I make it a habit to spend one day per week with my younger sister, which is fondly referred to as “Sister Sunday” now. We usually go out to lunch and then spend the day watching an assortment of bad television. We’re not very particular, but when our budgets are tight for the month, we tend to scrap by with a quick, inexpensive meal together. This past weekend, we were at a local pizza place where they basically brought us our drinks and our meal, and then disappeared. The bill came, which was pretty cheap, but it left my sister wondering how you tip in this situation – do you tip on service, even when it’s minimal, or do you tip based on the cost of the bill? Why do we even tip at all, do these people not get paid enough by their employer? Her questions made me wonder about other situations where people might question how to handle money or their spending, situations that might make them feel awkward or compelled to do something extra. I tried to round up a few common examples and suggest some ways to handle them. These are in no way rules, but tips and guidelines to consider to help make some of these instances a little less complicated.
Tipping. Generally leaving 15 – 20% of your bill for a job well done is considered sufficient. Use your best judgement when deciding who to tip and when, because the line can become blurred. Many people traditionally tip those employees that go above and beyond to provide a service to you (i.e. waitresses, hairdressers, etc.).
Splitting the bill. If you’re out for dinner with a friend, be up-front about who is paying for what. Sometimes splitting the check evenly only makes the difference of a few dollars, but if your meal was significantly less, you may be paying for more than you bargained for. Politely suggest that each person pays for what they’ve ordered. You can also ask your server for separate checks, and many times they will happily oblige.
Donations. A friend is raising money for a local charity or special cause, and they ask you to donate. It’s perfectly acceptable to politely decline. Not everyone is financially able to give money away to charity, even if they’d really like to. On the opposite end, if you’re the one doing the collecting, avoid putting pressure to donate on your friends and colleagues by limiting your solicitation, and allowing them to contribute of their own accord. Don’t forget to send a thank-you note so they know that their contribution didn’t go unrecognized!
Lending money to friends or family. If you’re going to lend money to someone close to you, think about how you would feel if you never saw it again. If you’re not comfortable loaning an amount and not getting it back, it’s probably not a good idea to do it. In many instances, money owed to relatives or close friends can destroy relationships. Instead, ask if there are other ways you can help out, or seek out a more professional, legally binding way to transfer the money and set up repayment.
Giving group gifts. I come across this situation most often at work. There’s some sort of celebration for someone’s wedding, birthday, or whatever, and there’s a collection going around to purchase a group gift. When you work with at least 30 other people, these collections can start to take a toll on your wallet, and no one wants to opt out and look like the party pooper. Instead, ask your boss or other colleagues you trust about other ways to celebrate, such as a once-a-year office birthday party or non-monetary gifts. There are plenty of ways to celebrate that don’t involve presents!
One theme that all of these tips have in common is that it’s all about your budget! You can only work with what you have, so thinking of some of these scenarios in advance can help you to be better prepared should you happen to find yourself in one of them.
Have you ever found yourself unsure of what to do in one of these situations? We’d love to hear how you responded!
