Tip? Letter Carrier?

[susandennis]

kjaz says I should poll the congregation. He started it. He said he tipped his letter carrier because she gives him superior and special service and attention.

There is no one and I mean NO ONE who is a better letter carrier than mine! He tells me who his hiring in the 'hood and who has the coolest offices to work in. He delivers my 'lumpy mail' (usually books) to work instead of to home because he knows I can't wait. He slips cool catalogues into my mail when the addressee is long long. He's just the best.

But, I've never thought of tipping him because he's a friend. And it feels funny to tip a friend. If I baked, I might think cookies. But not cash. Maybe a gift certificate? But to where? But why not cash? Just because I've never thought of it? He's only been my carrier for about 8 years now. Geesh.

What's the consensus? Cash? How much? Remember, this guy is fabulous. And I've never given him anything but a huge smile and lots and lots of thank yous.

Comments

[moochia.livejournal.com]

I once asked a random mail carrier (she was standing behind me in a line at the market) what most mail carriers would appreciate. She was very clear: CASH!

We give our carrier (and he, too, is very good) 20 bucks plus some sort of gift basket.

[susandennis]

Now I'm getting embarrassed for all the cashless years that he's served me so well. Holey moley. I am so glad that Kevin mentioned this. And thanks for the info.

[ruralrob.livejournal.com]

We always give a gift to our Post Office staff to be shared with the sorters, letter carriers and counter employees. In the past it has been (expeensive) Godiva chocolates. However, I hear that they get so much chocolate stuff, it tends to get sent home with whoever can still stand the stuff. So this year - hmmm, I honestly don't know.

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

I'd go for cash.
And if anyone cool in the neighborhood is hiring let me know. I might be up for some new challenge.

[susandennis]

Check out Qpass...

[seattlejo.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :-)

[geordie.livejournal.com]

If I give cash I always feel like it's a cop-out. But it's not like you can ask.

I want to go to one of the restaurants I use and tip extravagantly this year, or maybe to the one where one of my friends went mental. Hmm, I could go there tonight.

Carmen vs Your Carrier he he he

[pinkrose70.livejournal.com]

I had heard what a great mail-person we have from my little-next door neighbor for several years. Gilda always gives her something nice from Costco (cakes, cookies along those lines)

I didn't realize how invaluable Carmen is until I was confined to my apartment about a year ago. She didn't have to, but she walked my mail up to my door..rather than into my mailbox..which would entail me going down there plus walking back up, something that was physically rough on me at the time.

She's the BEST!

She knows my little dog Joey's name and in fact...he waits for her daily (Carmen is always on the mark at 11:00 AM) We have a chain-link fence and gate around the front yard, and so many people come inside leaving it open for the doggies to run out (and they have on several occasions when they've been out in the yard and seen that easy escape route)
Not Carmen. She's careful to open and close the gate carefully. On the days that Carmen is off (she usually lets us know about any long weekends and Thursday is her regular day off since she works Saturdays) I won't put mail in my out-going flag-up mailbox. I've mailed back 2 movies on Carmen's off days to Netflix and they were never received.

I am confident that when I hand Carmen an envelope that it will be mailed out and apparently very soon. Most things I give her are received by the other party (including Netflix) the very next day.

Oh, and of course Carmen knows the dirt on the whole neighborhood,and we giggled a few weeks ago, that some of it she would rather not even know.

This postal worker is so good...that if she sees me up at the corner laundromat, she delivers my mail there. She's a peach.
This year, I am going to do something nice for her. Not sure what yet, but it's well deserved.

When I lived in DC and Maryland, I rarely saw my mailman. When I first moved here to California...I did see the mailman. He rarely spoke, smiled and acted like delivering the mail was a chore.

In prior years, I detested getting little Holiday cards from the newspaper person and anything that suggested "please tip me." I didn't because I didn't feel it was deserved.

But, when I receive extraordinary service year after year, and yes...Carmen seems like a friend now...finally after 10 years, I want to give her something.

I'm thinking a Gift Card...maybe Visa where she can use it anywhere she'd like.

So, that's my view.....

Re: Carmen vs Your Carrier he he he

[susandennis]

Isn't it fun to find so many outstanding mail carriers???!!! I just love that. I also love the idea of the Visa gift card.

[joyofmacs.livejournal.com]

Even though I just BITCHED about being on the receiving end of gifts, I vote gift certificate to a nice restaurant. Cash is great but it feels funny when I get it. I am weird. You know that.

tipping the mailman

[(Anonymous)]

My husband looked into tipping at Christmastime, and he says he found out that the postal service discourages tipping the mail carrier, and that they are not supposed to accept anything over $20. Maybe check the USPS site for this info. :-)

Fran