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Original poster

What do you tip your bin men?

262 replies

ChocolateTVandbaby · 17/12/2023 16:32

Inspired by a podcast I'm listening to... wondering whether people tip their binmen and if so what with? My mum leaves beer out for them. Some people I know give cash. What do you give and how much?

OP posts:
Icepop79 · 17/12/2023 16:33

Never crossed my mind to tip them. I have no idea how many there are, or if they’re the same ones each week. Just like I don’t tip all the other people I come across doing their job.

steff13 · 17/12/2023 16:35

Gift card to Subway, same as the mailman.

Iknowtheyareusefulstorage · 17/12/2023 16:36

Used to give them a £5- £10 if I was about, but leaving boxes of biscuits this year as I'll be at work.

PamelaParis · 17/12/2023 16:37

Er, nothing?

SuspiciousSue · 17/12/2023 16:37

I’ve literally never done this. Otherwise where does it stop?

ditalini · 17/12/2023 16:37

Couldn't tip them even if I wanted to. They only show up occasionally, and rarely on the day the calender on the council website says.

If I left beer on the top of the bin then they'd likely decline to empty it due to a failure to "ensure all refuse is contained within the appropriate receptacle"

Bohemond23 · 17/12/2023 16:38

£10 black bin team
£10 recycling team
£10 postman (on the basis that we have now had the same one for 6 months. The old one used to be on the sick for 11 months of the year and came back to the round for December only)

mogtheexcellent · 17/12/2023 16:38

Nothing, we dont have the same team each week so there no rapport.

Postie gets £30 but that is guilt money because he has to come up our drive and the rescue dog goes nuts and tries to attack him through the door.

OhmygodDont · 17/12/2023 16:39

Nope and technically I know they are not allowed to accept to gifts either. If caught as the trucks have cameras they can get a disciplinary over it.

I only know this as I know the boss of the local rubbish and fly tipping and bulky waste collections department.

2chocolateoranges · 17/12/2023 16:42

Nothing, they leave my bins behind my car every bloody bin day when rhere is plenty of space not to block my car in or out!

Benibidibici · 17/12/2023 16:43

I have never tipped a bin man and don't know anyone who does. I also do not tip hairdressers etc. They are free to set their price and i expect them to set a price they are happy with.

The uk doesnt really have consistent tipping expectations. Its not like the US where service employees can be paid as little as $7.25 (only £5.70) an hour and tipping is expected to make up the rest of the pay. UK staff receive a minimum wage intended to be full remuneration.

There's a trend for service people to ask for tips now, with card machines offering it as an option, but i don't know many people who routinely do this.

I dislike tipping culture. I prefer to pay a price knowing it includes good service as standard.

mambojambodothetango · 17/12/2023 16:43

How do you give it? Do you run outside in your pjs at 7am? Or do you put it out for them and hope a ne'er-do-well doesn't make off with it? I do give the cleaners and window cleaner a Xmas tip but they come in/come to the door.

Grimmz · 17/12/2023 16:44

We give a large tip to ours (£100) and so do our neighbours (we're the only 2 properties down a remote rural track). In exchange, the bin men do all sorts of favours for us throughout the year including emptying extra bins for us and taking away large/awkward rubbish. They've even run up the drive a few times to drag my bin out for me when I forgot! They're very helpful.

Perhapsanorhertimewouldbebetter · 17/12/2023 16:44

Nothing. We take all our rubbish to the tip/recycling centre. The only time we used the roadside service was during Covid, because we weren't allowed to go in to the tip/recycling centre

Terfosaurus · 17/12/2023 16:45

I don't.

ActDottie · 17/12/2023 16:45

Nothin, never occurred to me to tip

LubaLuca · 17/12/2023 16:45

The bin men do less than the bare minimum here so I won't tip them. They won't even pick up rubbish they've dropped.

My mum gives them cash, she thinks enough for them to buy a pint each with but it hasn't been for a long time.

Merryoldgoat · 17/12/2023 16:45

@ChocolateTVandbaby are you on email?

SheRasBra · 17/12/2023 16:49

Our crew arrive quite late in the day so if I'm home and see them I give them a tub of Celebrations or similar to share. I'm not giving them cash as the crews change and I don't want them determining whether it's 'enough'. The chocolates are a gesture of goodwill and they are always appreciative.

daffodilandtulip · 17/12/2023 16:49

Well ours aren't being collected over the Christmas period so I guess that solves that...

OnTheBoardwalk · 17/12/2023 16:50

I remember my mum used to tip the bin men but that was years ago when you only had 1 bin. I've got 4 wheelie bins so ain’t tipping all them

I do tip the postie though

AmazingDayz · 17/12/2023 16:50

Nothing but ours aren't very nice

WowIlikereallyhateyou · 17/12/2023 16:50

2chocolateoranges · 17/12/2023 16:42

Nothing, they leave my bins behind my car every bloody bin day when rhere is plenty of space not to block my car in or out!

Yup, mine too

Treesinmygarden · 17/12/2023 16:51

2chocolateoranges · 17/12/2023 16:42

Nothing, they leave my bins behind my car every bloody bin day when rhere is plenty of space not to block my car in or out!

Same!! I swear it's on purpose.

They're not in the least bit obliging either.

SusanSHelit · 17/12/2023 16:51

Nothing, like pp, bin men here do bare minimum and regularly miss bins, and council tax has gone up while services have been slashed.

It's small wonder the area has one of the most severe rat problems anywhere in the country, including London.

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