And while we're speaking of tips....
By patgalca
@patgalca (18370)
Orangeville, Ontario
October 9, 2008 9:55am CST
Do you tip your newspaper delivery person at Christmas time? We have two local papers in our town - one publishes once a week and the other twice a week. We do not have to pay for these papers. They are free. My older daughter was delivering the once-a-week paper and then handed it down to her younger sister. I think one Christmas, maybe twice, one household gave her $10 at Christmas time. I have never tipped our paperboy. They get $35 a month for the weekly paper, and I understand only a bit more ($40 or $45) for the bi-weekly paper.
Nowadays subscriptions are paid in advance with no door-to-door collection by the delivery person. Our Toronto Star (which I only get on weekends) is delivered by an adult because it is done at 3am by car. I charge my subscription to my credit card once a year. I don't tip him. What about his gas? And the wear and tear on his car? (as we spoke about in the pizza delivery discussion). How am I supposed to tip a guy who doesn't even go to my mailbox (he throws it out the car window onto the end of the driveway) and comes at 3 in the morning? LOL!
Back in the good ol' days when the paper delivery kids went door-to-door weekly to collect payment, I think EVERYBODY tipped at Christmas. Does that mean they were being tipped because not only did they deliver the paper but they also went door-to-door collecting? Or is it because it was convenient? When my daughter received her tip there was an envelope sticking out of the mailbox that said, "To the Citizen delivery person" (or something like that).
Care to share your thoughts on this?
3 people like this
4 responses
@wrld_n_harmony (695)
• United States
14 Oct 08
You know, back in the day EVERYONE seemed to get tipped at Christmas - the paperboy, the mailman, the policemen, the firemen, etc. I think we've definately moved away from that tradition. Is it because we don't appreciate those people as much as we used to? Is it because our pocketbooks are too tight? Is it just because we're not as thoughtful? I don't know the answers. The only time I've been the recipient of a tip was when I was a sacker at a local grocery store, I was SOOO happy when I got the tip!
@patgalca (18370)
• Orangeville, Ontario
14 Oct 08
Yes, secretaries got tipped as well. I think I hear occasionally of someone (school kids or a family) taking brownies to the fire station. They may do it more often but we just don't hear about it. Maybe I can get my girls involved in baking up some goodies this Christmas and take them to the police and fire stations.
@PearlGrace (3171)
• United States
14 Oct 08
Hi patgalca. I give something to the newspaper delivery person for Christmas. It may be cash, it may be a gift card, or it may be a gift. I usually just call him/her and tell him/her that I have a gift for them and that I will leave it in my lanai the night before and he/she should come in that door (it's like a screened porch)when they deliver our paper and get it.
Also, I include tips for the whole year when I pay my newspaper bill yearly. In fact, there is a line to fill in the amount I want to give for the tips. $1 a week would be $52. I think that's the amount I usually add in, or somewhere thereabouts. I have wondered if the newspaper actually passes that tip on through to the newspaper delivery person but I must assume they do, since they have the special line there on the invoice for that purpose.
@patgalca (18370)
• Orangeville, Ontario
14 Oct 08
That's good that they have the line there for you to add a tip... just like restaurants do. I don't have that with the Toronto Star but then an adult drives around and throw the papers out his window. And with our local papers, well, we don't always know the name of our delivery person because we don't pay for our papers so they don't come around collecting payments. I have never tipped, partly because in most cases these kids always have their parents helping them. My kids do.
Thanks for responding.
@tess1960 (2385)
• United States
9 Oct 08
If my paperperson (sometimes it's a girl) is prompt and friendly they may get a five spot in a christmas card. I pay mine quarterly at the office so I don't have to worry about the door to door stuff. Our carrier has changed 4 times this year. Kids now days don't keep even a simple job like this, or the parents are not supportive of the effort. It's sad!
@patgalca (18370)
• Orangeville, Ontario
9 Oct 08
We are too supportive of our daughter's paper route. We actually help her. DH is out with her right now. She refuses to do it alone, as did her sister. Granted, it's not our street route but a couple of blocks away, but these kids won't be seen with a shopping cart!
@1hopefulman (45120)
• Canada
9 Oct 08
I don't get the paper. Too busy on Mylot to read the paper. I get all the news I need on the radio in 2 minutes. If there is really an important story than I do more work. 
