailing many tales of woe about her personal life, and why she needs tips mailed to her…sounds like a deserving, motivated hard worker who is having a run of bad luck, bad cars, and bad relationships.  These seem to be form letters that she's including to all her customers on the route. I intend to give her my usual $20 in a Christmas card, just as I do for the mailman. Is that enough these days, particularly that she is soliciting so desperately?

[Catbert]

I give mine $25 so your $20 sounds about right to me.  Tales of woe would not cause me to give more.

[lizzzi]

Well, $25 would not be a problem. There is another thread in progress about tipping, with a lively discussion that is making me paranoid. I think I'm a decent tipper, and certainly appreciate what service people do for us…don't want to go cheap-o-rama…but I don't want to be an anti-Mustachian sucka, either.

[NumberJohnny5]

What the...are these people not paid a wage? Do they deliver papers purely for tips? For some reason, I thought they were employed by the newspaper company and received a W2 once a year.

And the mailman? I thought that was a position with a pension.

That's it, I'm starting a thread to rant about tipping. Just try and stop me!

[iris lily]

We don't tip our newspaper courier. Perhaps we should but we do not.

I thought it was extremely strange that my neighbor asked about tipping our postman. No, I am not going to tip my postman, either. He is well paid.

I do always tip in restaurants, however, and nearly always 20%. I just don't tip in other situations.

[lizzie]

Your tip sounds reasonable to me. We tip more-I just sent $40 each to our two delivery guys-but here is my reasoning:

1. They do a great job. We almost always have our paper by 5am.

2. We live in Minnesota. The weather can be really terrible.

3. My husband and I are well-compensated now but still remember what it was like to work those kinds of jobs. Among the service jobs I had was room service at a hotel, where I had to be at work by 4:45am.  I worked there for about a year or so and I hardly felt like a human being. I can't imagine having to deliver papers by 5am day after day for years.

4. I guess I just get a feeling of enjoyment out of tipping well. I know from experience that it makes a real concrete improvement in someone's day. I feel like I've been very fortunate in life and tipping feels like one small way of showing gratitude.

[driftwood]

She sent you a letter?!

I delivered papers as a young teen, both on foot and by bicycle.  I saw most of my customers face to face (only weekend papers came in the AM), and many of them would give me a Christmas tip.  For a 12-year-old, making $100-$150 from my tips over Christmas was a huge deal.  I felt like it was a Christmas gift, no customer owed me a dime over what their paper cost.  I'd give each of them a thank-you card with their next newspaper.

I would NEVER had asked them to mail me tips, or told them my tale of woe (it's not a customer's job to give charity for a service).  I'm appalled that she'd even be sharing personal info to try to get more money out of you. 

Then again, I was a young man looking to earn my own money and start being responsible for myself.  I always thought it was a job for kids, and when I'd see adult deliverers it would make me embarrassed. 

[laserlady]

What the...are these people not paid a wage? Do they deliver papers purely for tips? For some reason, I thought they were employed by the newspaper company and received a W2 once a year.

It may be different in some states, but in most states, newspaper carriers are considered to be "independent contractors," not employees.  For instance, when I delivered newspapers (about 15 years ago), the paperwork was set up so that we theoretically bought the newspapers from the newspaper company, then sold them for a company-approved rate that was 6 cents higher than our purchase rate.  In other words, with a 60 person route, I earned about $3.60 per day.  This was for about an hour's worth of work on weekdays and about two hours on Sundays, when the size of the papers made them harder to roll and deliver.  (I delivered by bike, and I also had a lot of difficult customers who demanded that the paper be placed in some exact spot that required me to get off the bike and run it up there, with the big bag of papers on my back.) 

I didn't expect tips, and I certainly wouldn't have sent a letter to my customers asking them for money, but I really did appreciate it when people gave me tips, even if they just told me to keep 25 or 50 cents of change.

Incidentally, the independent contractor thing is the reason that newspapers have kids working for them who wouldn't be able to get a job somewhere else due to child labor laws.

[lizzzi]

Well, I don't begrudge it, and I will tip, but it gives me pause that I'm spending approximately as much on these two service people  as I am on my own immediate family members. I think I'll be able to stop the hardcopy newspaper once this year's subscription runs out..the elderly relative is not really getting much out of it these days.

[Davids]

I get the WSJ every day for free (as a result of online surveys...) now I have no plans of tipping the person who delivers it. Now if this person would have it on my front porch every morning instead of just randomly thrown on my lawn or driveway then I would say ok that would deserve a tip but other than that no chance.

[Calvawt]

I would tip the same amount you always have in the past.  A request letter would not affect my decision. 

