I admit I subscribe to the Dallas Morning News. It is delivered 7 days a week to my house.
I realize that a few of you will read that and think, “Isn’t Michael Tannery a tech kind of guy? What is he doing taking the newspaper?” Isn’t that Old School?
I know that many of the articles I read are available to me online, and it is not unusual for me to have read the articles before the paper actually arrives at my house.
Arrives is a loose term. As a former paperboy, (Entrepreneurial Training at age 12) I prided myself on “porching” the paper from my bicycle as I rode and delivered the paper daily. My paper makes it over the curb and sometimes to the sidewalk.
The idea of the teenage paper boy/girl has gone the way of the home telephone. Almost non-existent and the service could be on par with the decline of the subscription levels.
My paper delivery person remains almost imaginary to me. However, it is like clockwork that the Monday after Thanksgiving week there will be an envelope in the paper that is to be used to “tip”.
I love paying it forward.
In spite of the lack of forward trajectory in the paper delivery, I take the envelope and put a $20.00 bill into it and mail the letter almost the same day.
There is no indication of who it comes from as I do not put my name or address on the envelope. I appreciate that my paper is here by 5:30 am in every weather type possible and is wrapped in plastic bags to keep it dry from rain and water sprinklers. I want him to wonder who is his benefactor and maybe we all will be winners.
I take care of the people I like. Usually, they take care of me.
Mailing the envelope got me to thinking. I wonder how other people tip.
Michael’s Personal Guide to Tipping
Around Town
Restaurants
Places you go once: 20%
Places you go all the time: 25-40%.
Minimum tip, no matter how small the check is: $5.
Valets
The job is harder than it looks. Minimum tip: $5. You’re trusting them with your car. If you frequent a place that has valet, make it $10. They take care of you.
Hairstylist and Manicurist – These people make you look good. Be generous and this time of the year take them something unexpected.
When you travel
Hotels
Valet and Bellhops – They can make your life easier. $20 for each at check-in. If there is a special request, then I tip $5.
Housekeeping – I leave a tip of $5 the first day and then if I have been there multiple days, I leave a $20 on the last day.
Concierge – Their job is to take care of you. Simple directions get a nice thank you and a review on Trip Advisor. If they are setting up dinner and tickets to an event, then tip them 20% of what you think you will spend. It will pay off over time.
Social Media – All tips don’t have to be in cash. If you have a great person do something for you at a hotel, restaurant or other location that has a twitter account. Then tweet about the special service you received and make sure you name the person who took care of you.
If you are tipping because you think you might get something special, then you are missing the whole point of paying it forward.
Pay it forward every day.
Michael Tannery CPA, CDFA® AIF®
Registered Principal
Tannery & Company
Tax – Accounting – Wealth Management
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