Holiday tipping guide: who to tip and how much

The short answer: this holiday tipping guide covers who people commonly tip at year end and typical amounts. These are customs, not rules: tip by how often someone helps you and what fits your budget, and a sincere note matters more than the amount.

• Full-time nanny or dog walker: about one week's pay
• House cleaner or hairstylist: about the cost of one visit
• Regular babysitter: about one evening's pay
• Who can't accept cash: USPS mail carriers and public school teachers, among others
• Next step: Plan it with the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99).

This holiday tipping guide covers who people commonly tip at the end of the year and typical amounts, from your sitter to your mail carrier. These are customs, not rules. Tip according to how often someone helps you, how long you've known them and what fits your budget. A sincere note matters more than the amount.

Below is a table of common ranges, how to budget for tips, the rules for some workers who can't accept cash, and kind options when money is tight.

Common holiday tip ranges

These ranges reflect widely shared etiquette guidance. Adjust them to your area and your situation.

These ranges line up with the Emily Post Institute's holiday tipping guide, which suggests amounts by role and offers gift alternatives when cash isn't the right fit.

Step 1: Make your tipping list

Start by listing everyone who helped you regularly this year. Most people forget a few names, so go through your calendar and bank statements.

1. Childcare and home help. Nanny, sitter, cleaner, dog walker.
2. Personal services. Hairstylist, barber, nail tech.
3. People at your door. Mail carrier, package drivers, trash collectors.
4. School and activities. Teachers, aides, coaches, bus drivers.
5. Building staff. Doorman, super, maintenance.

Step 2: Set a total and divide it

Holiday tips can quietly become one of December's biggest expenses. Pick a total for the season first, then divide it by person. Give the most to people who help you most often. If the total feels too high, keep cash tips for your closest helpers and give cards or treats to the rest.

Our Christmas Budget & Gift Planner ($4.99) has a gift list with a limit for every name, which works just as well for tips. Write each person and amount there so tips don't get mixed in with gift spending.

Who can't accept cash

Some workers have rules about gifts. Follow them so you don't put anyone in an awkward spot.

• USPS mail carriers. USPS rules allow carriers to accept a gift worth $20 or less per occasion. They can't accept cash or cash equivalents. Snacks, a small gift or a warm drink on a cold day are good options.
• Package delivery drivers. Companies set their own policies, which can change. A bottle of water, a snack basket on the porch or a thank-you note is always welcome.
• Public school teachers. Many districts limit gift values. Check the school's policy; a group gift from the class is common.
• Home health aides. Some agencies don't allow cash gifts. Ask the agency first.

For the full season, our free guide to building a Christmas budget shows where tips fit alongside gifts, food and travel.

Step 3: Add a note

A short, specific note turns a tip into a thank-you. Mention something real: "Thanks for always remembering Max's allergy" or "Our lawn has never looked better." For caregivers and cleaners who work in your home, a card from the kids is often the part they keep.

When money is tight

You don't have to tip everyone, and you don't have to tip the same as last year. If budgets are tight:

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• Prioritize your regulars. People who come weekly come first.
• Give DIY Christmas gifts. A tin of cookies with a card feels personal. Pick up christmas cookie tins with lids in a multipack.
• Write a review. For small businesses, a detailed online review can mean a lot.
• Give time. Offer to help with something they need, like a ride or a meal.

Supplies for tips and thank-yous

• Money holder cards christmas: neat cards made to hold cash.
• Thank you cards bulk: one box covers the whole list.
• Snack basket for delivery drivers: a porch basket for delivery workers.

Save for tips all year

Tips arrive at the same time as gifts, food and travel. Saving a little each month makes December lighter. Our Sinking Funds Tracker ($4.99) lets you set a "holiday tips" fund and track monthly contributions. It's also part of the Holiday Season Bundle ($15.99), with the Christmas budget planner and savings challenge.

How to give the tip

Cash in a card is the most common way to give a holiday tip to a sitter, cleaner or dog walker. Use a clean envelope or a money-holder card, write the person's name on the front, and hand it over in person at the last visit before the holidays. If you usually pay by a payment app, sending the tip that way is fine, but add a paper card so it feels like a gift rather than a payment.

For family and friends rather than service workers, see our creative ways to give money as a gift.

A note on regional differences

Customs vary by city and building. In some apartment buildings, tipping staff is expected and amounts are higher; in others it's rare. If you're new to an area, ask a neighbor what's typical. Tipping less than a guide suggests is fine if that's what your budget allows.

See also: Christmas gift for babysitter or nanny, Christmas gifts for teachers and Christmas gifts for neighbors.

Tipped workers' pay also varies by state. The U.S. Department of Labor publishes a state-by-state table of minimum wages for tipped employees; the federal minimum cash wage is $2.13 an hour.