That being said, I tip my hair stylist a little extra, but no one else historically.  Maybe I am a bad tipper, but if I don't have a relationship with any others, so it doesn't seem to make sense to me to tip.

[pipercat]

I think you give plenty, and I would continue to do what you've always done.

[Mr. Stash]

I paid 1 cent for Sunday Delivery of the local newspaper (that is not a misprint).  Is $10.00 a good tip for the carrier?

[pipercat]

I paid 1 cent for Sunday Delivery of the local newspaper (that is not a misprint).  Is $10.00 a good tip for the carrier?

IMO, yes it is.

[SJS]

We tip our paper carrier $20 for Christmas, and we gave our mailman $50.  We interact with the mailman on a regular basis - he comes up to the door with packages and is always cracking us up!  We like him and enjoy seeing him, so we gave him extra.  Never see the newspaper guy, he comes really early.

[southern granny]

We tip the paper guy $25.  We don't tip the mailman because they are well compensated.  The newspaper is always on our porch by 5 am.   I do think it is out of line for the person to be soliciting tips on such a personal level.  Our newspaper person put a Christmas card with the newspaper which included their name and address.  I know they are hoping for tips, but I don't have a problem with that.

[curler]

Do keep in mind that legally mail carriers cannot except gifts in cash, or gifts valued above $20.  http://about.usps.com/postal-bulletin/2012/pb22349/html/cover_025.htm

[Milizard]

WTF do you feel the need to tip your mailman? They air very well compensated for what they do.

[lizzzi]

In NY, we always gave the postal carrier something because my husband had known him for years…knew him when he was a child…and my husband just liked to show his appreciation.The service was excellent always.  Here in the Heartland, I truly feel the postal carrier gives exemplary service, is unfailingly cheerful and professional, and has a hard job in some ways…slogging through all weathers with heavy bags, delivering lots of packages…it doesn't look like a picnic to me. So I have always put $20 in a Christmas card for the carriers, both in NY and here. I had no idea they were not supposed to be given cash--neither has ever said anything. So I'm going to just keep doing it.

[GuitarStv]

Yet another episode of Tipping Gone Wild . . . brought to you by  . . . America.

[pipercat]

Ok, you're starting to convince me.  I used to get gift cards for the mail carrier, the trash collectors, and the cleaning lady. Well, we've cancelled the cleaning lady, and our trash collection company has been bought by another company. I don't even know how many people they have getting our trash each week. That leaves the mail carrier. I'm not going to get her a gift card anymore. It was never very much, but I can kind of see how it is unnecessary.

[BlueMR2]

I don't tip them.  While I feel that they probably should get more money than they do for the work, I don't really want the paper (it's free, and there's no opt-out).  It's one more thing I have to deal with.  And, they dump it on the end of the driveway out by the street so I have to go out, retrieve the dumb thing (which I don't even want), so I can bring it into the garage and dump it in with my recycling.  If I actually wanted it, and it would make it somewhere near the house, I probably would tip though.

[Scandium]

WTF do you feel the need to tip your mailman? They air very well compensated for what they do.

Being a US transplant I had the same reaction when I saw some article detailing appropriate holiday tips for the mailman, trash collector, gardener, plumber, baby sitter, whatever. What the hell? These people have jobs and salaries, and pensions! Why would I give them more money voluntarily? If they want more cash get another job. I do my job pretty damn well but architecture firms don't tip me for "awesome engineering"!

I tip restaurant servers, taxi drivers, and (grudgingly) hair cutter people (after my wife pointed out I was seen as an asshole for not doing so).

[jba302]

I probably would have called the delivery service and complained.

[Milizard]

WTF do you feel the need to tip your mailman? They air very well compensated for what they do.

Being a US transplant I had the same reaction when I saw some article detailing appropriate holiday tips for the mailman, trash collector, gardener, plumber, baby sitter, whatever. What the hell? These people have jobs and salaries, and pensions! Why would I give them more money voluntarily? If they want more cash get another job. I do my job pretty damn well but architecture firms don't tip me for "awesome engineering"!

I tip restaurant servers, taxi drivers, and (grudgingly) hair cutter people (after my wife pointed out I was seen as an asshole for not doing so).

I was born in the US to immigrants.  I totally concur on tipping on newspaper carriers, since they make so little.  But, for many years, mail carriers weren't even allowed to accept cash tips.  Their entry-level wages are on par to double those of entry level college grads in my area, and they get a pension. 

