Smart Money Happy Hour with Rachel Cruze and George Kamel - Tipping Culture: When the Heck Should You Actually Tip?

Episode Date: September 24, 2026

💵 Check out this article How Much You Should Tip in Common Situations.   Here’s one for your next family dinner: Tipping in 2026—you have feelings, we have feelings, and at this point, the social expectations are changing by the day! It’s time to set the record straight. Next Steps:[JS1]  ·   🎙️ Catch our episode Frugal Hacks That Could Go Too Far. ·    💵 Create a free budget and find more margin with EveryDollar. ·   🍸 Follow Smart Money Happy Hour on TikTok: @smartmoneyhappyhour ·   📱 Submit a Guilty As Charged question for Rachel and George! Send a DM to @rachelcruze or @georgekamel on Instagram! Be sure to type “GUILTY?” at the top of your message so we don’t miss it.    Connect With Our Sponsors: ·   Check out the FAIRWINDS Credit Union exclusive account bundle. ·   Get 20% off when you join DeleteMe. ·   Get 20% off with code SMARTMONEY at Cozy Earth.   Today’s Happy Hour Special: 🍷 Cherry Aperol Spritz Recipe By: @cocktails   ·   Fresh cherries ·   2 ounces Aperol ·   2 ounces prosecco ·   1 ounce club soda   Instructions: Crush and strain cherries into glass. Pour 2 ounces of Aperol in glass. Add crushed ice. Pour 2 ounces of prosecco into glass. Pour 1 ounce of club soda into glass. Garnish with a cherry on top. Serve and enjoy!     Explore More From Ramsey Network: 💰 George Kamel 🎙️ The Ramsey Show 💸 The Ramsey Show Highlights  🧠 The Dr. John Delony Show 📈 EntreLeadership   Ramsey Solutions Privacy Policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's one for your next family dinner, tipping in 2026. You have feelings, we have feelings, and the social expectations change by the day. It's time to set the record straight. Oh, Ashante. I just want you to loosen up a little bit. Only funerals? Not like a birthday, a get well soon. Only death.

Do you deserve flowers? Hey guys, I'm Rachel Cruz. I'm George Camel. And this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Cheers, George. Cheers. Lovely. Great.

Well, this is the show we're two friends who happen to be money experts. Talk about what you're talking about. Everything from pop culture, current events, and money. And before we get into it, let's talk about what we're sipping on. This is a cherry apparel sprit. Sure. I don't think about cherries very often, but why not? Me either.

Are cherries underthought of? Are they underrepresented in the fruit world? Probably, because they usually have a big seed, right? Don't cherries have a seed? Yeah. Tough to eat. Yeah, nobody wants to deal with seeds in 2026. We've got enough going on.

We need more convenience. How do watermelons went seedless? They figured that out. They did. Genet, how did that happen? They got good PR, apparently. Oh, man. That's fine.

Hey, we're going to give you the rating and reveal the cost per glass at the end of the episode, or if you want to skip ahead and get the recipe, make it while you listen. Who am I to stop you? It's your American right.

All right. Well, George, one thing, I don't think we always agree on. Tipping. You are a very generous tipper, and it makes you a better person than me. I'm okay with that. Not always.

Sometimes I'm taking advantage of. Sometimes I just feel bad. Yeah. But then sometimes I have a hard line of not. Really? We'll talk about it. Oh, maybe we flip-flop. Maybe things I would tip on that you don't.

No, you wouldn't tip on what I don't tip on, but I'm sure we'll get into it in the episode. But this is a hot topic. It always is. Because there's always like a gray. Gray middle. No one really knows where to land. There's some classic percentages

that are kind of a go-to in certain industries. But sometimes it's kind of like... And it's changed. We did an episode on this couple of... couple years back and the game has changed. Okay, so I found this interesting. You're ready? So there was a recent study that said that men are twice as likely as women to tip between 21% and 25%. Wow, women, I couldn't believe this, tend to tip between 11% and 20%. I'm guessing men did this study. Okay. I mean, I'm going to defy the stats today, I guess. We'll see.

Which I am kind of shocked. Do you think a woman's like, listen, I could do that too. Like, she doesn't need that much. I feel like women in general, though, are more generous than men. Usually, that's kind of a stereotype, but I feel that way too. Like, less stingy. Like a woman on a first date is like, he better be tipping well. Yeah, yeah. And the guy feels that pressure. Like, oh, I got impress her. Got impress her.

Well, the study also said that over 70% of people reported that the quality of service impacts how much they tip. Would you see that's true? Yeah. For you? Did you change your tip really based on service? Yes, usually there's a standard default, but then if they do excellent, there's more. And unless it was like horrible, horrible, how does this place exist? You might lower it a little bit.

But I've never tip, like for a meal, for example, I'm never, ever going to tip a low 15%. Sure, yes. But the default for me is 20. Okay, same. And then if it's amazing, like they made our night, it was very special. You'll go up. Go up from there. Yes.

