How much do you tip your garbageman?

13

Replies

  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    I'm not sure why some people are getting bent out of shape over this. If you are a home owner having a friendly relationship with all the people who take care of your property is a good investment. If tipping helps make them appreciate you more then go for it, it can have it's rewards.

    No one is saying you are suppose to tip, the OP just asked others who do tip what is a good amount.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    By the way, people who tip garbage collectors, next time you are in hospital, consider tipping your phlebotomist (the person that draws your blood). They are paid about 1/3 the amount of garbage collectors (about $20k a year), they have an extremely stressful job (on feet all day, constantly shouted at and rushed by doctors and even nurses), and if they screw up you can bet it has more serious consequence than garbage on your lawn. Next time you get a great phlebotomist who sticks you first time without you even feeling it, at least ask if the hospital has some sort of recognition program so you can put in a good word for them. It makes a difference.

    Disclaimer : My wife is a phlebotomist.

    How much do you suggest we tip medical personnel?

    More than 25%?

    25% of the fee you pay for their services would be great. In the time they are in your room (generally about 3 minutes per stick, tops), a phlebotomist might earn 50c to a dollar. Your insurance will be billed anything up to a thousand bucks for their services (which admittedly includes the actual bloodwork, but still).

    But seriously, I'm not really advocating tipping medical professionals. They probably wouldn't accept anyway (I doubt my wife would). I'm just pointing out that there is no end of people providing services to you, and if you tip them all you'd never have your hand out of your pocket. But do put in a good word, it means a lot to them.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Where in Canada do you live where it is -40 all year?

    Oh, is this why a 6-pack of budweiser would have to be drunk right away?
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,740 Member
    My mom used to give the garbage man, mail carrier, and newspaper delivery person a box of Queen Anne cheapy cherry chocolates. To me that would be sufficient, or something like that.
  • mayaocean
    mayaocean Posts: 355 Member
    Where in Canada do you live where it is -40 all year?

    Oh, is this why a 6-pack of budweiser would have to be drunk right away?

    So it would be a better idea to leave out a bottle of vodka, since it can't freeze.
  • AyeCorona
    AyeCorona Posts: 204 Member
    I'm not sure why some people are getting bent out of shape over this. If you are a home owner having a friendly relationship with all the people who take care of your property is a good investment. If tipping helps make them appreciate you more then go for it, it can have it's rewards.

    No one is saying you are suppose to tip, the OP just asked others who do tip what is a good amount.

    QFT
  • GBrady43068
    GBrady43068 Posts: 1,256 Member
    i dont.

    and i don't understand why other people do. ours even has the nerve to give us an envelope to put his tip in and asks us to mail it to him b/c he says if we leave it out for him, people will steal it. and that's probably true.

    and i like to think of myself as a generous tipper, just not to someone who is doing their job and getting paid to do it. waiters and people like that make less money as tips are then included. but mailmen, my son's bus driver, and the garbage man all make a salary.

    there are about 30 kids on my son's bus. if everyone of them gave him $10 to dunkin donuts, he would have $300 in gift cards to dunkin donuts. and that's just one route. he drives at least three routes per day. so at the end of the day the guy can potentially have almost a $1000 in gift cards...just for doing what he is paid to do anyway. seems excessive, if you ask me.
    Huzzah..this.
  • RosaliaBee
    RosaliaBee Posts: 146 Member
    We don't have garbagemen in the UK. We have bin-men. And I don't think anybody tips them - ours come at the crack of dawn anyway.

    Err yes, they do. It's mainly traditional in older working class communities.
    And you will also find it in less impoverished middle class communities too.
    You wont find it so much in modern estates and where tradition no longer plays a significant part in the community.

    ..
  • RosaliaBee
    RosaliaBee Posts: 146 Member
    do you need to tip them??????

    Yes, they do hard work and deserve it more than people who carry around food in climate controlled environments.

    what about those of us who have to painstakingly stare at a computer all day and deal with consultants and what their idea of a "good design" is?!?!
    ugh.

    Are you a part of the primary structure of what holds our society together? If you're not a nurse, doctor, waste collector, policeman etc. then no, you're not investing in the primary and essential structure of our society, you're just a part of the various capital generation schemes, and as such, of lesser real importance to people on the ground who might think about tipping you.
  • Patzycakes
    Patzycakes Posts: 175 Member
    If you see the same person every month, every week, every day in some cases for the year. You should probably get them a small holiday present. It's just nice.

    This year that would be my mail carrier, fav waitress at the bar, and our dry cleaner.

    I don't HAVE to tip. But I like them. They're nice people. They bother to remember my name, they tell me funny stories when I pick up the dry cleaning, they remember that I like a lime in my Vodka cranberry. They take care of me and my stuff. I like that is worth a show of appreciation at the end of the year.

    And for the person talking about the bus driver. Give him cookies, or a card with a lotto ticket in it. A pack of holiday cards and $20 worth of scratch off tickets covers a lot of holiday ground. :)
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    I just leave a 12 pack of cold ones sitting in the snow bank next to the garbage can.

