How to tip your mail carrier and 8 other people this holiday season

(NEXSTAR) — The holidays are upon us, bringing with them a time of giving thanks and gifts and maybe even a tip. 

A recent study by Bankrate found that 44% of U.S. adults plan to tip as much as they did last year, while another 15% plan to do more year-end tipping. 

But as we’ve seen all year, tip creeping has been unforgiving, forcing many who are already pinching pennies to hold tighter to their funds. So who should you tip, and how much? 

Let’s start with the latter. According to the etiquette experts at the Emily Post Institute, it’s important to adhere to your budget. Don’t feel that you need to tip anyone more than you can afford. If you can’t afford a generous tip, consider a homemade gift or at least some kind words. And whatever you gift or tip should include a short handwritten note, the experts add. 

When it comes time to tip, consider your relationship with the person, how long you’ve been using their service, and the type of business it is. 

Mail carriers and other delivery drivers

Take, for example, your mail carrier. If they were especially helpful this year, you can certainly tip them. However, the United States Postal Service employees are not able to accept any cash, check, or cash equivalent under federal regulations. They are able to accept a gift worth $20 or less, though. 

Emily Post Institute’s etiquette experts recommend snacks, beverages, travel mugs, hand warmers, or another small gift instead for your mail carrier. Gift cards are also acceptable, as long as they’re less than $20 and cannot be exchanged for cash. 

What about your other delivery drivers? 

The rules vary here. FedEx workers can’t accept cash or cash equivalents like gift cards, but company policy says they can accept gifts worth up to $75. In a statement to Nexstar, a UPS spokesperson said drivers are encouraged to “respectfully decline monetary gratuities” but if a customer is insistent, the driver can accept it. Other items, like cookies, mittens, cards, and artwork from customers’ children, are common holiday gifts and “are appreciated.”

A spokesperson for Amazon tells Nexstar that delivery drivers cannot accept cash tips. Only those doing grocery deliveries can be tipped, and those are made online or via the app. You can, however, leave out snacks or beverages for your driver, thank them using Alexa, or review their delivery online or via the app. 

Teachers, coaches, and sitters (for children and pets)

If you have children, whether the human or furry kind, you know how helpful teachers, coaches, sitters, and more can be throughout the year. 

Unless your child’s teacher is unable to accept gifts, a small present or a gift card is a worthy holiday offering, according to personal finance publisher Kiplinger. You could even join in with other parents to give a larger gift. The same can go for your child’s sports coach, Fidelity recommends.

When it comes to babysitters, the Emily Post Institute recommends giving them a cash gift of no more than one evening’s or one week’s pay, as well as a small gift from their young clientele. You can do the same for your pet sitter, walker, or groomer, Fidelity recommends — though maybe skip the small gift. 

Others not to overlook

There are, of course, others you may not want to overlook when it comes to end of year tipping. 

Unless prohibited by local regulations, you can gift your trash or recycling collector anywhere from $10 to $30, either in cash or a gift, according to the Emily Post Institute. 

If you have a personal trainer, etiquette experts recommend cash or a gift worth up to the cost of one session with them. If you get a haircut or visit a beauty salon, consider cash or a gift worth one haircut, or the cost of the visit divided among the staff members that help you.

For a nursing home employee, opt for a gift over cash that can be shared among the staff. That could include flowers or food. For other caregivers, you might consider one week’s worth to one month’s worth of pay.

Remember, these are just suggestions. You can decide how much, or how little, you tip this holiday season and when faced with tip creeping. 

It’s important to note that while there are a number of people you can tip during the holiday season, there are some you can’t. That includes cashiers at many major retailers: even if you want to thank them for their help during the busiest time of the year, many stores like Walmart and Kroger do not allow their employees to accept cash tips.