You know, it's funny, if we have bad service, Winston could be a 15% or he will gauge it. I want to let them know. I didn't have a great time. Yeah, yes. Because sometimes you have terrible service. Well, and if you always take 20% if they're terrible, they're going to think, I'm crushing it. No, do you know what I think? I always think, if we have a horrible waiter and he like never comes back, get stuff wrong,

I always think something is going on in his life. And I bet it's so overwhelming from him. His dog just died. Let's give him grace. Yeah, I do. I always think, what is going on in their life? Like, that has to be hard. When your table's just abandoned for like 25 minutes and you have to like, hi, can we like order some food?

I always think something's distracting them. I feel like I'm always, the waiters that are too much or not enough? There's never the perfect amount where they show up. Okay. Have you ever had a waiter like slide into the booth with you? Oh, I hate that. Like they, or they flip the chair backwards.

Like, what do we, what are we feeling tonight, guys? Get you started with some drinks? What do we, what do we? I'm like, stop, stop. You're not a part of this. You're not a part of the dinner. I know. Just a good, yeah, yeah.

It'd be hard. It's a hard job there. Yeah. Okay, and last, 32% tip more than they did pre-pandemic, but 32% tip less now than they did before inflation increased in 2021. So do that math. So a third are tipping more than they did pre-pandemic and a third tip less now because of the inflation increases. In 2021, things soared. Like, all right, I can't tip as much. I can't afford it. Yep, yep. Hoof, we're going to get into it. I can't wait for the drama. I can't wait for your comments.

they're going to be accurate. Whatever they are, they're right. We're going to get it. I think the worst tip, though, I haven't seen this often, but I hear people is when someone leaves like a Christian track or something.

Do you know what I mean? Instead of like tipping. Here's an eternal tip for the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't think Jesus himself would do that. I think he's putting money on the table. He would be generous. He would be generous.

He might put a little God bless you on the receipt. I think that's fair. You know what? Only put that a few tips. really well. I love when a waiter, waiter, waitress writes on the receipt. I do think it's a nice touch. Like, I hope you'll have a great day or enjoy. Even though I think it's them trying to get a bigger tip, it's still nice. I love it. It's a very personal touch. Or a little smiley face. Jesus would. I think he gave a heart and a smiley face and a cross. He doodle. He'd dodle.

That's the theme for this episode, what would Jesus do? I love it. Well, here's where we might trigger people on the internet. We're going to pull tipping scenarios, some controversial, and decide tip or no tip? Okay. How do you feel about it? Is that too black and white for you? Because you love to live in the gray. I love a gray.

You know, I'll go black and white, though. We can do this. It's a good exercise for you to pick a side. I can set. I can set. I can pick a side. You can be Switzerland no longer. Well, I know one thing that's not controversial, George.

What's that? Delete me. Oh. The thing we can all agree on in 2026. I think every time I say delete me, you always go, oh. It's a relief. Relief enters my soul. Because in my head, I go, not going to find me on those data.

broker sites. You verbally have a relaxation when you're here delete me. Just, because they take care of you, you know? I'm not trying to do more in 2026. So delete me helps me do less because they scour hundreds of data broker sites, find my personal info on these weird people finder sites, remove

it, and then just send me a report saying, hey, we did it, here you go. And you say, thank you. Do you want a tip? Oh, there's no place to tip. No place to tip. No opportunity on delete me, but we would if we could, because their services, excellent. And all of that then reduces the risk of spam, scam, scam, fraud, fishing, all of that.

Which is only getting worse in 2026, thanks to AI. Man, our phones can just blow up. And it's stuff that I put out. Like, I'll, like, subscribe to something and not realize it. And I just get text. So the fact that I don't get as many as I could have if I didn't have delete me, it's a gift. Think about all the boxes you've put information on, on the internet, across your adult life. That is wild.

DeleteMe helps you out. Get 20% off an annual plan at joindeletme.com slash smart money. We'll also drop a link in the description. All right, should we play a little game? Oh, we have props. This is very exciting. And our team has actually put our faces on a smart money themed dollar bill. I mean, if that's not just...

For every scenario. The absolute cutest thing ever. Shout out to Emily for all the hard work. Oh, my gosh. Okay. We should try to pay for something with those and just see what happens. I think we go to jail. I think that's how it works.

It's called fraud. Then I'm going to be on trial. I'll remember a few episodes ago. And you said you would have to like... Yeah. I did say you would do well in prison. We won't go back to that. So, terrible.

It was a compliment. Okay, I'm going to go first. Money, money, money. To tip or not to tip? That's the question. All right. First tipping scenario. Nail services.