    I do the same but I drink them all first.
    I've been guilty of this as well when I'm "King of Hill'n" it with the neighbors.
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    do you need to tip them??????

    Yes, they do hard work and deserve it more than people who carry around food in climate controlled environments.

    what about those of us who have to painstakingly stare at a computer all day and deal with consultants and what their idea of a "good design" is?!?!
    ugh.

    Are you a part of the primary structure of what holds our society together? If you're not a nurse, doctor, waste collector, policeman etc. then no, you're not investing in the primary and essential structure of our society, you're just a part of the various capital generation schemes, and as such, of lesser real importance to people on the ground who might think about tipping you.

    Wow, I guess RosaliaBee decides who contributes value to society.
  • vtmoon
    vtmoon Posts: 3,436 Member
    do you need to tip them??????

    Yes, they do hard work and deserve it more than people who carry around food in climate controlled environments.

    what about those of us who have to painstakingly stare at a computer all day and deal with consultants and what their idea of a "good design" is?!?!
    ugh.

    Are you a part of the primary structure of what holds our society together? If you're not a nurse, doctor, waste collector, policeman etc. then no, you're not investing in the primary and essential structure of our society, you're just a part of the various capital generation schemes, and as such, of lesser real importance to people on the ground who might think about tipping you.

    Wow, I guess RosaliaBee decides who contributes value to society.

    I believe your kind is extinct.
  • hbrittingham
    hbrittingham Posts: 2,518 Member
    I was just telling my husband that the newspaper carrier put his holiday card in with the newspaper yesterday. Funny thing is, he didn't sign it or add any personal note, instead he stamped with his name and address. He couldn't even be bothered to actually write his information. The sole purpose of the card was to solicit money from us. He won't be getting it. I went to Sunday only because he couldn't get my newspaper here before I left for work. I want to read my paper before work, otherwise I don't want it at all.
  • obsidianwings
    obsidianwings Posts: 1,237 Member


    I live in an apartment complex... so I won't tip our garbage company (but normally you would put $20 in an envelope and stick it to the lid)... you'll never have tipped over garbage cans in the road after that.

    I haven't read the whole thread, but you are seriously suggesting paying them extra to ensure they do their job right?!
    I could understand tipping someone who went above and beyond each year, but paying someone who does a **** job extra to not be crap at it is crazy!
  • coolraul07
    coolraul07 Posts: 1,606 Member
    ...
    Next time you get a great phlebotomist who sticks you first time without you even feeling it, at least ask if the hospital has some sort of recognition program so you can put in a good word for them. It makes a difference.

    Disclaimer : My wife is a phlebotomist.
    Hell, I'd tip her if she could draw my blood the first time; I have "wandering veins". I got tired of getting pin-cushioned by 3-4 people. I'd always walk in and ask for "the best person" and they'd always say "Oh, that's me!" Bull$hit! After several blood drives being there 20-30 min longer than everyone else, I quit donating.

    Wait, what was the topic again? Oh, sanitation. Yeah, our company has robotic arms that do the dumping, so it's only 1 person per climate-controlled truck. So, I see zero reason to tip.
    Now our former recycle guy. He drove solo and has to manually dump stuff. I didn't tip him per se, but I would set aside some "to good to throw away" stuff for him ahead that he would gladly take (e.g. old computers, monitor, cables, furnitures). I'd tell him what I was getting rid of and he'd come back after work to pickup.
  • ZozoMonster
    ZozoMonster Posts: 270 Member
    We leave them a crate of booze out every Christmas =]
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    do you need to tip them??????

    Yes, they do hard work and deserve it more than people who carry around food in climate controlled environments.

    what about those of us who have to painstakingly stare at a computer all day and deal with consultants and what their idea of a "good design" is?!?!
    ugh.

    Are you a part of the primary structure of what holds our society together? If you're not a nurse, doctor, waste collector, policeman etc. then no, you're not investing in the primary and essential structure of our society, you're just a part of the various capital generation schemes, and as such, of lesser real importance to people on the ground who might think about tipping you.

    wow...just wow
  • Carnivor0us
    Carnivor0us Posts: 1,752 Member
    do you need to tip them??????

    Yes, they do hard work and deserve it more than people who carry around food in climate controlled environments.

    what about those of us who have to painstakingly stare at a computer all day and deal with consultants and what their idea of a "good design" is?!?!
    ugh.

    Are you a part of the primary structure of what holds our society together? If you're not a nurse, doctor, waste collector, policeman etc. then no, you're not investing in the primary and essential structure of our society, you're just a part of the various capital generation schemes, and as such, of lesser real importance to people on the ground who might think about tipping you.

    Wow, I guess RosaliaBee decides who contributes value to society.

    I believe your kind is extinct.

