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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To tip our cleaner?

23 replies

Siennasun · 05/12/2014 20:59

This May be the most 1st world problem ever.

If you have a cleaner is it normal to tip them at Christmas?
We always used to tip our previous cleaner about £30-40 at Christmas.
Also, throughout the year if I didn't have exact change I'd just give her £20 and say keep the change, which she was fine with.
Our new cleaner didn't like that and insisted on bringing the £2 'owed' the following week.
Anyway, I don't know whether to give her extra money at Christmas now. She's a nice lady and she does a good job but I don't want to offend her, either by tipping or not tipping.
What do other people do?

OP posts:

steff13 · 05/12/2014 21:03

I think it's appropriate to tip at Christmas. Even if she doesn't like it during the year, she will probably look at it as a kind of Christmas bonus.

Chuckthefucklebrothers · 05/12/2014 21:10

Definitely tip her. You could always give her a gift voucher (m&s or something) in a Xmas card if you think she'd be uncomfortable with cash.

Only1scoop · 05/12/2014 21:12

Yes a tip or gift for sure

KatyS36 · 05/12/2014 21:14

We get ours a gift. This year it's a bottle of good quality prosecco.
Katy

Ericaequites · 05/12/2014 21:14

Tip the cost of one week's service in cash or gift certificate to m&s or similar. I've done this for years with my cleaners, and remind them it's Christmas and your way of saying thanks.

strawberrie · 05/12/2014 21:16

Yes, I've had the same cleaner for 3 years now and give her money in a card at Christmas. Actually i had been thinking that I would give her it next week, as she might be glad of the money a bit in advance of christmas.

hillbilly · 05/12/2014 21:17

Yes we always tip our cleaner. The problem is that I never remember from one year to the next how much I give her

UngratefulMoo · 05/12/2014 21:19

I don't consider it tipping - I think of it as a Christmas bonus. At my company we get 2 weeks pay as a bonus, so that's what I give my cleaner. I don't tip her the rest of the year (although we did give her a payrise last year). I do get her a birthday present and an Easter egg :)

Original poster

Siennasun · 05/12/2014 21:31

Great, I will do what I used to then. Thanks

OP posts:

Balaboosta · 06/12/2014 08:44

Absolutely! Be generous as you can afford to be. Vouchers and a bunch of flowers are a nice way to do this.

UncleT · 06/12/2014 08:50

Yes. Definitely a good cash bonus or a present.

Trickydecision · 06/12/2014 08:53

I don't tip her as such, but pay her when we are away as it is not her fault. This year she will have had about five weeks like this. She is a Jehovah's Witness so no Christmas or birthday presents as such, but we do have a giggle about non-Christmas and non-birthday wine.

Bowlersarm · 06/12/2014 08:53

Yes I give a weeks extra money for Christmas.

MomOfTwoGirls2 · 06/12/2014 08:57

I give a weeks money too.

Vycount · 06/12/2014 09:58

I think it's nice to put cash in a card. Not vouchers, it restricts how she can spend the money. I should think she'll accept that because it's a gift, I can understand why she prefers to keep things professional on a weekly basis with the right amount being paid.

SmilingHappyBeaver · 06/12/2014 09:58

I don't "tip" during the year, but usually give our cleaner £30-50 at Christmas, and also we give her son (12) £10 as a present. For the first couple of Christmas's we gave her Wine, but then discovered that she and her DH don't drink wine, so we changed to giving her a cash "bonus" so she can spend it one what she likes, which she seems happier with.

cheesecakemom · 06/12/2014 10:01

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

CatCushion · 06/12/2014 10:18

Tips count as income and are taxable.

Call it a Christmas gift and it isn't taxable.

unlucky83 · 06/12/2014 10:28

I would give her a present of cash. Not a tip -a gift. A gift card does feel less obvious, less like charity, less 'bountiful master' but is restrictive.
(My DCs for birthdays have been given gift cards for eg Waterstones but I tend to be a regular library users/buy second hand for environmental reasons so we end up buying something we don't need just to use it...feels a bit wasteful)

She probably isn't rolling in money and cash will be more useful at this time of year than a bottle of wine/flowers/chocolates...

slithytove · 06/12/2014 11:11

Love to shop voucher?

Original poster

Siennasun · 06/12/2014 12:28

I thought about vouchers/gifts instead but don't know what she likes or where she wants to shop. If I knew her a better I'd do that but I wouldn't know what to get.
You're right it is a gift, not a tip so I'll just go with a Christmas gift of cash in a card. Thanks for all the replies.

OP posts:

GreenPetal94 · 06/12/2014 15:15

I'd suggest something like a John Lewis voucher as that can be used in Waitrose as well. But it is a bit more of a gift than cash.

HamishBamish · 06/12/2014 15:27

Yes, we tip 3 weeks pay. She likes cash, so that's what we give her.

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