Need Input - Tipping

[Dog]

Our hair beautician recently left the salon and set up shop out of her home. Today was my first visit to her since she set up shop in her home. She is now self employed. I had my hair colored and cut (as usual) and added my typical tip. It just occurred to me if I should still tip since she is self employed?

Thoughts?


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[ProspectiveBum]

Many hair stylists are self-employed, even if they're in a salon (renting a chair from the owner). I personally see no reason to change the arrangement. My wife has her hair cut by a salon owner, and she tips him.

 

[Sunset]

Nope.
Did you tip the owner of the previous place ?
She gets the total price you paid - expenses as her profit.
If her prices are too low, then she needs to raise them, not rely on tips.

 

[haha]

Very simple. If you want to continue to feel a that you are a valued client, tip


If this is not important to you, don't tip.


Ha

 

[harley]

We tip our friend who runs the kennel where we leave our dogs. As I've explained to her the business part is business, and the friendship part is personal and separate. We tip because we get great service and she goes out of her way for us. The friendship developed after the business relationship, and I don't see why a change in the circumstances should alter the business situation. I agree with Haha.

 

[Dash man]

I'm in the same situation for,the woman who,cuts my hair. I've tipped her when she was working for someone else, when she opened her own place for five years, and now that she cuts my hair in her home. I tip her four bucks on a sixteen dollar hair cut, so it's not a major expense.

 

[Amethyst]

This. People are people, and in our society, money is how we show that we value their work.

Very simple. If you want to continue to feel a that you are a valued client, tip


Ha

 

[braumeister]

DW has her hair cut by a long time friend who owns her own 1-person hair shop and charges what I consider a relatively high price.

Still, DW tips her. Since she does a superb job on the haircut every time, it's hard to argue with what works.

 

[Senator]

No question, tip.

As stated previously, even if she was cutting hair in a salon, she may have been renting the booth and was already a sole proprietor.

If she moved and raised her prices, you may want to negotiate a better price, and still tip.

 

[jollystomper]

Very simple. If you want to continue to feel a that you are a valued client, tip


If this is not important to you, don't tip.


Ha

+1

 

[Bestwifeever]

She didn't give it back so it must be okay. The don't-tip-the-owner rule probably went out the window a long time ago for hair stylists.

 

[Al in Ohio]

Nope.
Did you tip the owner of the previous place ?
She gets the total price you paid - expenses as her profit.
If her prices are too low, then she needs to raise them, not rely on tips.

I don't understand why you would think tipping to show appreciation of the service you received is any different since she is now self employed?


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[MRG]

She didn't give it back so it must be okay. The don't-tip-the-owner rule probably went out the window a long time ago for hair stylists.

It's still there but many folks do tip the owner. When DW did nails(when there was money in it) she was the owner only ~10% didn't tip.

In hair your the owner or, renting a booth, or working for a percentage. I'd tip, I tip my barber and he's the owner.

Edit to add: I'd tip if she's running it like a shop, if she's using my time to take care of her kids, I'd find another shop.

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[GreenER]

I have always tipped the hairdresser. What I'm confused by is the masseuse. I don't tip other medical professionals. I have a copay and it's billed to insurance, but I am uncertain what the social norm is.

 

[MRG]

Well here's Emily Posts guide to tipping: http://www.emilypost.com/out-and-about/tipping/89-general-tipping-guidelines
She makes no mention of not tipping owners. Also nothing for massages.

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[aaronc879]

I have always tipped the hairdresser. What I'm confused by is the masseuse. I don't tip other medical professionals. I have a copay and it's billed to insurance, but I am uncertain what the social norm is.

I don't go to a masseuse because it's too expensive. If I did go, I wouldn't tip them because they're already making a lot of money for their time IMO. Someone on here posted a while back that they were shocked/upset they Only got tipped $5 for giving a massage. That seems like a good tip to me if you give anything to someone making $60+/hr.

 

[Car-Guy]

I have always tipped my barber ang he owns his own shop. Never thought about not tipping just because he's the owner. In general, most of my tipping is done at restaurants. Poor service gets very little or nothing, good service gets up to 20%.

 

[GreenER]

Actually since the massage is billed to insurance and my copay is only $12, it's a bargain in my book for an hour of bliss. I try to use my max allotment each year. It has helped hugely with some acute muscular issues/injuries in the past and if I don't have "issues" to address I use up my allotment as a treat!