And plumbers??  Really, or were you just adding that for effect?  They make, like, $65/hr. I don't know how I feel about tipping hair stylists.  Apparently, you don't have to tip if they're the owner of the salon?  It starts to get so convoluted and crazy.  Shampoo people get some too, and whatever.  It's annoying, but I don't go to those kind of fancy pants salons anyway.

[Scandium]

WTF do you feel the need to tip your mailman? They air very well compensated for what they do.

Being a US transplant I had the same reaction when I saw some article detailing appropriate holiday tips for the mailman, trash collector, gardener, plumber, baby sitter, whatever. What the hell? These people have jobs and salaries, and pensions! Why would I give them more money voluntarily? If they want more cash get another job. I do my job pretty damn well but architecture firms don't tip me for "awesome engineering"!

I tip restaurant servers, taxi drivers, and (grudgingly) hair cutter people (after my wife pointed out I was seen as an asshole for not doing so).

I was born in the US to immigrants.  I totally concur on tipping on newspaper carriers, since they make so little.  But, for many years, mail carriers weren't even allowed to accept cash tips.  Their entry-level wages are on par to double those of entry level college grads in my area, and they get a pension. 

And plumbers??  Really, or were you just adding that for effect?  They make, like, $65/hr. I don't know how I feel about tipping hair stylists.  Apparently, you don't have to tip if they're the owner of the salon?  It starts to get so convoluted and crazy.  Shampoo people get some too, and whatever.  It's annoying, but I don't go to those kind of fancy pants salons anyway.

yeah I don't actually know if they said plumbers, just remember it was a list of several professions which I had never thought to tip. If it's a salaried job (i.e. most except waiters) I don't think I should have to tip. If they make "little" (however that is defined) then they should get a better job, not guilt people into paying them more.

I get my haircut from an old korean man, or his family members there. I have no idea if he owns the place. I also have no idea if $2, or $3 tip is ok, or makes him want to cut my ears off next time! So annoying.
Hm the haircut is $14, so $3 is over 20%. That should be good right? But 14% ($2) might be low? Does this work like restaurants?

edit: ok here's another article about it. Pretty crazy IMO
http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/12/luxury/holiday-tipping/index.html

Some of the people you (apparantley) should tip:

• nannies
• day care workers
• building superintendents
• baristas
• dog walkers
• dry cleaning delivery people (this is a thing?)
• personal trainers
• school bus drivers
• garbage collector
• FedEx/UPS people??

Thankfully I don't interact with many of those. Nannies (and daycare) cost $20K+ a year here, and you're expected to tip on top of that? wtf? The dog walker we've used occasionally charges $17 for a half hour!

Lol "bartender you see regularly" ... maybe tipping shouldn't be your main concern.

[lizzzi]

You don't tip nurses any more than you would tip the doctors or dentists. I'm an RN, and have worked in many settings over the years. We don't accept tips. I've accepted three gifts from patients or their families, after checking with my supervisors that it was OK. 1. A knitted hat that the pt. made herself. 2. A small piece of European lace, meant to be framed as a wall decoration. 3. A bottle of shower gel.

[Avidconsumer]

WTF do you feel the need to tip your mailman? They air very well compensated for what they do.

Being a US transplant I had the same reaction when I saw some article detailing appropriate holiday tips for the mailman, trash collector, gardener, plumber, baby sitter, whatever. What the hell? These people have jobs and salaries, and pensions! Why would I give them more money voluntarily? If they want more cash get another job. I do my job pretty damn well but architecture firms don't tip me for "awesome engineering"!

I tip restaurant servers, taxi drivers, and (grudgingly) hair cutter people (after my wife pointed out I was seen as an asshole for not doing so).

I was born in the US to immigrants.  I totally concur on tipping on newspaper carriers, since they make so little.  But, for many years, mail carriers weren't even allowed to accept cash tips.  Their entry-level wages are on par to double those of entry level college grads in my area, and they get a pension. 

And plumbers??  Really, or were you just adding that for effect?  They make, like, $65/hr. I don't know how I feel about tipping hair stylists.  Apparently, you don't have to tip if they're the owner of the salon?  It starts to get so convoluted and crazy.  Shampoo people get some too, and whatever.  It's annoying, but I don't go to those kind of fancy pants salons anyway.

I think anyone who has worked in the service industry or is currently working in the industry understands the importance of tipping.

In regards to tipping at hair salons...for a busy hair stylist, especially those blowdry bars. You should try standing up for 10 hours holding a hairdryer at shoulder height.

I don't understand why you wouldn't tip the owner of the salon as they are still providing a service, and I can tell you that owners do not make a lot more money and have some pretty crazy to deal with a lot of the time.

