TIP WHO?

Old Trunks is looking at the list of gifts/tips to consider to be the norm.

Let's talk about it.

BARBER
Cost of one hair cut. So if cuts are twenty and the tip matches that, $40 is the normal.

CLEANING PERSON
A weeks salary and a small gift. It is said this is one profession that has really been hit hard by the recession.

MANICURIST
Cost of one session

HAIR STYLIST
Now, this can be pricey. If you spend $100 on a trip to the shop are you really going to tip that much? How about doubling the regular tip?

TRASH MAN
When we had our trash picked up by real people instead of the automatic can lifter, Tom used to set out a case of beer for them. We never see them anymore. One guy drives the truck, if there is trash around the can, they do not pick it up. If your can is so full the lid won't close, the place a shame on you sticker on the can. If you set the can where they can not pick it up automatically, you get another shame on sticker. Thirty dollars is considered average.

LAWN CREW
Those of you who have it hired out, fifty dollars per person is the normal tip.

NEWSPAPER CARRIER
The price of one month's subscription regardless of how many times it is 'lost' or not delivered. I have to say the people who received their paper from one of my children where more than generous on a monthly basis. Now we get an envelope from the newspaper to put the money in.

CHILD'S TEACHER
A gift from you and a gift from your child. And the survey said, teacher's like gift cards. Mrs. Shaw retired. She had a garage sale. She sold hundreds of hankies and bottles of Cologne. I do have a mental rule about gifts: When you gift someone, it is now their property and they can do whatever they want with it. A lesson learned the hard way when mother put a turtle pin out for the garage sale for 25 cents. It was a gift I had given her the Christmas past.

Old Trunks is certain that is why I always encouraged my children to give me little stuff. I have a standing jewelry box and a curio cabinet full of little treasures from them. Would you like to come and look? I will happily share the treasures of their youth

There was to be a twist in the gifting this year. I decided last year, since I do not see my children often, and am clueless as to their desires, I would do money. Yet, I still can not do it. I can not, in good faith, fold any sort of cash and put it in an envelope and call it gifting. Perhaps it won't be 'just what they wished for' like when they wanted bicycles and sleds but at least they know they were thought about and imagination tried to find something unique as they are.

What's your take on this?

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