I mean, I'm a 20%er. I mean, that's definitely a tip situation. If we're talking tip or no tip, you've got a tip. If you're dealing people's fingers and toes and all of it, to me, like that's manual work. Like you are, you are doing, you're doing the Lord's work at that point. So the service I go to, I go to the same place I've gone to since, high school. Okay. Okay. Amazing. Love them and all the college girls go. So I always know I'm

getting the, getting the fashion. You're on trends. I'm on trends. Not a bunch of old ladies in there. But they like, like the owners, like they run other businesses. Like they're very like smart people. And so whenever they're checking me out and I'm having to do mental math, I'm always like, are they judging me? Because sometimes I may have to be like, I do sometimes. And I think, they probably think she is so stupid. They're talking trash as soon as you leave. I do. I think so. where they think can she even do it. Do you have a favorite person? I don't make appointments.

I'm a walk-in kind of gal. Oh, Ashante. And they just let you in? They're never too busy for you? No. All right, good. I mean, sometimes I'll wait, but yeah, I'm usually in. So I get whoever I get, which is fine.

There may be one person. I'm always like, oh, because they take a little bit, they take longer. But mostly everyone there I like. So anyways, all I say, I'm quick on my tip at the nail salon. So we're going tip. All right.

We finally agree on something. Cheers. I don't get my nails done often if you can tell, but my wife recently got hers done, which is rare for her. Like she's like a twice a year special occasion. But we went to the same wedding. Yes, and she got her nails on for the wedding. And she got them done. And it's really similar to yours actually.

Okay, the cat eye. Yes, that's what it's called. She got the cat eye? She got cat eye. That is, I get my nails done every three weeks. I'm a nail gal. Shockingly similar. Okay, this is crazy, y'all.

The cat eye. So a friend got it, and she's like, Crystal, you got to get it. They do this thing, and it has, like, little magnets in it. That's what she said. Which I'm surprised when he did it because she's super crunchy.

I feel like it could, like, wig people out. And then you, like, have metal. They have, like, a magnet that they use and they go on the signs. And then it makes this, like, bubble look. It's crazy. That's amazing technology. It's amazing.

Like, it really is art. They're artists. It's beautiful. All right. So we're both on tipping for next thing. services. Same with petties. It's all the same to you. Yes, very much so.

I'll shout this out. Next time I'm getting a manny petties before the Ramsey Cruise. The guests deserve it. They're going to seem in flip-flops. I think every man should be required to get a manny-petti before they go on a cruise. Guys' toes. Okay, just bare feet. I don't know.

Exactly. Is Winston going to get a petty? No. He could use one. He is a man who prioritizes grooming. Nails. He doesn't like men. with long nails. He has pet peeves. Yes, he will take care of himself. So listen, guys,

it's not manly to be gross and dirty, okay? No woman's like, I just wish he kept less care of his toes. Gross. Okay, I'm how I'm gross now. I'm just telling you. All right. All right, next step, George. Our next tip or no tip scenario, hair stylists. I'm going to throw in barber here because I don't have a stylist. I have a barber. Yeah, very manly. Very different. One went to cosmetology school. And one went to the barber school. Is there a barber? Oh, we're barbering. Yeah, oh, yeah. It's a whole different ballgame.

Well, I know it is, but that's very impressive. All right. I appreciate that. Well, you know, some of the guys' places are really just salons from it, which is fine. Nothing against that. Yes. Okay, this is a tough one. Why is it tough?

Because there's a lot of different scenarios here. Are you ready? Okay. You have some women that own their own clientele. Like, it's just them, and they rent a room, and it's there. And they bake in the price for what they need and don't always expect. expect a tip. I learned this. Because they're like, no, it's just me, and I've baked in my price of, like, my service.

They'll tell you no need to tip. Yeah. And if, but they're always like, but if you tip, like, that's really nice. So then you're like, well, I've got to be really nice. Then you want to tip because you're not obligated to tip. Then salons, for sure, tip because they're probably not getting paid as much and they can't control pricing and all of it. But then do you get the owner of the salon?

Then you get a fee sometimes if you get the real good person on top of your bill. So do you tip on that too? You know what I mean? Like it's a lot. I just over-tip. I'm just tipping everyone. Yeah. But there's a lot of different maneuvers.

Do you ever switch a stylist in the same place and they get real petty about it? No, I never have. Oh. Maybe it's just barbers. Barbers are very petty people. Oh, are they? They get very, who do you have? Me and John Deloni go to the same barber place.

He sees the guy next to me. So we go to different guys. He used to go to my guy, doesn't have. anymore. Why? Is that where the petty happened? I don't know. I got to know the T.

I think really it's really a personality thing. It's like if you have more in common with that barber and you want to like talk shop about whatever thing. Okay. Like punk rock and outdoors, you know, it's like, all right, I think you're talking about it. Whereas me and my barber, we talk skateboarding. And Apple. In apples.

That's great, you know. But I am, yeah, you have to tip. Okay. Now here's the caveat. If the barber owns the place, I feel like there's less of a need to tip. I still do. Because I don't want the judgment. I don't want the heat.

I want the smoke. Yeah. You don't want them talking about you when you leave. But I do pay cash to get a discount, and I just went to the bank today and got exact change for the next seven haircuts and put it in envelopes. No, you did it. I promise you I did.