I tip more for a better service, but I always tip when its appropriate. When you give more it always comes back around, and a lot of the time you don't have to give much to get a better service.

Tipping isn't antimustachian.

[jba302]

I think anyone who has worked in the service industry or is currently working in the industry understands the importance of tipping.

In regards to tipping at hair salons...for a busy hair stylist, especially those blowdry bars. You should try standing up for 10 hours holding a hairdryer at shoulder height.

I don't understand why you wouldn't tip the owner of the salon as they are still providing a service, and I can tell you that owners do not make a lot more money and have some pretty crazy to deal with a lot of the time.

I tip more for a better service, but I always tip when its appropriate. When you give more it always comes back around, and a lot of the time you don't have to give much to get a better service.

Tipping isn't antimustachian.

Isn't the tip for the service itself enough? To further that, isn't the price for the service itself enough?

[Avidconsumer]

I think anyone who has worked in the service industry or is currently working in the industry understands the importance of tipping.

In regards to tipping at hair salons...for a busy hair stylist, especially those blowdry bars. You should try standing up for 10 hours holding a hairdryer at shoulder height.

I don't understand why you wouldn't tip the owner of the salon as they are still providing a service, and I can tell you that owners do not make a lot more money and have some pretty crazy to deal with a lot of the time.

I tip more for a better service, but I always tip when its appropriate. When you give more it always comes back around, and a lot of the time you don't have to give much to get a better service.

Tipping isn't antimustachian.

Isn't the tip for the service itself enough? To further that, isn't the price for the service itself enough?

You're paying a subsidized price based on the fact that 8 out of 10 people tip. When you tip, you are paying the actual service price as far as I'm concerned.

Its fine if you dont tip as the majority do. If noone tipped, then the price would be higher.

I hate the fact that people in the financial industry and have fancy degrees, believe that just because you're in the service industry, you shouldn't earn as much. If you can't beat them, join them.

[MrFrugalChicago]

At the risk of stating the obvious..

who pays for newspapers?

Do you pay for a landline too? Like its 1987?

[jba302]

You're paying a subsidized price based on the fact that 8 out of 10 people tip. When you tip, you are paying the actual service price as far as I'm concerned.

Its fine if you dont tip as the majority do. If noone tipped, then the price would be higher.

I hate the fact that people in the financial industry and have fancy degrees, believe that just because you're in the service industry, you shouldn't earn as much. If you can't beat them, join them.

I would really just prefer the higher price to be honest with you. I was going to reference Bourdain's place, Les Halles, but apparently I was wrong in understanding that to be an example. Some googling leads me to Sushi Yasuda or Per Se as examples. They are higher end, to be sure, but I can't see how that would be difficult to apply elsewhere.

[TerriM]

The thought of tipping my mailman had never even set foot, let alone crossed, my mind.

While we're discussing tipping postmen, please tip me for being a forum participant.  I don't even make money doing it, so clearly I need to be tipped.  Cold hard cash please, no words.

[TerriM]

I think the list that Scandium posted crosses the line.  Tips are one thing, but gifts are another.  Teachers--I don't *tip* them, I give them a gift with a handmade card signed and designed by my kids.  Sometimes it's a gift card, sometimes it's something handmade from the kids (bread/cookies, etc.)....  I feel like it's a big difference.  One way I'm treating them like an employee, the other way I'm treating them like a human being that I, and more to the point, my kids care enough about to be on our gift-list.

[socaso]

In my area all the paper deliveries are done by adults. My MIL used to have a paper delivery route in addition to her 9 to 5 because she was a single mom of two small boys and really needed the money. Maybe it's the Christmas spirit swelling my small heart but if an extra $5 won't break you I say throw it in. Sometimes people do need help and maybe it's hard for her to ask but she's desperate.

[lizzzi]

At the risk of stating the obvious..

who pays for newspapers?

Do you pay for a landline too? Like its 1987?

Many of the elderly population are on the wrong side of the digital divide…they are not computer literate, and do not read the newspaper online. If they have lifelines, or "Voice of Help" products, they need a land line for the base unit to be plugged in to. Phone companies will often offer a very cheap discounted rate for folks who need a land line only for their lifelines.

[MillenialMustache]

I tip my mailman every year, but I get A LOT of coupons and samples in the mail - this would normally be $5 and maybe candy. We did $10 this year, as I have an Ebay business that has been sending out packages nearly every day since Black Friday. I sometimes schedule pickups at my front door for 5-7 packages. I think I use more of the service than most, and do not think a tip is needed for a normal mail user.

