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SALT LAKE CITY -- Besides the obvious family and close friends, who else should be on your holiday gift list this year?
This is typically the time of year when people give an extra tip to the babysitter or the hair stylist, but what about the mail carrier or perhaps the personal trainer?
Janine Ottley, who manages the blog "The Pink Teapot," shared some tips with KSL.
"We have a lot of family; we have a lot of friends. We have a lot of kids, and so sometimes we can get bogged down with the extra family members and maybe we forget those people," she says.
- Babysitter - one who is used regularly should be tipped one to two nights of pay, a nanny anywhere from one week to a month depending upon the circumstances.
- Personal trainer -- tipping the price of one session is considered normal.
- Pet care - a dog trainer, dog walker or anyone who takes care of our pets should be tipped up to one week's worth of pet care.
- Garbage collector - often forgotten, these people handle nasty stuff every single week. About $10 to $30 is appropriate, but some companies won't allow it. Ottley says, "Maybe even a little package of candy will help them get out of their truck a lot of times and get that extra thing of garbage from the bottom of the can that won't come out."
- Postal workers - the limit is a $20 value. "A lot of times a beautiful fruit basket goes a long ways, or a letter of praise of how your mail carrier will come through sleet and snow to bring you the package that goes to your door," Ottley suggests.
- School teachers - cash is inappropriate. "They do so much more than cutting our hair. They serve our children. You need to put a lot more thoughtfulness into it," Ottley says.
If economics don't allow a tip, Ottley says a note of appreciation is acceptable.
"I talked to my hairdresser last night and said she really appreciated the thoughtfulness of a couple cards that have already come, and that was enough for her," she says.
One commenter on KSL's Facebook page says this is something people should not worry about. Also, Janet said "I don't give extra tips to anybody because what they're doing is not service, it's their job. They already get paid for it."
Some residents who moved to Utah from out of state feel Utahns are typically a bit cheap.
"I think we're a frugal people. I think we tend to squirrel away the last dollar," Ottley says.
