Tipping now more important than ever

[navybankerteacher]

Just now, LGW59 said:

A bit sad, lol, yes unlike those of us on CC who contribute SO much more to society. 🙄

Hopefully, when not cruising, some of us do something creative with our free time.  My preference is being an on-call substitute teacher (elementary school only, since middle and high school students see harassing subs as some sort of moral obligation) - you sure do not do it for the pay, but hearing six-year old boys whispering to each other “Hey - we got a boy teacher” makes up for the shortfall;   and as a volunteer ESL and adult literacy instructor.

[LGW59]

9 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Hopefully, when not cruising, some of us do something creative with our free time.  My preference is being an on-call substitute teacher (elementary school only, since middle and high school students see harassing subs as some sort of moral obligation) - you sure do not do it for the pay, but hearing six-year old boys whispering to each other “Hey - we got a boy teacher” makes up for the shortfall;   and as a volunteer ESL and adult literacy instructor.

Good on you, but does not take away from the fact that you were totally judging the older retired folks who enjoy doing what they do.  You do you, let others do them and stop judging.

[navybankerteacher]

Just now, LGW59 said:

Good on you, but does not take away from the fact that you were totally judging the older retired folks who enjoy doing what they do.  You do you, let others do them and stop judging.

Yet you feel free to judge me for simply expressing concern about the apparent lack of imagination apparent  in some peoples choices of activities. 

[LGW59]

Just now, navybankerteacher said:

Yet you feel free to judge me for simply expressing concern about the apparent lack of imagination apparent  in some peoples choices of activities. 

As I said, you do you, let others do them.  You can't do that though, so obviously, no matter your spin, you are judging.  

[KBs mum]

16 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Hopefully, when not cruising, some of us do something creative with our free time.  My preference is being an on-call substitute teacher (elementary school only, since middle and high school students see harassing subs as some sort of moral obligation) - you sure do not do it for the pay, but hearing six-year old boys whispering to each other “Hey - we got a boy teacher” makes up for the shortfall;   and as a volunteer ESL and adult literacy instructor.

How do you know that the train spotters don't only do that for a short time every now and again and go out of their way to contribute to society the rest of the time? Or had public service careers? 

Seems odd to judge somebody's worth on the basis of a harmless hobby

[KBs mum]

Here's a tip, if you have any roubles get rid of them quick. This is now worth

-10p. it's worth 50p, minimum fee/ commission is 60p. . . 

Was worth 90p

[Peter Lanky]

24 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

Here's a tip, if you have any roubles get rid of them quick. This is now worth

-10p. it's worth 50p, minimum fee/ commission is 60p. . . 

Was worth 90p

I recall something similar happening with the Yugoslavian Dinar. From memory in 1979 when I first went Inter-railing, a dinar was worth about a penny, ~100 to the £. When I went again 10 years later it was 17,000 to the £ when we arrived, and by the time we left 2 weeks later this had risen to 25,000 😬

[KBs mum]

11 minutes ago, Peter Lanky said:

I recall something similar happening with the Yugoslavian Dinar. From memory in 1979 when I first went Inter-railing, a dinar was worth about a penny, ~100 to the £. When I went again 10 years later it was 17,000 to the £ when we arrived, and by the time we left 2 weeks later this had risen to 25,000 😬

We've got a Zimbabwean 500,000 note, worth about 10p, I think. Hung on to it and the rouble note as curiosities. 

Edited March 7, 2022 by KBs mum

[lissie]

2 hours ago, ldubs said:

  Handing over a €100 bill for that €2 euro thimble doesn't always go over well.  

Assuming it was Europe - I'd just use a card - as I would in NZ. I'm about to replace my purse with a card only one - as I realised I never use coins anymore - its easier just to tap a card and no one has to deal with change that way. Note that our smallest note is $5 (about US$3) 

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, LGW59 said:

As I said, you do you, let others do them.  You can't do that though, so obviously, no matter your spin, you are judging.  

As are you — while you keep deploring the activity.

[navybankerteacher]

2 hours ago, KBs mum said:

How do you know that the train spotters don't only do that for a short time every now and again and go out of their way to contribute to society the rest of the time? Or had public service careers? 

Seems odd to judge somebody's worth on the basis of a harmless hobby

Who was judging their worth?  

[KBs mum]

34 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Who was judging their worth?  

You, judging by your comment about your teaching making you worth more to society. 

