The tipping culture around the world is very versatile. While in some countries tips are a given and they are always factored in into the cost, at other parts of the world whether or not you tip is completely up to you! When it comes to the USA, you are always free to make your own choices and decide how much you want to tip for the services you received. Now, while you won’t have a second thought about tipping at a restaurant as it’s a daily occurrence, you might have trouble tipping your movers. We don’t exactly relocate on a daily basis. So, how much should you tip your movers and when to do it? Let DA Moving NYC help you come to a conclusion!
Absolutely not! The first thing you should know is that this is solely your decision. Of course, the majority of people decide to be generous at the end of the day and show their full-service NYC movers that they were satisfied with their services. But you shouldn’t be pressured into making a decision based on what other people are doing. Now, let’s assume you have the means for giving a tip. In which instances should you give a tip and in which ones should you skip it?
If the money isn’t a problem, there is only one instance when you should tip your moving company – when you were satisfied with their services. It’s only natural that you wouldn’t feel generous if the movers damaged your precious collectibles. Or they lost some of your furniture and valuables. Not only will you not feel generous, but you would feel enraged, but that’s a topic for some other time!
If relocated in record time, do leave a tip.
But, if the movers did everything you asked and expected and then some, you should show them your appreciation. After all, their packing services NYC and moving boxes saved you from going through a lot of trouble. Why not reward them for their efforts?
Now, this is when it gets complicated. There is no golden rule that would help you decide on the amount of the tip. You definitely can’t rely on percentages as you can in restaurants. As we all know it, moving is expensive, and should you decide to give your movers a tip of 15% of the total amount, you could be left broke. Secondly, the amount of the tip could differ when it comes to long distance as opposed to local NYC movers. Let’s see what’s the norm for both of these!
The first thing you should know is that you are not supposed to tip movers as a crew. Each member should get a separate tip as opposed to them splitting it up amongst themselves. For that reason, you need to be fair and give each member an equal tip. Now, while we did say that there isn’t a precise answer on how much to tip movers, there is a formula lots of people use.
Decide on an hourly rate for your local movers.
For example, it’s a good rule of thumb to pay every mover 5 dollars per hour. That means that, if they had you relocated in 6 hours, they would receive a 50 dollar tip. Not bad for a day’s work. Unless you were moving out of a large house with multiple bedrooms, four movers or less will be enough for relocating you. That means that you would pay 200 dollars for tips in the aforementioned situation. If your residential or commercial NYC movers did a good job, they certainly deserve it!
While a local move may be done in a matter of hours, a long distance one can’t. Depending on how far you are moving, it could take days. You can’t expect your interstate movers to relocate you quickly when you are changing states. If you were to rely on either percentages or an hourly formula, you could end up broke. Besides, it would be ludicrous to do so!
For that reason, it would be good to dedicate a specific sum of money for each mover per day. We personally think that 40 dollars per day are more than fair. Granted, if your move turns out to prolong and you have plenty of movers, the tips could still take up a big part of your budget. That’s why you need to take your situation into account and decide on the best way to proceed.
Your movers are people, just like you! They will understand if you are not financially endowed, which will prevent you from giving them a tip. But, here’s a piece of good news – there are other ways to show your gratitude for a job well done. For starters, you can be attentive to their needs during the process. You can bring out snacks and hot/cold beverages, depending on the season. You can try to give a helping hand without being overbearing.
If money is the problem, get creative!
Then again, you could leave a moving review on their website. What a better way to let them know you appreciate everything they did for you than by leaving a written trail? Let everyone know that you hired quality movers and that they excel in packing/loading/transporting. A good word will go a long way, and you can rest assured no one will hold it against you that you didn’t have the money for a tip.
Finally, remember that only you can decide when and how much to tip your movers. If your moving crew doesn’t do a satisfactory job, skip the tips altogether. If they manage to fulfill your expectations, you can either use the universal formula or do what suits your financial situation at the moment. No one will be there to pose judgment!