George. I didn't tell them that was for that. I just want you to loosen up a little bit, you know? Why is this guy needing exact change down to the dollar? Down to the dollar. Seven times. So I go, because I go every two weeks, I don't feel the need to tip a full 20.

I probably go 18. That's good. That's good. Yeah, yeah, yeah. But he notices. He knows. He likes you. Yeah, tip. That's a tip. That's a tip. All right. Give me Uber and Lyft. Oh. Lots of different ones. You got 10, 15, 20%. I've never not tipped for an Uber or Lyft.

Yeah, yeah. I think I'm like a 15er. If I really liked them and it was like a super late or something, I may go 20. But I may go more 15 on this one. Yeah, I'm usually middle of the road. Like, it gives you some options sometimes. And I'm usually just like, all right, middle of the road. Yes. Which is probably close to a 15. 15. That's kind of how I feel. Now, what's terrible, I feel bad sometimes if we're on like a trip and you're done with your Uber ride,

the next time I look at Uber, which would be a different trip, I'm out of town again. I click on it. It's like, do you want to tip? Oh, you forgot. And it's been like three months. So I'm always like, here's a little happy. Like here's a... He wasn't expecting it because it's been three months.

But here it is. But we're tipping on this one, right? I feel like you have to. And here's the thing. I've done Uber and Lyft, and so I know it's a lot. It's a lot of work. Usually people doing it really need the money. Yes.

Or it's their full-time thing. Like, this is their life. And I know that Uber and Lyft, they don't pay people as well as they used to for the rides. Oh, really? So they're making like less and less over time. Oh, shoot. Why? Because they just need margin?

I don't know. Shareholder value. Who knows why they do what they do? Trying to increase that shareholder value, so let's pay their people less. Oh, man. Because they're all like 1099 contractors, basically. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that is true.

I didn't think about that. They don't actually work for lift. They're not employees. They're not like a W-2. Yeah, yeah. So there's a lot going on there. They're paying for maintenance, wear and tear, extra insurance. It would be more of a side hustle gig. 100%.

I would not recommend it as full-time. Yeah. And it's a lot of saturation in these markets now. I know. But there's people who, like, you can tell they do it full-time. Yep. This is their life. This is their gig.

Usually they're talking on the phone the whole time in a foreign language, and I desperately want to turn on a translator. Be like, what are they saying? That's not illegal, is it? No. They're having a very public conversation While on the clock, mind you Like, can you imagine if I'm sitting here

While on the phone with Whitney the whole time? Just chatting and I don't know Rachel, I'm paying attention I'm just talking to my wife But they're always talking to another guy who I think is also doing Uber or Lyft Oh, I bet they have like a game going on or something I don't know Because there's moments of silence while they're still on the phone They're just both hanging out

Are they on speaker? Yes, it's always on speaker Okay I don't know why that's part of it but it's part of it. Maybe it's just a me thing. I don't know. I don't know if I've noticed that much.

I did get in a late, late, late Uber in Orlando, like a 1 a.m. Like we were supposed to fly out at like 9 and it got bumped, all this stuff. And the sweetest man picked us up and he had oceans playing from... Hellsong? Yes.

I get in and I was like, do you look at Jesus? And he was like, and he was like, Like, I'm a pastor. I think he was like Jamaican. Okay. But he like has a small church.

Oh, and we just chatted it up. Now him, I probably tipped more because I liked him. I want to go to the Jamaican church badly now. I know. But it's like, but that's what he does on to as a side hustle. As like a pastor of a small church. Is that sweet? I do love feelings and connection.

I'd expect a little more like you want a little more rhythm out of your worship music than Oceans by Hillsong. Listen, I don't, I didn't pick it. It just happens. And I just thought, oh, I love that. And at one a. I am in Orlando. You never know what you're going to get. You never know. It's like a box of chocolates. I love that. But I pick to, yeah. Well, hey, tip your drivers. Pick the good one. All right, go George. I'm next.

I love this drink. Really? I got to get a second opinion here. It's just easy. It is easy. So easy. It's like, it's very light. What's the, um, Hawaiian punch? It is a little Hawaiian punchy. Yeah. But don't drink this kids. All right. Tip or no tip. restaurant assembly line. So this is like a Chipotle style, Jersey mics. I'm a no-tipper y'all. This is where I don't tip.

So they made your food, but they're not interacting with you longer than two minutes and you're still standing up the whole time. You're telling them I want this, I want this, I want this. No, I'm not tipping. At that point, you're doing your job, what you're supposed to be doing.

Agreed. You're not working in the chicken or the beans. No, there's not a lot of personalization happening. Yeah. Do you have a favorite restaurant assembly line type restaurant or fast casual eatery? I do like Kava. Can I tell you a crazy story? Yes.

