Thanks for picking up my rubbish

December 3, 2008 7:30 PM

How do I go about holiday tipping?

I want to do the right thing and leave a modest tip for the various service people in my life. This is our first year in our own house and I want to set in motion good holiday mojo.

But I am a little clueless about this..

Do you tip the garbage pickup workers?

Recycling pickup?

Mailman?

How much? How? When?

(Minneapolis area if that makes a difference)

posted by ian1977 to society & culture (6 comments total)

I do. $20 each. Tape an envelope to the bin this week or next.
posted by JohnnyGunn at 8:18 PM on December 3, 2008

Recent article on the subject. Contains tips on tipping from the Emily Post Institute.
posted by knave at 9:14 PM on December 3, 2008

I'd be wary of taping the $20 to the can myself - too many opportunistic early morning dog walkers out there!

I wake up early when I hear the garbage truck, give $20 per guy and thank them for all their hard work. Last year, I gave them a bottle of whiskey I had (I don't like whiskey) and - not that I did it for this reason - they picked up a lot of stuff "over the limit" when I moved that they wouldn't have done for my neighbor.

$20 for the mailman, too.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 10:34 PM on December 3, 2008

$50 for the cleaning service and $50 each for the two gardeners.
posted by notyou at 8:25 AM on December 4, 2008

Five years old but still relevant: previously.
posted by kidsleepy at 8:35 AM on December 4, 2008

My dad will wake up early and head out and give each trash guy some cash - I think like $30 each, he hands it to them and says thanks. I know he's also given them a case of beer or bottle of alcohol before. The always seem really appreciative (so I hear).

I give our mailman at my office a gift card to the pet store, but just because I know he has a ton of cats and that's something he would appreciate more than cash.
posted by KAS at 1:38 PM on December 4, 2008