[lizzie]

At the risk of stating the obvious..

who pays for newspapers?

Do you pay for a landline too? Like its 1987?

We actually consider it almost a charitable contribution, at this point. I mean somebody's gotta pay so that this country can have some actual journalists. Also, I like having the paper around because we have kids. They see their parents reading (as opposed to staring at a screen), and they read it sometimes themselves.

[TerriM]

Interesting....  I prefer not having the paper around because I don't want the kids to see the nasty stuff happening in the world.  Invariably there's something about a teacher having sex with her students, someone getting raped, or some grizzly murder.

Maybe the WSJ would be safe.

[Milizard]

WTF do you feel the need to tip your mailman? They air very well compensated for what they do.

Being a US transplant I had the same reaction when I saw some article detailing appropriate holiday tips for the mailman, trash collector, gardener, plumber, baby sitter, whatever. What the hell? These people have jobs and salaries, and pensions! Why would I give them more money voluntarily? If they want more cash get another job. I do my job pretty damn well but architecture firms don't tip me for "awesome engineering"!

I tip restaurant servers, taxi drivers, and (grudgingly) hair cutter people (after my wife pointed out I was seen as an asshole for not doing so).

I was born in the US to immigrants.  I totally concur on tipping on newspaper carriers, since they make so little.  But, for many years, mail carriers weren't even allowed to accept cash tips.  Their entry-level wages are on par to double those of entry level college grads in my area, and they get a pension. 

And plumbers??  Really, or were you just adding that for effect?  They make, like, $65/hr. I don't know how I feel about tipping hair stylists.  Apparently, you don't have to tip if they're the owner of the salon?  It starts to get so convoluted and crazy.  Shampoo people get some too, and whatever.  It's annoying, but I don't go to those kind of fancy pants salons anyway.

I think anyone who has worked in the service industry or is currently working in the industry understands the importance of tipping.

In regards to tipping at hair salons...for a busy hair stylist, especially those blowdry bars. You should try standing up for 10 hours holding a hairdryer at shoulder height.

I don't understand why you wouldn't tip the owner of the salon as they are still providing a service, and I can tell you that owners do not make a lot more money and have some pretty crazy to deal with a lot of the time.

I tip more for a better service, but I always tip when its appropriate. When you give more it always comes back around, and a lot of the time you don't have to give much to get a better service.

Tipping isn't antimustachian.

Tipping unnecessarily and inappropriately is though.

I have had several service jobs, a couple of which that I got some tips with.  (I've also had several jobs working on my feel for 8-11 hours making very little, but didn't get tipped.)   I still find the practice distasteful, like the tipper is superior, while the tippee grovels at their feet for scraps.

For the record, I do tip my hairstylist and she works out of her own home.  That bit was just a confusing rule of thumb that I had read.  I imagine that it had something to do with earning chair rental from the other stylists? 

[Cassie]

I tip the newspaper carrier $25.00. Here they are adults & they wear their brakes out on their cars etc because you have to drive so slow & stop a lot.  The routes are too big not to drive.  Even if I get the online addition I would have to pay-it would not be free.  I would rather hold my paper & drink my coffee then stare at a screen.  The reasoning behind the owner of a salon not being tipped is because they are making $ off the other stylists.  If the person does it in their own home with no employees then yes you still tip.  Here they put an xmas card addressed to themselves in your paper so you can just put $ in & mail.  You can also choose to tip monthly with your bill.  That woman sounds like she is overwhelmed which is why she is asking for tips.  It appears that many people don't know who & how much they should tip.

[pipercat]

If the person does it in their own home with no employees then yes you still tip. 

I still sort of have a problem with this.  If they are working independently, don't they set their own prices?  So then why should I tip on top of that?

[Paul der Krake]

I find it interesting that a few posters mentioned how their newspaper guy doesn't even bother coming up to the house, on a forum dedicated to frugality. What would we say if they pulled in and out of every single driveway instead, wasting precious gas because the home owners are too lazy to walk 20 extra seconds every morning?

[Cassie]

I agree. To get the job done efficiently they need to drive & throw.  Some days the paper is closer to the door then others.

[Barnaby]

I delivered newspapers during college 10 years ago. As an independent contractor, I did not get any say in what I was paid per paper delivered. It was a take it of leave it offer. The newspaper did not have any substitute delivery people so there were no days off. I rarely saw any of my customers, but they would call the newspaper to complain that I didn't deliver if someone stole their paper before they went out to get it. I did not expect tips; in fact I was pleasantly surprised when about 10 of my 150 customers added a gift to their monthly bill in December. The pay was reasonable as long as your car didn't break.