Kava related. This is not a knock on the people of Kava because I love Kava, probably more than anyone. Yeah. I was so excited when it came to Nashville. Yeah. In like 15 minutes away from my house. We were there yesterday. It's my daughter's third birthday. We were at the zoo and I said, where do you want to go to eat? She said Kava? Her options are always. Chick-fil-A, Kava or Tazikis, because she's a woman of culture.

Wow. She's so... She's so international. I was like, if she hates olives, she's not my daughter. Yeah, for sure. She loves olives. She loves Middle Eastern food, so all the food my parents make, she loves it. Homemade hummus yesterday, scooping it up.

My gosh, good for her. So we go to Kava. I place three, an order for three bowls. Okay. For pickup. Online. Yeah, because I don't like to stand there and wait. I know.

I get there. There's like 12 orders sitting there on the shelves. Oh, no. I'm looking. It's supposed to, it said, the text said it was ready 15 minutes ago. No order. So I finally go to the guy and say, hey, it said it was supposed to be ready 15 minutes ago. I don't see it.

And he goes, someone must have taken it. It was like theft. Like people just walk in here and just grab brand of bags. He said, yeah, it happens. Someone stole our order. I have never thought about that. Yes, because it's just free food. It's already been paid.

Yep. And people just walk in and grab. And they just say, this is mine. And I don't have to check in. There's no check in receipt. So then I had a billion-dollar idea. Why aren't we making technology where you have to like scan something,

show a number before you can grab the order? Make a little locker system. Have a show to an employee? No. Gross. Just put the shelves behind the counter. That's like wall greens in some cities. Everything's behind and I'm like, all I need are Q-tips.

And you've got to get an associate to come. No, don't lock things. The other side, I got a hangary toddler and now they've got to remake the entire order. She's losing it. I wonder how often that happens. It happened to me. They must have seen, they saw my name and went, yep.

George Camel. Everyone recognizes George. You're so famous. Can't go anywhere. No, not because I'm famous because I look like a guy you can take advantage of. They don't know what you look like. You see a George, you go probably a nice guy. He won't mine.

You know what I mean? You see like a Kelly? You're like, let's not mess with Kelly today. Kelly needs this. I'm not messing with Tracy. That's for sure. Even a Rachel can be persnickety. If you get on the wrong, you get on the business end of a Rachel.

No. Woo. Watch out. Would not recommend. Watch out. So anyways, Kava, I love you, and I'm sorry that happened to you. Because they lost. Did you put it in here?

They lost the revenue. No tip, George. We said no tip. My bad, not tipping. Yes. I apologize. Kava. Okay, so when you're typing in your mobile order,

did you use your Fair Wins debit card number? Because... It's attached to everything. It's amazing. That's why we love Fair Wins. You have a bank that is for you, actually wants you to win financially. is not just like peddling debt,

trying to get you into more debt. They're celebrating your journey, and they have a smart bundle, which is amazing. So there's a no-fee monthly checking accounts. You get up to 10 high-yield savings accounts and a Ramsey debit card. You can do the debt as normal, be weird,

or they have a new one. They live like no one else. They live like no one else. So fun. So you get to pick your debit card, and they're amazing. And they're federally insured by the NCUA. So if you're wondering, well,

they're a credit union, so is my money safe? Yes, it's just as safe as it, would be in a traditional brick-and-mortar bank. So go check them out, get that smart bundle. You can go to fairwinds.org slash Ramsey and choose your card. I went live like no one else. I have both, actually.

Okay. Because I got the OG. Yes, I like this new card. But I also have this new card. But it's blue and pretty. I like it. And I added it to my Apple Pay, too. Yes.

So now it's right there to go. We love it. Make sure to check it out, you guys. All right. Next up, we got room service at hotels. This is more your speed. I know. I'm a no tipper on this one.

Whoa. Because it's automatically included. Every room service bill. Service charge. Yep. Automatic gratuity. Automatic gratuity. Always approved service.

20%. Every receipt. Yep. I guess it is a lot of work for them to go up nine floors. So you got, yeah. Now, if they're like really sweet and stuff, maybe I'll add on some more. But it is always included. I missed this for years.

And someone told me, I was like, oh, I didn't even look. Yes. So you are always a okay with room service. 20% automatic. Wow. How often, like, I know there's, a lot of hotels don't have room service, but you've got to stay at a nice enough hotel where they offer that. Yeah, yeah. Are you like a, hey, breakfast, we're doing room service.

Or like, what's that? Yeah, I'm a breakfast. Okay. Room servicer. Because you wake up and it's right there, like fresh coffee. So nice. You do fresh juices? What do you go for?

No, I'm a coffee. An eggs Benedict. Oh, they do always have Benedict. It just sounds room servicing. They always bring you the little hot sauce. Like a tiny Tabasco? So good. good. Can you buy those or as exclusive to room service? Probably just room service or

restaurants. I'm going to go on Amazon and buy a ton of those. My parents are not room service people and so we went on a trip with them with the girls to DC this summer. And mom's like, we'll meet you down at the restaurant at 8 a.m. And every part of me was like, okay, mom, thank you. I felt like a child again. Yeah. I could have stepped up and just ordered my own thing and paid for it. But you know, when you're on vacation with the parents, you're back in that kid roll, you know? How that happens? They tell you what to do and you just say, yes, ma'am. Even though I pay taxes.

