Holiday Tipping DO’S and DONT’S for MOMS/DADS with Insights from Suze Orman: NEW National Survey

Here’s a Holiday Tip we love: TIP! Meaning, tip the people in your life that really make a helpful difference this time of year like your babysitters or nannies, the kindhearted person who walks your dog (or cat!), the tutor that’s finally taught your child how to multiple!

Care.com just released the findings of their 2015 Holiday Tipping Survey found that 70% of families do intend to pass out tips this holiday season and even more impressive, of those people 18% plan to tip more this year than last year!

To give you a sense of how much people intend to spend, Care.com uncovered that 1 in 5 families estimates they’ll spend more than $250 in holiday tips this year. That’s a hefty penny! But the good news is people plan to employ a budget, which is key for busy, stretched families during the holidays.

Here are some trends and survey highlights that stood out to us: 

• Love for Fido: 14% are tipping dog walkers, cat sitters and other pet care providers
• No cash needed: 77% use gift cards/certificates as tips and often receive rewards and incentives for doing so
• Get cooking: 45% will gift homemade food

People who plan to holiday tip: 70% of people and…

• 60% plan to tip the same amount as last year; 18% will tip more generously than in 2014
• 30% tip in cash only; 60% prefer a mix of cash and physical gifts
• 77% use gift cards/certificates as holiday tips (up from 45% in 2014!)

Why People do and do not Tip

• Why people DO tip: 85% tip to say thank you for a job well done; 21% tip because it is expected
• Why people DO NOT tip: 41% cannot afford holiday tips; 29% forget to tip; 34% believe holiday tips are not necessary

​Even personal finance goddess ​Suze Orman weighed in. According to Care.com​, her two favorite findings from the Holiday Tipping Survey are That 41% of people surveyed are budgeting ahead for tips, and that almost all of the respondents are prioritizing people with whom they have meaningful relationships. By planning families can get through the holiday season without putting themselves in debt, and by prioritizing whom they tip, they’re not only sticking with their budgets but also sticking to the true spirit of the season.

So make sure you recognize the important people in your life this holiday season, and make sure you mind that budget. Happy Holidays, and Happy Tipping!