 

[rodi]

Emily post addresses the owner issue here - and also massue:

Salons
If the owner cuts your hair, you're off the hook, right? Wrong. Turns out most salon owners welcome gratuities. "Not tipping the owner is an old tradition that's dying out," Post says. She recommends 15 to 20 percent of the fee, whether or not the stylist owns the place. When more than one person (stylist, colorist, blower) attends to you, split 15 to 20 percent among them according to how much each contributed to the outcome. A basic shampoo and conditioning rates $1 to $3; a wash involving foil removal and color rinses requires a bit more. Slip 15 to 20 percent each to a masseuse and a manicurist.

Read more: Guide to Tipping

 

[ERD50]

Very simple. If you want to continue to feel a that you are a valued client, tip


If this is not important to you, don't tip.


Ha

My car mechanic is important to me, so is my Doctor and Dentist - I've never tipped either one. I think that tipping has much more ritual/convention surrounding it than simply the value of the services provided.

Specific to this case, I do tip my barbers (barbarettas?) a somewhat generous % (over 20%, and then round up) of the non-discounted amount of the bill (I almost always have a coupon). But since the cost of a haircut is pretty low, the actual dollar amount does not seem worth quibbling, and I get the impression these workers don't really make all that much, though I'd prefer the tip was just included in the cost of the service and the workers paid accordingly. I'm not sure what should be done with an owner - again, I think convention is the key, probably no logic applies to this.

A very long time ago, a friend of ours became a beautician, and she did some haircuts in her home. IIRC (it was a long time ago), I just paid her what she asked, no tip. I figured she was working out of her apartment, no real overhead (probably not reporting it?), she should ask for what she needs and I will pay it.

-ERD50

 

[MRG]

I have always tipped the hairdresser. What I'm confused by is the masseuse. I don't tip other medical professionals. I have a copay and it's billed to insurance, but I am uncertain what the social norm is.

Ms. Post doesn't say it's required.
We do tip ours, she offers a $10.00 discount for those over 50, we 'tip' it back.

Of more interest is how you get your insurance to pay for massage therapy?

I was doing physical therapy and the therapist started with 15 minutes of cervical massage as my neck was locked up and she/I couldn't do any therapy without it. Insurance paid zero, she had warned me that it was seldom covered. I didn't care at the time, pain, the ability to move your neck, and avoiding c-spine surgery seemed more important than money.

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[freebird5825]

I just got my hair cut at a home-based place. She charged me $18 for a simple trim and blow dry, I gave her $5 tip.

I like to surprise other folks who never get tipped...like the auto store dude who reinstalled my drivers' side windshield wiper in cold rain last week. He could have sold me a new wiper but he just fixed it. $5 tip for sure.

We had a new recliner delivered a few months ago. We gave each of the delivery guys $10 each. Talk about big smiles !

I delivered $20 tips for xmas to the day bartenders at the VFW and a local bar I frequent to play pool. They were shocked. I just grinned and told them I was Santa's Elf.

I tend to be very generous because of my upbringing. Back in the day, Mom waitressed/bartended/hostessed in the restaurant business. Anything her customers tipped her ended up as extras for us kids.
When I w*rked as a small engine mechanic during summers to finance college, people would tip me very well for getting their lawnmower going in less than half an hour. I was the Quick Service Tech. My boss looked the other way.

Passing it forward...

 

[W2R]

Like the others here, I would continue to tip. It's just the nice thing to do, IMO. It shows that you value her services beyond the basic amount she chooses to charge for them.

 

[aaronc879]

Actually since the massage is billed to insurance and my copay is only $12, it's a bargain in my book for an hour of bliss. I try to use my max allotment each year. It has helped hugely with some acute muscular issues/injuries in the past and if I don't have "issues" to address I use up my allotment as a treat!

I'm glad I read this thread. I just went through my health ins and saw I can get massage therapy covered as well. I have to pay the full amount up to deductible then no further charge. If I have already reached my deductible for some reason then i'll definitely take advantage of the free massages. I get up to 20 massage or physical therapy sessions per year.

 

[Bestwifeever]

Ms. Post doesn't say it's required [tipping for massage professionals].

Time for new glasses ? Actually it is, mentioned at the very end of your link to Emily's guidelines for tipping:

Facial, waxing, massage

15-20%