You know what I mean? Like, I'm a full-fledged adult raising other humans. I do. I agree. Once you pay taxes, you shouldn't have to listen to your parents. Yes. But now housekeeping is a thing. Oh, that's a different ballgame.

I didn't know for a long time that I can and should tip. Yeah, tip for housekeeping. So, yeah, you lay some cash out. I always do it like midweek, if it's a long week and then also some at the ends. But if it's like a two-night, I'll just do it at the end. Oh, interesting. Yeah. I usually have the Do Not Disturb sign on until I leave because it's a short enough trip.

You never use housekeeping? Usually I'm there for one or two nights. So I'm like, you know what? Okay. I'm just going to put this on the door. Nobody bothered me. A one-nighter I can understand. But two, I want my bed made and fresh towels.

Oh, it's my favorite. I'll just get a few extra towels if I need them. I love it. Fresh water. Everything's picked up. Oh. I love it. I love being taken care of.

So I'm going yes to tip for housekeeping $5 per night. I think a little fiver on the counter with a note every night is nice or every day because you might have a new room service person. You know, I have thought about that. I haven't quite problem solved that one. So room service already included, so no tip on that. Yeah. All right. Yeah, room service, remember that, people.

You're going to love this one. Tip or no tip. Valet. Oh. A complicated subject for you. What? I think you have a complicated relationship with valet. Why do you say that?

Because you always valet anywhere you go. Not everywhere I go. You valet at Ramsey if you could. No, that's not. I'd valet at the airport for sure. You did get me on to the airport valet. No, depending on the parking, not always. I do like it, though.

But I don't always do it. I don't. Yeah, I'm like a, depends on the restaurant, the situation. like a, I mean, a tin. Wow, that's generous. Yeah. I always wonder how far are they taking this car? If it's to a parking lot 10 feet away, I'm like, all right, you didn't do much.

But if you have to drive it around downtown. I don't have that nice of a car, though, for it to be, like, parked out front. Oh, that is funny. It's always, like, the nice car. And you're like, yeah, mine's going around back. It's fine. What if you told them like, hey, you can park this one out front, bud? What if I was in my Odyssey?

I was like, put her out front. You're paying customer. Yeah, I could. You'll tip more. But the question for me is, was it complimentary valet? Because then I feel I'm definitely tipping. If it's complimentary valet. Oh, okay, yeah. If it's quote unquote free valet, I'm going to tip five bucks minimum. Yes.

Pre-price valet? Like, you already charged me 20 bucks to valet my car. I'm going less tip. I will tip, though, but I'll go less on that way. And then sometimes I just don't have cash and there's no like thing to scan to Venmo. That's the worst. I've had to do that. And I just say, I am so sorry. Yeah. I'm so sorry. But more and more, they're getting QR codes. You can, like, scan it and send them. Yeah, smart, you know.

It's the way they should do it. That's nice. But, yeah, Valet doesn't come up a lot in my life. No. That's a tip scenario. But I would tip, yeah. All right, next step. Sit down restaurant service.

It's a 20%er. Always. Default 20%. Always. Yeah. Regardless. Because remember, they may be having a bad day. Old Bradley, sweet Bradley.

He may be stressed. That feels like you're truly waiting on somebody. That's the definition. waiter. Get it? That's where they get the end. But I prefer a server. That way it's a, you know, you have to, is a waitress, waiter?

I love that. Okay, do you ever have to get the server's attention? Do you ever whistle? If so, how do you do it? Awkwardly. I know, what do you do? I try to like make enough movement that they make eye contact. Act like, act like you need water filled up.

Mia is like. They're over there? No, no, you see, this is your waiter right ahead. And it's like, we need water. We need water. And they're just kind of standing there. Oh, they're gone. And they're gone. And they're gone. And they're gone. That's it. I lost them. You might not see them again for 20 minutes.

Do they even work here anymore? They're like, no, they actually quit. As soon as they gave your water, they left. They left. So it's very awkward. It's good. Sometimes I'll get up from the table and go find them. I've done that many a time. Would you see that feels? Especially to get the, it's like once you actually need the bill, you will never see them again on the face of this earth. How does that happen? I'm like, just get me the bill. So what I do, I always want to look happy. Whenever they come back and I'm even still eating,

he can go ahead and get us the check. Yes. Just so that when I'm ready, we're out of here. I agree. I'm with you on that. I love a quick trick. And I like when I was like, no rush. I'm like, no, no, no.

You are efficient. That's what we like. I love the rush. All right. That one was easy. Okay, you're next. Tip or no tip, house cleaners and landscapers. Those feel like wildly different categories.

