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Tips, tips, tips

Tips, tips, tips

Old Feb 19th 2012, 7:21 pm
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Default Tips, tips, tips

I cannot believe how many people you are expected to tip here in California! I didn't realize when I came here that I would be partly responsible for paying peoples wages! I have basically been told that these people get minimum wage, so I have to tip the waitress, the hair dresser, the barmaid for every drink she serves me, the lady who did my nails, the coffee house. Everywhere I go there seems to tip jars. This is proving to be quite expensive! I'm not even working at the moment! Another thing I'm having a hard time getting used to is this sales tax. I never seem to know how much I'm going to spend because they add the tax on separately. Does everyone tip all these people who provide services that you are paying for anyway? I don't want to seem tight fisted or anything, but I really don't get it!
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 7:44 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

Originally Posted by cosmicjunkie
I cannot believe how many people you are expected to tip here in California! I didn't realize when I came here that I would be partly responsible for paying peoples wages! I have basically been told that these people get minimum wage, so I have to tip the waitress, the hair dresser, the barmaid for every drink she serves me, the lady who did my nails, the coffee house. Everywhere I go there seems to tip jars. This is proving to be quite expensive! I'm not even working at the moment! Another thing I'm having a hard time getting used to is this sales tax. I never seem to know how much I'm going to spend because they add the tax on separately. Does everyone tip all these people who provide services that you are paying for anyway? I don't want to seem tight fisted or anything, but I really don't get it!
When in Rome...
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 8:22 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

At the bar, start a tab and tip once at the end. I don't tip at coffee places, unless they did something to deserve it. Ringing me up and holding a cup under a coffee pot for a few seconds doesn't cut it.
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 8:45 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

They get paid sub minimum wage with the expectation that tips will bring them up to it.

You have the option of not using their services.
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 9:07 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

I used to get so annoyed by the sales tax too and now I'm so used to it when I go back to Europe I'm always surprised to pay the exact same price that I see on tags with nothing added to it !
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 9:13 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

Originally Posted by Bob
They get paid sub minimum wage with the expectation that tips will bring them up to it.
Not only that, they're taxed assuming they DO get a tip. So if you don't tip them, you're actually reducing their wage.
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 9:27 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

Originally Posted by Bob
They get paid sub minimum wage with the expectation that tips will bring them up to it.

You have the option of not using their services.
It's not right though is it? They should be payed normal wages by their employers instead of them assuming that the public will make up the difference. A lot of people I know are struggling financially and it just seems unfair that a luxury meal out now and again or a necessary hair cut should cost more because of tips. I know its not the workers fault. It's just the way it is and believe me we are having to cut back using their services. Sometimes it does make a difference to those of us who have to count our pennies. I'm entitled to a moan when I want one!
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 9:33 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

Originally Posted by anabella
I used to get so annoyed by the sales tax too and now I'm so used to it when I go back to Europe I'm always surprised to pay the exact same price that I see on tags with nothing added to it !
I can't wait for the day when I get used to it to. When I do my shopping I add up the prices in my head as I go along just to get an idea how much it's going to cost. This sales tax has really thrown me off!
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 9:35 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

Originally Posted by fatbrit
Not only that, they're taxed assuming they DO get a tip. So if you don't tip them, you're actually reducing their wage.
That's awful!
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 9:43 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

Originally Posted by anabella
I used to get so annoyed by the sales tax too and now I'm so used to it when I go back to Europe I'm always surprised to pay the exact same price that I see on tags with nothing added to it !
So very true, it's weird but nice to walk into a store and pay exactly as it is.
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 10:03 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

I always think in my head +10% for tax, it's actually 8.25% but I can't do that in my head .

I tip waiters, bartenders, hairdresser, but not self service (coffee shop, fast food etc). There was a thread recently about giving hairdresser etc a christmas gift like a voucher or something but I don't do that.

The one that is really starting to get on my goat is hotel bills with local tax, room occupancy tax, state tax, parking, "resort fee" and don't even get me started on my phone bill, I don't even look at the itemization now or it makes my blood boil.
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 10:29 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

Originally Posted by cosmicjunkie
That's awful!
Servers normally have a minimum of 8% of their sales added to their income for tax purposes but are supposed to report 100% of their tips as taxable income.

Therefore if a server averages 15% on tips, they should show 15% but few report the full amount of the tips and just include the 8% that the IRS considers minimum.

However some servers report less than the 8% minimum to see how far they can push the IRS. However generally it is on the IRS to try to prove that the server under reported the tips and would likely have to prove that the tips were under reported by auditing the businesses records looking through credit card receipts to try to determine the average percentage tips for servers for that business.

However, servers at certain restaurants such as fast food normally are not tipped or receive very little tips so the IRS expects no or little tips to be included as income for those types of restaurants.
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Old Feb 19th 2012, 11:32 pm
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

I double the tax to use for the tip and round it up and add a bit if they were really really good.
I don't tip at starbucks or other places where you stood in line and the hand stuff over the counter. Thats not the same as a waitress in a restaurant. I do tip the hairdresser, although ours is independent and rents the chair, so isn't paid low wages, she often has two clients at once, one in the chair for a trim on under the dryer or waiting for the dye to take.
I don't frequent bars so no idea there.
Oh I was in college here with a waitress who was studying to be a nurse, she in the 80's was earning more than my Dh at the time, working evenings and weekends at somewhere like the spaghetti factory. She ended up getting her RN license then going back to waitressing as it paid her more money.

Last edited by Mummy in the foothills; Feb 19th 2012 at 11:34 pm.
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Old Feb 20th 2012, 12:15 am
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

Originally Posted by cosmicjunkie
It's not right though is it? They should be payed normal wages by their employers instead of them assuming that the public will make up the difference. A lot of people I know are struggling financially and it just seems unfair that a luxury meal out now and again or a necessary hair cut should cost more because of tips. I know its not the workers fault. It's just the way it is and believe me we are having to cut back using their services. Sometimes it does make a difference to those of us who have to count our pennies. I'm entitled to a moan when I want one!
Yes, it is crap, but that's the way it is.

It's why shit can seem so cheap and people seem fine with that and wouldn't want to see higher initial prices.

Plus if you're really counting the pennies, you wouldn't eat out etc.
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Old Feb 20th 2012, 12:21 am
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Default Re: Tips, tips, tips

For restaurant service, I typically tip 15 - 20% if service was normal. Less if service was not so good. I've never NOT tipped anyone, even if service was lousy.

I tip my hairdresser a little over 10% for each visit. I don't do Christmas or year-end gifts.

If I use a service like the shuttle at the airport, or the offsite parking shuttle to get from parking to the airport, I tip a dollar or two.

If I get my nails done, I tip 10%.

I never put any money in "tip jars" if I see them anywhere (coffee shops, etc).

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