The end of the year is a time to show appreciation for those who provide necessary services and little luxuries in your daily life. A little extra thoughtfulness can go a long way.
We recognize determining who to tip and how much to give can be confusing. To avoid extra holiday stress, BBB offers the following suggestions to help you tip confidently while staying within your budget:
— Consider your budget. Begin planning your tips by looking over your holiday budget, or creating one if you haven’t already. Tips aren’t obligatory, so if you don’t have the extra cash, consider other ways to show your gratitude. Homemade gifts or a simple note are perfectly acceptable ways to say “thank you” when funds are short.
— Start planning tips early. You don’t want to be scrambling through your purse to find some extra cash when you see your regular delivery driver pull up. Once you set your tipping budget, make a list of who you plan to tip and how much. Doing so as soon as possible can also help the recipient have extra cash for holiday spending.
— Tip with cash when possible. Cash is usually the best way to give a tip. It means the recipient has access to the funds right away and won’t have to pay any fees to use the money. That said, if you regularly pay someone via an app and want to tip that way, you can. Just make sure you include a brief note letting them know the extra money is a tip for their good service.