One scrub mite toilet. one took a push mower. Okay, I hate to say. No, I just get charged what they charge me for it to clean my house. Wow. We finally have come apart. Yeah. I'm a tipper for cleaners.

So on top of what they charge you, you tip? Yeah. How much? I'm trying to think, carry the one, time seven, add 40. No, I'm just kidding. It's probably 15%. Maybe 10 to 15%. Somewhere in there.

Yeah. I don't. They just give me a rate and I pay the rate. Yeah, that's fair. I think there's nothing wrong with that. Yeah. I think house cleaning is a, it's a nice to have if you get tipped, but I agree they're setting their price, they're doing the work. Yes. It's known that there's going to be some manual labor involved. Sure, sure.

Landscapers, no. I've never tipped a landscaper. Yeah. Unless they did something like extraordinary that they didn't have to do, that they needed to be nice, but that's never happened to me. Okay, so final answer, house cleaners, landscapers. should there be any obligation to tip? No. It's just a nice to have. So I'm going to actually put this in the no-tip category. But I think be generous when you want to be. Yeah, that's fair. That's fair. Well, if you want to be a generous friend, George, to me. Always. You can give me a cozy earth gift card. I was going to go ahead and just get you a pajama set or something. Oh, my gosh. Well, that would be nice. I don't know what colors you already have, what size. It is complicated. Yes, but cozy earth, you guys, the premium quality of anything.

you buy from them. Seriously, their sheets, their throw blankets, their pajamas are the best. Their loungewear, yeah. It never ends. They keep adding more and more like new categories and products. It is so good. So yeah, they are probably one of my favorite stores to shop at, honestly. It's just such nice stuff. And it does feel contagious. Like the people in my life now also love cozy Earth? Yes. It's spreading. We're starting a movement. Well, they feel it and they're like, wait, what? What is that? What is that? And then they need it. And I'm like, I know, you do. There's needs and wants in life, people.

And a need, it's in the need category, old Cozy Earth. So make sure to check them out because they have a great deal for our listeners. That's right. Up to 20% off. Go to CozyEarth.com slash SmartMoney or use the link in the description. All right. Tip or no tip, George. Wedding vendors, makeup artists, hairstylists, wedding planners, caterers, photographers.

You might not like my answer, but I'm a no on this. Okay. Keep going. You're just paying so much for this wedding. And the vendors, they're doing a lot. But they've also set their prices, similar to a house cleaner. Here's what it's going to cost me to do X, Y, Z. So unless you did something so far above and beyond that I'm going, okay, I pay you your rate.

Like you asked for $500 to do this thing, here's $500. You're just writing checks so many different ways that to tip every single vendor is exorbitant. So I know people do it. I feel like people are very, they're split on this. They either tip every vendor or they tip no. nobody. Yes. But I don't think you should feel bad or obligated to tip every vendor. Okay. Where are you at? Yeah, I'm going to say I think that's fair. I think this would be one, the obligation. To me, it feels a little bit different than a restaurant service, like sitting down

for me. That would be like a customary tip where it's kind of part of their compensation is tips. Yes. Yes. That's not the case for wedding vendors. Right. Right. Right. Right. So I think I did tip, but I could see, I could get on your side, if that makes sense. So. the numbers are just don't make sense. If you paid $3,000 for videographers, I'm not going to tip you 20% an extra $600. Right. Yeah. And if it's an individual that's like part of their, it's their own thing, then I'm less likely to tip because again, I think they bake it. Like this is what my service is. Versus if they are an employee of a bigger organization, I think I may be more likely to tip because of that. The one caveat would be like bartenders. Like if you were physically serving the whole time at the wedding, you know,

Yeah. Like you would. What about hairstylists? I don't know. I didn't have a hairstylist. I did it all myself. Oh, very nice. Very nice.

All right. Next. All right. Tip or no tip? Takeout. I'm a minimal tipper on takeout. Yeah. Unless it was a huge group order.

I may give like a five bucks. Yeah, I'm a buck or two. Yeah. For the average takeout order, which is just me and Whitney or something. Totally. Huge group order where there's like 19 things they had to box. Yeah, yeah. That's fair.

Okay. So I'll go tip. Well, that's minimal, but it's still like. Babysitting. Yes. I don't know why, but yes. Wait, what? But here, it's more of a round-up.

Okay. You know what I mean? Keep talking. And if they did things I didn't even ask them to do that are very nice and proactive. Okay, but let me ask you this. More tip. My babysitters don't give me a price.

I just assume what's even more wild. What they are paying. That's crazy. And I pay well for our siters. Yeah, they're probably going, wow, we made $40 an hour over at the cruises. They might, George. They might. But if I get a good one, I'm like, I want her,

every time I text or I want her to be like, yes, please. See, this is where equality isn't fair because guys can't babysit legally, I think. Yeah, no, no, no. But the girl, the... You can't have me over to babysiters are the ones that do clean. And you come home and it's just...

