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25 Jul 2004
We're incredibly lucky that the University is paying our moving expenses for us, so we're getting a removals firm to shift all our junk (for the first time in our lives), and they are even packing stuff for us. Which is just as well, because my packing strategy is rubbish, and half of my plates would probably end up broken. But this raises a tricky issue; how much do you tip removals people? No-one we know has moved recently using a removals company, so we don't have the first idea what the going rate is. We don't want to be stingy—after all, these people will have all our worldly possessions in their hands—but we are also not made of money1. There will be two people packing on one day, then three shifting boxes the next. This question is obviously for UK residents only, unless there an International Agreement on Removals Staff Tipping Levels.
1 This is a big understatement—we are heavily in debt to our parents at the moment.
2
There have been cases where I've given a waiter no tip, and there have been times where I've given a 50% tip--or even higher.
For one of my tattoos, the cost was quite small. The work was excellent and the artist really put a lot of time and effort into what she was doing. It was easily worth much, much more to me than what she was asking for, and I let her know how much I appreciated it by giving her a great tip.
That's really the key for me: if I appreciate what they've done, I give them something that shows just how much I appreciate it.
by Nate @ 27/07/2004 4:08 pm • Permalink •
3
by kim @ 28/07/2004 5:08 am • Permalink •
1
OK, here's how it goes. Before I was a Capitalist Pig, I was a Poor Capitalist Peeg who moved a lot and thus has much experience of moving and, thus, Movers.
I suggest no tip for the packers on Day 1, but say £30-£40 for all of them, collectively, on Day 2 with some message like "We really appreciate this and hope this goes towards a few pints in the pub afterwards". Always seemed to go down very well with our movers, anyway. I think £30-£40 is about right, but you may wish to adjust up or down depending on (a) price paid to Movers' Firm and (b) value of stuff moved, oh and (c) difficulty of moving [we once moved to a 5th floor flat with no lift - tip commensurately higher].
Hope this helps.----- Jolyon: Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for. Both places are no higher than one floor, so I don't think any compensation will be needed.
by bsag @ 26/07/2004 7:07 am • Permalink •