Newsflash: worth is about far more than a job or hobby

 

[LGW59]

42 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Who was judging their worth?  

you!

[Toofarfromthesea]

21 hours ago, lissie said:

We had flown into LAX from NZ - I'd prebooked a day hotel inc transfer because we flew on to the east coast later the  same day. We had 2 carry on sized backpacks with us. The transfer was a van working for the motel. Pick up was fine - we collapsed for a few hours - ate something - paid via card. I looked around for an ATM - but saw none. Not a big deal not to have cash I thought as we were being picked up on the east coast by family. 

 

Well the performance from the driver on the way back - practically threw our bags at us -  we literally had to walk around him to leave. I explained to him I had no cash but he  was having none of it.  

 

Walked away - left the hotel a negative review because of it  

 

I missed the part where you were asked for a tip.  OTOH, since you seem to indicate you knew a tip was indicated, by your looking for an ATM, maybe telling the guy you didn't have any US money and you'd get him on the way back and then following through might have been a better choice.  As it is the driver may have thought that since you were treating his service like it was worthless, he'd give you worthless service.

[Toofarfromthesea]

19 hours ago, ilikeanswers said:

 

I will saying coming from another country that mostly uses electronic payments I understand why someone wouldn't get money from the bank before. The rates and fees in our banks means you can lose lose a huge chunk of money in exchange compared with an ATM withdrawal at destination. With my card I get market exchange rate, no fees, in the end it can amount to hundreds of dollars difference. 

 

I think he is talking about getting a hundred bucks or so in dollars to handle these types of incidentals, not getting thousands of dollars and creating currency exchange risks.

[Toofarfromthesea]

18 hours ago, lissie said:

And pay through the nose? I stopped getting cash at home decades ago. Even if I  had the cash - it would have been in $50s and $100s - good luck with getting small notes in advance (its possible - I've done it for Myanmar but it was very difficult).   Post covid no NZ banks do foreign cash - and I doubt that they return to the service now - it was a dying thing before hand - dead now. 

 

Wow, sounds like your banks are terrible.  Here, I just go to one if the branches that does forex.  If I want pounds, pesos, or euros they have them.  If I need something a little more exotic like zlotys or forints I might need to come back in a couple of days.  But there is no fee and the exchange rates are  real market rates.

 

And I don't have to tip them to get such excellent service.😜

[Toofarfromthesea]

13 hours ago, KBs mum said:

The UK is also nearly cashless now, its esy to get foreign currency here, most towns have a bureau de change, and two supermarket chains have them in store. We get a small amount of the local for any country we visit, 'in case' but would not expect to need it, unless visiting the US. 

We use cash a lot there, because of the tipping situation and we don't like having to hand our cards to someone. 

I've noticed on CC threads that some US people are confused by the idea of cashless societies, also pin codes and contactless payments. 

We took a few dollars in cash for use during a refuel stop in LAX, knowing we would probably need them, we won't bother with euros for a  KLM transfer stop in Amsterdam, knowing we probably won't. 

 

That's strange.  The US is also pretty cashless and we've had cards with chips and contactless payment for quite a while.  Personally the only place I can recalling using cash at in the last year is my medical marijuana dispensary - because that is only what they are allowed to take in payment.

 

And tips.

[Toofarfromthesea]

8 hours ago, Peter Lanky said:

We don't avoid every person who might be a serial tipper, just because there's the possibility they might try to tip in the situation in question, i.e. a non tipping cruise. Despite the content of this discussion, it's not something that defines our life, and we think about nothing else.

 

The difference between the 2 groups is that us non tippers don't have a personal issue with tippers, but just with the practice of tipping. It's quite clear from this and other discussion that certain tippers really dislike us personally, despite knowing nothing about us other than our dislike of tipping to various degrees. so there is a ned to be wary.

 

I understand.  It's like I have no personal issue with murderers, just the practice of murder.

 

I do dislike the fact that your "principles" invariably save you money at the expense of someone who is way below you on the global scale.  And that you are so critical and judgemental about people whose sin is being 'too' generous.  It tells us a lot more about you than you think.

[KBs mum]

1 minute ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

That's strange.  The US is also pretty cashless and we've had cards with chips and contactless payment for quite a while.  Personally the only place I can recalling using cash at in the last year is my medical marijuana dispensary - because that is only what they are allowed to take in payment.

 

And tips.