And I'm like, all day, all day. So I'm a no tip. I just pay well. Well, like, for example, if it was $82, I'll probably round up to $90. Wait, where are you getting $82 from, though? I don't know. It was a couple hours.

No, no, but like what number? Oh, generally, sitters in my life generally charge $18 to $22 more. And they tell you that. Yes. Do you ask, what is your rate? I always ask, what is your rate? Okay. Make them say it out loud so that no one's upset, no one's surprised.

Okay. Because I don't want to ever underpay, and they go, wow, I was hoping for more. Sure. They expected 30, and in my head it was 20. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So I always feel like expectations matter. Because you have, we share one or two sitters. Yeah.

That has, like, worked here before or do work here. If they're an adult, what rate are they giving you? Yeah, it's in that range, 18 to 22. I probably would not pay someone $25, $30, $40 an hour. If they said, hey, my rate's $30 an hour, I'm sure you're worth that. I'm not willing to pay that. Okay. I've never asked.

I think they love it that way. They just know, oh, generous Rachel is going to, it's going to be three digits. Just know that if you ever babysit for the cruises. But I will say you have three kids. Yeah. There's a lot going on. It's a lot. And if they're doing dinner and all of it, I'm like here.

Yeah, I've never had to experience that. Ours is pretty minimal. It's like, hey, they're... That's true. And they're in bed probably by like 7.30. Yeah, they're either down or about to go down. You're watching monitors. That's fair. I'm like, you got to watch Netflix for two hours.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's fair. Okay, I can jump on that. You're not taking them to the zoo. Yeah. All right. All right. Glad we landed on that one.

retail quote experiences you're buying a product but there's a guide helping you oh no so like uh there's a flower shop here in nashville did someone help you they helped you know pick your bouquet well here's the thing i've seen them be upset that they didn't get a take wait what when they help you pick out the bouquet what bouquet are you talking about i'm talking about i'm talking about i said flower shop why a flower shop it's on here i don't shop okay i don't shop at flower shops where you've never purchase flowers? Delivery. Oh.

For like a funeral or something. Oh, only funerals? Not like a birthday, a get well soon. Only death. Do you deserve flowers? Genuinely, I think the only time I order flowers. Yeah, it was just very sad. Can I be honest?

I don't think any family's like, wish we got more flowers at the funeral. No, George, I get a, no, you are wrong. I get a text or something, and they always say thank you so much. because I always write a nice note. No, they don't. No, they don't.

They'd rather a Pinar a gift card. No, they don't. Stop that. Stop that. I don't want to cook while I'm grieving. The flowers are gonna die and remind me of death. What's the point? Stop! No, it's beautiful.

I think we disagree on this one. Jeez. You better believe in my funeral, it's gonna say, in lieu of flowers. Oh, Lord. Donate to a 529. Oh, George, with a QR code. To the local humane society.

Oh my gosh. Permanent jewelry tech. I don't know what that means, but it sounds fancy. Oh, it's the permanent. It's the pon-rary hat. Oh, yeah, that's big. Things I've never done and we'll never do. Do you come in with a cowboy hat.

Can you imagine me in a cowboy hat? No. Look like a Looney Tune. No. Retail experiences, I'm not. I'm not tipping. We're not tipping. I'm not tipping.

Not tipping. Not tipping. Look, we're pretty. We're pretty even. All right, last but not least, food delivery. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, I got to do that.

And when you see them show up. up. Do you ever do the thing where you know they're there? They know you're there, but you wait for them to leave before you go to the door like a little rat to pick up your pick up your cheese. With the Amazon people. Like you don't want to have the interaction. Yeah, sure, sure, sure. And it's not because, like, you don't want to talk to them.

You're just like embarrassed by this whole thing. It's like you just your own personal shame. It's just like, let me have my son. Yeah, it's not that they're beneath you. It's just like, I have so much shame. I don't want you to see me like this. You don't do that a lot. We only do pizza. Oh, I've had COVID delivered. Okay. I've, I've,

I've never done that. Yeah. Yeah, we don't, I don't really, I really do not do food delivery except for Instagram. I mean, like my groceries, but I don't do like takeout. Yeah. Yeah. I usually don't. Also, he's Locoqueb.

Oh, nice. Had them delivered. You know what we just had for the first time. Cains. Oh, raising canes. Delicious. Get some of that cane sauce. That sauce?

Oh, my gosh. Where was I? It's decent. So good. So good. I'm not going to put a top tier, but it's up there. Okay. Well, I would say, be generous when possible.

I think it's the moral of the story. and doubt, be generous. Yes, when in doubt, be generous. And then also, I think we're an overtipping culture and all of the iPads that swing around and you gotta tip at everything. No, you don't. You can stand your ground, so I think you're okay.

You're a good human if you do that. That's a great takeaway. Here's my big takeaway. If there was personal touch involved, hair, nails, a massage, that definitely deserves a tip. If someone had to go back and forth bringing things to you multiple times,

that deserves a tip. There's a lot of effort. Yes. It's the effort. