No one wants to overspend, yet it’s nice to show your gratitude and appreciation to those who do work that goes above and beyond for you. Being thrifty could mean having to skimp on tips — but it no longer has to. In this article, you’ll learn some valuable tips on how to tip appropriately within your budget.
Exercise frugality and still make sure the waitstaff feels the love. There are simple ways to make sure you save money while properly expressing your appreciation. Read on to find out more about these money-saving tips for tipping!
In many circumstances, it’s expected to tip when someone offers a service. Tipping for food delivery or when you enter a barber shop can be stressful if you’re operating on a budget. Being smart in your tipping can help you stay within your budget while still showing appreciation. Sometimes small acts can make big impressions — so make sure you’re giving what’s appropriate without going overboard.
While tipping in restaurants isn’t technically obligatory, it’s a standard form of gratuity in many countries. The usual gratuity for a restaurant bill is between fifteen to twenty percent, though you can adjust your tip amount on the total depending on your budget. To make sure you tip within your budget, consider the quality of the service and food. If the experience was overall superb, you can round up the tip total or add a few extra percentage points on top.
For instance, if the bill total is $50 and you’d like to tip 15%, the bill with gratuity would be $57.50. If you’d like, it’d be easy to round up your tip to 16%, so the bill right before tax would come up to $58. Sometimes, depending on your budget, you can go as low as 10%-12% and still be within a reasonable tipping range.
Tipping in barber shops is always a nice way to show your appreciation should the stylist have done a great job working with your hair. For barbers, the standard gratuity is usually between fifteen and twenty percent, and is sometimes applied after taxes.
If you have a budget and still want to tip to show your appreciation, it could be helpful to look into barber services at highly reviewed, lower-priced shops. This way, you can have quality services while keeping within your budget. For example, if you get a haircut for $20, you can round up the tip total to $4 or $5.
For door-to-door food delivery and take-outs, it is nice to include tips — however, to make sure you are within your budget, you can check the delivery or take-out policy of the establishment. Most chain restaurants or eateries have minimum gratuity amounts for large delivery orders which could be helpful to consider.
Sometimes, small-scale eaters and local restaurants will include gratuity in the total cost of the order — both for delivery and take-out — so make sure to check the bill first before adding a tip. Additionally, if you are on a tight budget, a few extra dollars will usually be enough to show your appreciation.
Gratuities for housekeeping, bellman, and in-room services is dependent on the hotel service policies — but is usually worked into your bill. You can check what services are included in your room rate, and figure out what gratuity amount is appropriate. For example, if you get a bellman assistance for help with your luggage, adding five or ten dollars could be a nice way to thank them.
Tipping is a good way to show gratitude, though it can also be financially taxing. Finding ways to save money while also expressing your appreciation is possible — you just have to be mindful of your budget and practice tactful tipping! And remember — good tips can make a big impression, no matter the amount.
Tipping is a way to recognize someone for the good service they provided, but it shouldn't be taken lightly. Being conscious of your budget while finding ways to express appreciation is key. Whether for restaurants, barber shops, delivery services, or in-room services, it's important to consider quality of service and cost of the service before deciding your tip amount. A good tip can make a lasting impression, no matter the amount. Ultimately, tipping is up to a customer's discretion — but when tipping is done, it is a good way to show appreciation to those who help make a good experience.