do you tip your mail carrier?

sandracheng · December 2009

hi ladies, I wonder this every year, and every year, i don't follow through and do anything about it Sad online sources say usps requests gratuities be in the form of non-cash gifts under $20, but I was wondering - do you tip your mail carrier? give a card? bake some cookies? leave a gift card?

our mail carrier gives us a card every year (for all the people on his route, i'm sure), but for instance, today, he delivered a package that had the wrong address one it - two of the street numbers were transposed, but he managed to get it to us, with a little note.

so i feel like i should acknowledge his service somehow...i'm thinking at least a card, but was wondering what everyone else does?

i'm curious what you ladies who live outside the US do as well Smile

SanHawaii08 · December 2009

whoops, and this question would be from me - somehow logged into a really, really, really old account that I never use!

mrspresley · December 2009

at our previous house, we really got to know our mail carrier and like yours, she was really good to us... i would make baked goods for her during the holidays. we've only been in this house since June so we haven't gotten to know our current mail carrier yet so i did not do anything special this year (that and I'm not baking as much right now w/the baby)

myday1708 · December 2009

We have only been in our house since July but our mail carrier has had a TON of packages to deliver to us since the baby was born, so I wanted to make sure we tipped him. We gave him a card and $20 cash. I was not aware of the suggestion that you give them non-cash... I think they would prefer cash!

We did not tip in our old condo since we were in a building and never met the person.

lola808 · December 2009

We don't, but that's just because we aren't really on a friendly, chatty basis. As a kid, our family knew the carrier well and always left a non-cash gift for her during the holidays.

lelekay · December 2009

I used to leave him a holiday box with cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, and caramel corn. But that was when I got to know him a little. I have no idea who our guys is now. And, I'm not even convinced it's always the same guy. I think two different guys regularly do our route, based on the fact that some days he parks on one side of the street, and we get our mail earlier in the day, and some days it comes later and he parks on the other side of the street.

MauiWedding08 · December 2009

I don't. I have no idea who it is and I don't even know if it's the same person every day, but beyond that... whoever it is does not go above and beyond and is actually pretty bad.

Some days my mail reeks of cigarette smoke (so bad that it makes our entry way - where I leave the mail - smell horrible) and many of the days s/he doesn't close the box all the way and our mail is soaked (it's a new box that doesn't leak at all when closed properly).

Oh... and one day I saw him drive on to our lawn to THROW a package to our front door so he wouldn't have to get out of the car. It didn't make it... just landed on the front walk way.

The UPS guy on the other hand is awesome! He noticed all the baby stuff and always asks if he can set the box inside the door (since I shouldn't be lifting - haha) and when I'm not home he takes all packages to our back door so they don't sit out front all day. Maybe I should tip him!

Married2MrWright · December 2009

We don't. I have honestly never considered it. We have had like 4 different carriers this year.

rwright5 · December 2009

We don't but I don't know them at all. But my mom was a mail carrier for 25+ years and the last 10 yrs or so she ran the same route with most of the same people so she would always bring lots of stuff home that people would leave for her. Majority of her items were baked goods/candy, but she would get $$ and I can remember a one old lady would always croqusay(sp??) her little ornaments. She was the type that would go out of her way for people too

SanHawaii08 · December 2009

Hrm, okay, thanks for the thoughts, ladies! (and special thanks to robin! glad to get some "insider" knowledge Wink

) I know we have the same guy b/c it's the same handwriting and name on the cards he's left us the past few years - not sure about before that. He walks our packages to the door, rings the doorbell, and leaves, though i don't think he's particularly careful about putting them down or anything, i heard a pretty big thunk the other day, heh. but yeah, it's not like we know him or would recognize him if we saw him...I guess i won't feel too bad then...maybe a note still - a thank you note never goes out of style if it's called for. thanks!

SanHawaii08 · December 2009

MauiWedding08:
I don't. I have no idea who it is and I don't even know if it's the same person every day, but beyond that... whoever it is does not go above and beyond and is actually pretty bad.
Some days my mail reeks of cigarette smoke (so bad that it makes our entry way - where I leave the mail - smell horrible) and many of the days s/he doesn't close the box all the way and our mail is soaked (it's a new box that doesn't leak at all when closed properly).
Oh... and one day I saw him drive on to our lawn to THROW a package to our front door so he wouldn't have to get out of the car. It didn't make it... just landed on the front walk way.
The UPS guy on the other hand is awesome! He noticed all the baby stuff and always asks if he can set the box inside the door (since I shouldn't be lifting - haha) and when I'm not home he takes all packages to our back door so they don't sit out front all day. Maybe I should tip him!

oh, and smoking smelling mail? eww!! that's awful. very considerate of the ups guy though! Smile

fia214 · December 2009

I give my mail carrier gift cards during Christmas.

When I was a teenager I used to try to bribe my mail man with beer to make my tardy or detention notices from my school dissapear. Cool I was terrible!

do you tip your mail carrier?

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