A Guide to Holiday Tipping

My wife cuts my hair, so I give her a big tip. I clean my own home, so I tip myself. No children, no daycare, no tipping. Tipping government workers making $70,000, give me a flipping break, will you.

I am sorry as well! I work extremely hard for quite often, less than minimum wage in Ontario. I have been working 4 years of night shifts with anywhere from 10 to 15 hours per night times 4 to 5 nights per week. It is not physical hard labour but the hours and some of the people I have to deal with can be daunting and dangerous.
At times, as well, I move these people around at no cost to them and it still astounds me how inconsiderate, arrogant, and rude they can be while I am getting them home or to their next destination,safely and legally and pleasantly without so much as a thank you...verbally or monetarily.
I need not say anymore...have a wonderful Christmas all!

malanie should learn to spell so she can impress her kid's teachers.

We agree with the "ellekay" comments. In addition, we always pay a cash tip to the server, as opposed to adding it to a credit card amount. Also, in terms of working for virtually nothing, servers at places like IHOP, in British Columbia, are paid a "liquor-servers" wage - which is LESS THAN MINIMUM WAGE. And these people serve us breakfast only - no liquor involved. So tip these people generously!

tipping is NOT an obligation its an option. thats why its called tipping. if it was an obligation it would be added to the bill.

if a restaurant pays below minimum wage, that business can be cited for such. its not legal to pay below minimum wage. and i have been in the service industry. also the employee agreed to be paid whatever their wages are, expecting tips is unrealistic. its up to the employer to pay their employees out of profits from the goods and services we pay for, not the responsibility of us customers to also pay the wages of the employees. duh. thats what makes them the employers and employees while us customers are the customers.

we pay sometimes exorbitant markups on the things we get, yet are also expected to pay yet more? not in my books. if in a given year you add up all tips, say it comes to $500 in a year you paid out. thats after tax dollars.
if you were 20 years old, and invested that gaining an average rate of return of 6% for the next 48 years never touching it, it would grow to 4000 dollars. ( at 12% its 32000) that means, you didn't tip 500 in the year but 4000. because to you the customer you could have added to your retirement with it. that is not small potatoes, and yes that is throwing your money around if you don't pad out your personal retirement savings etc.

just because your conscous of tipping lower within your means doesn;t give anyone else the right to call you cheap. everyone does deserve to go out to dinner once in a while or get their hair cut a couple times a year. I don't get tipped for what i do, except satisfaction of job well done.

be sensible. live within your means and have some fun without guilt.

Tipping is not an option. It is an obligation. Restaurant servers are paid below minimum wage because patrons are subsidizing their salaries. It's a crappy system, but if you don't tip, they are working for almost no money. You must tip at least 15% of the bill (before tax) and for good service, tip 20%. I am not a server. And I also work hard for my money - as does everyone else.

You should also tip other service workers, like dogwalkers and haircutters, at holiday time.

You can make all the excuses you want, but if you don't do this, you are just plain CHEAP. It's not "throwing your money around". It's the right thing to do.