Tips will not be required In Holland, or Norway, our eventual destination. 

They will not be required in Germany if we are able to go there in the interim, as we hope. 

We have a few Kroner and Euros left from previous visits. We do not anticipate having to use them, but will take them with us. 

In the UK marijuana dealers also only take cash. Less traceable by the police. Medicinal drugs are available via the NHS, who take card payments, maximum £9 per item per prescription. 

[Toofarfromthesea]

4 hours ago, LGW59 said:

Good on you, but does not take away from the fact that you were totally judging the older retired folks who enjoy doing what they do.  You do you, let others do them and stop judging.

 

Yup, the whole point of retiring is doing whatever you want.  With the only person I have to answer to in any way is my wife.

[Toofarfromthesea]

3 hours ago, KBs mum said:

Here's a tip, if you have any roubles get rid of them quick. This is now worth

-10p. it's worth 50p, minimum fee/ commission is 60p. . . 

Was worth 90p

 

Wise words.  I have some pre-revolution Russian currency, complete with the picture of the Czar, that my grandfather should have spent before it was too late.

[KBs mum]

2 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

I understand.  It's like I have no personal issue with murderers, just the practice of murder.

 

I do dislike the fact that your "principles" invariably save you money at the expense of someone who is way below you on the global scale.  And that you are so critical and judgemental about people whose sin is being 'too' generous.  It tells us a lot more about you than you think.

Nobody has said that they avoid tipping to save money, on the contrary we have all said we are happy to pay more to eliminate the necessity. What we are saying is include it in the total on the menu/bill/invoice so everyone knows where they are and confision and ill feeling is eliminated. 

Please remember that those advocating against a tip based system are from cultures that work perfectly well without, and where the employee and customer may be on similar wages. We dislike tip based wages because we think it unfair to the employee that their income depends on factors beyondd their control,, or emotional blackmail of customers. 

If tip free systems result in higher bills (haven't noticed this to be the case, in US bill + tips usually roughly equals bill in UK) so be it. Not a problem. 

[Toofarfromthesea]

9 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

Tips will not be required In Holland, or Norway, our eventual destination. 

They will not be required in Germany if we are able to go there in the interim, as we hope. 

We have a few Kroner and Euros left from previous visits. We do not anticipate having to use them, but will take them with us. 

In the UK marijuana dealers also only take cash. Less traceable by the police. Medicinal drugs are available via the NHS, who take card payments, maximum £9 per item per prescription. 

 

I was talking about tips in the US when the tip can't be put on a card.

 

As to my medical marijuana dispensary, the cash-only has nothing to do with the police.  It stems from the disconnect between federal law under which marijuana is illegal and certain states that have made medical and/or recreational marijuana legal.  The fed's policy is not to enforce the marijuana law in states that've made it legal, but they make it inconvenient by intimidating banks into not letting the legal, and closely regulated dispensaries, have access to credit card processing.

 

Is medical marijuana legal there?  And if so, is it covered by the NHS?  I get no insurance coverage for my medical marijuana, strictly cash on the barrel head.  Plus cash tip, LOL.

[KBs mum]

9 minutes ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

 

Wise words.  I have some pre-revolution Russian currency, complete with the picture of the Czar, that my grandfather should have spent before it was too late.

Probably worth far more than face now, contact a reputable coin dealer, not an auction house or pawn shop. There is a publication called Spinks that lists the current prices achieved for coins and banknotes. They are a dealer/auction house, but they will estimate on emailed photos. 

[Toofarfromthesea]

6 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

Nobody has said that they avoid tipping to save money, on the contrary we have all said we are happy to pay more to eliminate the necessity. What we are saying is include it in the total on the menu/bill/invoice so everyone knows where they are and confision and ill feeling is eliminated. 

Please remember that those advocating against a tip based system are from cultures that work perfectly well without, and where the employee and customer may be on similar wages. We dislike tip based wages because we think it unfair to the employee that their income depends on factors beyondd their control,, or emotional blackmail of customers. 

If tip free systems result in higher bills (haven't noticed this to be the case, in US bill + tips usually roughly equals bill in UK) so be it. Not a problem. 

 

I was really talking about Mr. Lanky and his strange story about having a meal with a group, presumably with friends and acquaintances, all of whom tipped, but who stood on his "I don't tip" "principle"    And places where tipping is part of the culture and peoples' income is dependent on tips, but some mounts the "I don't tip" principle.