STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

I hate that feeling too.  I feel like Oprah did a feature on this topic a while back; I'll have to do some research.  Aside from Oprah, I'm sure you could find an article/tip guide online- -perhaps by someone who is a consultant about etiquette or something.

Kari, I probably wouldn't have tipped in the locksmith situation, but that's just me.  Around here, most locksmiths set prices as they see fit based on your proximity to them and how much trouble it is to come help you!

I actually don't care for the fact that tips are so expected by almost everyone now days.  Kind of takes the meaning away from it, y'know?

The only people I tip on a regular basis are waiters and hair stylists, and those are based strictly on how good of a job they did.  Shitty waiter = shitty tip.  I tip those bag people at hotels only if it's a fancy joint and I can't avoid taking my own bags up without looking like an ass .  For crying out loud you wheeled a cart into an elevator and walked 16 step to my room and now I owe you $8?!?  I'd rather have done that myself and spent the money on a nice cocktail at the bar downstairs.  Harumph.

I think most stores prohibit tipping now ....

I regularly tip my waiter/waitress and my hairdresser. I'd tip a valet if I ever went somewhere swanky enough to have one

I'm sooo confused about everything else. I don't want to hang out my money for free, but I don't want to shaft someone whose wages are built around the fact that they are expected to be tipped.

When I drove to NY a few years ago, my friend and I were thoroughly confused when we hit NJ and all the gas stations pump the gas for you. We couldn't figure out whether to tip them or not.

My rule of thumb is that if someone does a good job I tip, regardless of the profession because everyone (including wait staff and hairstylist) get paid and to me a tip is something that says you did a good job and I appreciate it.

In this situation I most likely would have tipped IF they had been prompt, nice, helpful, etc. Now if it was a super quick situation where it took them no time I wouldn't have.

I recently had a few dings removed from my car. The guy was super nice. He met me at my apartment to look at it first during his free time. I then took my car in to have then removed and he was very quick and worked with my schedule. He also used some of my touch up paint that I brought and put it on one stop so I wouldn't have to (without charging me extra). I definitely tipped him.

I would only tip a UPS/FedEx person if they went out of their way. To me that is what a tip is. My UPS guy knows what time I get home and if something requires a signature and he knows I will be home in a few minutes he waits. He knows me by name and will greet me everytime he seems me. He far exceeds my expectations so I will tip him. Now if I never saw him or just saw him long enough to sign and move on I would not tip.

Like Elle, if a tip is required (wait staff) I tip according to the service. If it was poor so is my tip.

I guess my thought is that you should never feel like you have to tip, but if someone goes a little above and beyond it's a nice extra thing to do to tell them thank you.

I don't think I would tip a locksmith, unless he went above and beyond, you know?  Although I think you can tip anyone in the service industry, especially people that service you at your location.  Our employees receive tips from many homeowners after a remodeling/home improvement project, but many (probably most) don't tip.  We have tipped the Stanley Steemer guy, but not everytime.  Like, last time the guy said he couldn't clean a soap spot on my carpet because all the suds would clog up his vaccuum.  I didn't tip him because frankley I don't believe it couldn't be cleaned up.  Sometimes I tip at coffee houses, but only if I go a lot in a short amount of time.