    That's super clever because my avatar is a dinosaur
  • NinjadURbacon
    NinjadURbacon Posts: 395 Member
    We leave them a crate of booze out every Christmas =]

    i do too.....they are usually empty though
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    When I lived in Michigan, it was about $10 (this was back in the day though, so I'm sure the number has gone up since then). In Chicago, I lived in an apartment complex, and the main office would tip them. So I never worried about it there. Here in Hawaii, there's a guy who drives the truck, but the truck itself has one of those mechanical arms that just dumps the garbage into the back, so the guy never gets out. I would put the envelope on there, but I don't think he would even see it to get his tip! I asked my neighbors and said they never did it. I guess it depends on where you live and how you're able to even get their tip to them.
  • pseudomuffin
    pseudomuffin Posts: 1,058 Member
    Valet trash service is rolled into rent at our apartment. I'm thankful that I don't have to walk my own trash to the dumpster but I'm not concerned about tipping--the company contracted to do the work pays their own employees.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    ...
    Next time you get a great phlebotomist who sticks you first time without you even feeling it, at least ask if the hospital has some sort of recognition program so you can put in a good word for them. It makes a difference.

    Disclaimer : My wife is a phlebotomist.
    Hell, I'd tip her if she could draw my blood the first time; I have "wandering veins". I got tired of getting pin-cushioned by 3-4 people. I'd always walk in and ask for "the best person" and they'd always say "Oh, that's me!" Bull$hit! After several blood drives being there 20-30 min longer than everyone else, I quit donating.

    My wife is the one they call when no-one else can stick you, so she very well may be able to. She's spookily good at her job, and kinda creeps me out when we are sat together because she subconsciously starts feeling around for the veins in my hands and arms. Her motto is "if you have to look, you aren't good enough". :laugh:
  • Wait, some of you's pay to have your garbage picked up in general? Lol
  • mayaocean
    mayaocean Posts: 355 Member
    Wait, some of you's pay to have your garbage picked up in general? Lol

    Yes. It's called taxes. Just because you're unaware that you pay for them, doesn't mean you're not funding these services. :wink:
  • Wait, some of you's pay to have your garbage picked up in general? Lol

    Yes. It's called taxes. Just because you're unaware that you pay for them, doesn't mean you're not funding these services. :wink:

    I understand taxes... What I was questioning was the people posting who just made it sound like it's something they pay as separate bill each month.
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
    Wait, some of you's pay to have your garbage picked up in general? Lol

    Yes. It's called taxes. Just because you're unaware that you pay for them, doesn't mean you're not funding these services. :wink:

    I understand taxes... What I was questioning was the people posting who just made it sound like it's something they pay as separate bill each month.

    Yes, I have to pay a garbage disposal service.

    Are you perhaps somewhere like England (my homeland) where taxes cover rubbish collection? Or perhaps you just live in an all-inclusive apartment complex so you don't get the bill?
  • Shuuma
    Shuuma Posts: 465 Member
    According to this site - http://garbagemansalary.net/MO/Lake-Saint-Louis/salary/Garbage-Man-Salary - local garbage men earn an astonishing $46k to $66k a year.

    Sorry, I'm not tipping someone who makes twice what I make a year that doesn't even have to handle my garbage. Their hydraulic cyborg truck arms do all the work.
  • Wait, some of you's pay to have your garbage picked up in general? Lol

    Yes. It's called taxes. Just because you're unaware that you pay for them, doesn't mean you're not funding these services. :wink:

    I understand taxes... What I was questioning was the people posting who just made it sound like it's something they pay as separate bill each month.

    Yes, I have to pay a garbage disposal service.

    Are you perhaps somewhere like England (my homeland) where taxes cover rubbish collection? Or perhaps you just live in an all-inclusive apartment complex so you don't get the bill?

    I'm in Canada :) so same protocol as England.

    I just found it interesting/different to hear!
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
    ...
    Next time you get a great phlebotomist who sticks you first time without you even feeling it, at least ask if the hospital has some sort of recognition program so you can put in a good word for them. It makes a difference.

    Disclaimer : My wife is a phlebotomist.
    Hell, I'd tip her if she could draw my blood the first time; I have "wandering veins". I got tired of getting pin-cushioned by 3-4 people. I'd always walk in and ask for "the best person" and they'd always say "Oh, that's me!" Bull$hit! After several blood drives being there 20-30 min longer than everyone else, I quit donating.

    My wife is the one they call when no-one else can stick you, so she very well may be able to. She's spookily good at her job, and kinda creeps me out when we are sat together because she subconsciously starts feeling around for the veins in my hands and arms. Her motto is "if you have to look, you aren't good enough". :laugh:

    I will let you know when I have my next doctor's appointment. Prior to the date, please send your wife to my house and have her follow me around the hospital to draw my blood. The last time I went, they had 4 people do it! I was so bruised and sore! And needles are my biggest fear. 4 people, vomit, fainting, oxygen, tears, and one very embarrassed husband! I would be willing to tip her my entire savings.