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[JennK13]

I get confused on tipping when it comes to "services". When am I "supposed" to, how much? We went on a fly fishing expedition this summer, it was $150 each, and then we were supposed to tip??? What the?? When we went white water rafting, it was mentioned that we were supposed to tip our guide? I guess I don't get why we're "supposed" to tip people for those kinds of things, especially when we're already paying a couple hundred for the trip itself. Now I worry that I was supposed to tip my snowboard instructor last season, or my bike fitter. I think it all started with the fast food restaurants leaving tip jars on the counters...now everyone thinks they're entitled!

[Crankin]

Yes, you are supposed to tip guides on a trip. Especially the bike tour leaders. It's an incredible amount of work.
This year, the tour we took was with a small, Spanish based company, with owners who hail from the UK. They were fabulous. There were only 2 other Americans on the trip; the rest from Australia, Denmark, Canada. We did not tip the owner/leader, but we did tip the other leader, who was an employee. He was a poor, semi-pro cyclist who worked in the asparagus fields to make money. I know he appreciated it. If we hadn't brought it up, the others on the tour would not have tipped him. After we explained the rationale, they all were happy to do so.
The reason we tip in the US is that service people often get paid minimum wage (or less) and depend on tips to make a living wage, as opposed to EU countries, where waiters, etc make a salary.

[malkin]

I tip 20% if the therapist works for a salon or bodyworks studio.

If they own their own practice, then I don't tip.

Might be different outside the USA, though.

Same for me, I'll tip in a salon or spa, but if it is a private practice marketed as a kind of health care, I don't. This came up when I was seeing someone who charged the same hourly as I do for speech-language therapy. I don't expect tips, and I don't tip health care providers.

[jelee1311]

You should tip massage therapist, anyone working in a salon (hair, face, nails)
And especially a fly fishing guide they typically put up with a lot more than all the others combined(my friend is one the stories are pretty bad) and any other guide. I tip based on15 to 20% but also how good the service was truly was. I've been a waitress and work retail and I will reward good service. I don't usually tip instructors

[crazycanuck]

SQUEEEEEEEEE SQUEEEEEEE Last paper of semester done Who knew that comparing Detroit- Glasgow & Beruit- Sarajevo could be so interesting! I was talking about creating equity in post industrial/fordist and post conflict cities. Man i hope it makes sense....

Now to study for two exams in the next two weeks..second one's going to be

Weeeeeee...

[OakLeaf]

Yay on the paper! Good luck on the exams, I know you'll do great.

[snapdragen]

cc - I'm sure you've said before, but what are you studying?

[Owlie]

Woohoo on the paper! And good luck with the exams, though I don't think you'll need it.

[crazycanuck]

Snap-Urban & Regional Planning..

Owlie...when i can't explain aquifers amongst other things for my Environmental and Coastal planning class, i am not relying on my beauty and good looks to ace the exam . Today is a blaaaururrughgruuuuu day but tomorrow, i start to seriously study for this one!

For our Governance for Planning class I have a hope! At least when our prof gave us the copy of the 2009 exam i didn't have a heart attack!

[Owlie]

I have a sort-of job! I'm a chemistry tutor for a high school student. It's only an hour a week, but $20 is $20!

[NbyNW]

CC, that paper sounds really interesting -- sounds like quite the accomplishment! Good luck on your exams!

Owlie, congrats on the tutoring job!

[Crankin]

I registered for my last semester for my MA in clinical mental health counseling!
3 years ago, it seemed like a long time. But, it's gone fast. Funny, when I got my first MA, in education, it didn't seem like such a big deal. I guess the perspective of 31 years makes it different. Like they say, youth is wasted on the young.
Now I have to get a job...

[tulip]

Congrats, Crankin! From what I've seen here, you will make a very good therapist.

CrazyCanuck--we gotta talk! My masters thesis in city planning was on post-war urban redevelopment in Sarajevo. I was fortunate to have spent 10 days there. That was in 1999, and the war was still quite raw. It's an amazing city. Your paper sounds interesting.

[crazycanuck]

Thanks for the support on the exams. Today's was pretty good and able to answer almost all of the questions well. I think i stuffed up on explaining Development Assessment Panels

Crankin-I need a job too...noone wants me though

Tulip-I didn't know indepth about planning/governance in Sarajevo until I did this paper..Very interesting and will read more when i finish my exams. Fingers crossed my paper made some sort of sense..

[Crankin]

CC, when do you graduate? Are there jobs available in your field, or might you have to move?
I have to work 2 years, full time to get the 3,300 hours for my license (and take an exam). My dilemma is do I go for a fee for service job, where I can have some flexibility in my schedule (i.e. time to ride my bike, maybe even have enough of Wed. off to do club rides) or find a job that is full time, entry level in a day treatment program, drug rehab, etc. where I know I can get my hours. Fee for service work means clients who cancel or no show all of the time. This is what I am doing now for my internship (well, not being paid) and I love it. There is a possibility the agency where I am now could hire me on this basis. I am pretty good with keeping the clients on track to reschedule if they no show or cancel. I am in a good position in that I don't need benefits, as DH has great ones and money is not an issue. I know I will never make as much as I did teaching, unless I open and have a very successful private practice once I am licensed, and I don't really think I will do that. My goal was to find a career that I love, where I could have a flexible schedule, allowing me to play and work until I am very old. As it is, I will be almost 60 before I am licensed. My goal is sort of to do the two years and then find maybe one or two places to do fee for service work 2-3 days a week. I feel like I am acting spoiled, as I have never worked in the summer in my life! This is what's getting to me. I think I could handle it, if I had even half a day off during the week. On the other hand, 2 years is not that long.
Oy.