Holiday Tipping Guide: Who and How Much
$20–50 per person
End-of-year holiday tips are thank-yous for people who serve you all year. A common guide: the cost of one visit for people you see regularly (cleaner, stylist, dog walker), up to a week's pay for a nanny, and $20–50 for building staff and trash collectors where allowed.
Typical: $20–$50 per person.
Tip$100.00
Per person figures assume you split the tip evenly.
How much to tip, situation by situation
| Situation | Typical tip |
|---|---|
| Nanny or regular sitter | Up to one week's pay |
| House cleaner | Cost of one visit |
| Hairdresser or barber | Cost of one appointment |
| Dog walker | One week's pay |
| Doorman / building staff | $20–100 each |
| Trash and recycling collectors | $20–30 each (check local rules) |
| USPS mail carrier | Gift under $20 value, no cash |
| Teacher | Small gift or class group gift |
Worth knowing
- USPS rules bar carriers from accepting cash or gift cards; small gifts under $20 are allowed.
- Some towns forbid municipal workers from accepting tips; check before giving.
Working it out by hand? See how to calculate a tip. Travelling? Customs differ abroad: tipping by country.
Questions people ask
Can I give my mail carrier cash?
No. USPS employees can accept gifts worth $20 or less per occasion, but not cash or cash equivalents like gift cards usable as cash.
Do I tip people I already tip every visit?
Many still give a holiday extra, often the price of one visit, but it is optional.