I was just visiting a site about tipping during the holidays (i.e., extra $ to show your appreciation). The only one about which I’m befuddled is the garbage collectors. This is a thankless job, and I want to show my appreciation, but most days they collect before I’m out of bed; occasionally they’re much later in the day. So how do I give these guys some extra holiday cash? In my very safe neighborhood, I could probably leave an envelope with cash in it on top of the trash can, but they might miss it, since they are very fast jumping off the truck, grabbing the trash can, dumping it, tossing it back in the yard, and moving on. The only thing I can think of is to watch for them, then run out with an envelope and hand it to the first guy I see. (Then I worry that the other guys won’t get their share.) Any ideas?
It might seem like a thankless job, but in my neck of the woods the collectors are paid fairly well, work good hours, get union benefits, etc. so I don’t feel the need to tip them. My newspaper delivery person, on the other hand, drops the paper right on my welcome mat every single morning of the year, even when the weather is so awful no one else, including the garbage collectors, will come up my hill. So I leave a tip at least once a year for her.
I don’t know what my trash collectors are paid; regardless, I consider trash collecting a rather unpleasant job that I can’t imagine anyone would want if they had other options. The smell of my trash cans alone, because of used kitty litter, is enough to warrant an extra something at the holidays. (I also appreciate and tip extra to my newspaper delivery person and mail carrier; getting the newspaper every morning and mail every afternoon are two things I look forward to and can count on.)
I am Australian and befuddled by tipping in general, but could you tape or stick an envelope full of cash on top of your bin? Lots of small notes to encourage sharing?
A garbage bag. Full of cash.
I do $25
I agree.
Gee, thanks everyone for your thoughts on the issue; maybe I wasn’t clear enough in the OP; the issue wasn’t about how much or if, but how. I’ll keep cogitating.
Heh. See what happens when I post while under the influence?
Where I live there’s just one guy driving the truck so I don’t have to worry about him spreading the cash around, but I’d be willing to bet that since he has to depend on the others to give him his fair share when they get it that he’d be honest enough to disperse it.
Since the trash truck is pretty noisy and my neighborhood is quiet it’s not hard for me to hear him coming and run out to give it to him directly. That’s just how I do it.
I imagine a labeled envelope taped to the top of the bin wouldn’t be overlooked. But in-person, with a smile, handshake and direct “thank you” seems way more stylish and memorable.
I’d go out and give it to them in person. Our collectors don’t even have to get out of their trucks. The trucks have mechanical arms that reach out and grab the garbage can and dump it in the hopper, so the driver would never see something taped on the can lid. And then we have separate trucks that come for garbage, recycling, and yard waste, so you’d have to go out and meet them 3 or 4 times in a month to make sure everyone got tipped.
Growing up as an average suburban kid, there was little opportunity for tipping in my life.
No doormen, no delivery men, no hired help.
At age 14-15 or so, I found a note under the handle of our garbage can lid. It read “Merry Christmas from your three garbagemen!”
I gave it to my mom, as puzzled as I could be. She explained that they were letting us know how many men to give a Christmas tip/bonus to.
I thought it was the most crass and rude thing I’d ever heard of. I still do.
Thanks everyone for your advice. Yeah, I can hear the trash trucks driving around our neighborhood, so I’ll have to suck it up and get up early to dash out and hand it to them (or make hubby do it!)