Holiday Tipping: How Much To Give To Those Who Go The Extra Mile
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- For the folks who cut your hair to the people who walk your dog, it's once again holiday season tipping time.
That means it's also time for CBS2's annual guide to who gets how much. When it comes to end of the year gratuities, some say the more the merrier.
"We tip everybody, we're very generous," Mamaroneck resident Anthony Caligiuri said. "They work very hard all year and they deserve a tip."
Etiquette expert Melissa Leonard says it's no time to be a Scrooge. She typically gives dozens of bags of sweet treats as a token of appreciation along with cash tips to key people who help during the year. The general guidelines are as follows:
- 1 week's pay is expected by the babysitter or nanny, housekeeper, or dog walker
- 1 visit's cost is expected by your regular hairdresser, manicurist, or personal trainer
- newspaper deliverymen or women will be happy with $10 or $20
- mail carriers aren't supposed to accept cash, but most will appreciate a card with $20 inside
Basically, anyone who goes the extra mile deserves a little something according to Leonard.
"If you have a loved one in a nursing home, and there's one special aide that goes above and beyond I would recommend tipping," she said.
Of course, then there's the staff in the building you live in:
- up to $200 is appropriate for your building's super
- up to $100 is customary for each doorman
- if you park in a garage, $20 to $50 should go to each garage attendant
Experts say mid-December is a great time to give that end of the year gratuity, since so many who work in the service industries count on that extra cash to help pay the holiday bills. When it comes to school teachers, that can be a tricky subject that's best to discuss with other parents to determine what's expected at any given school.
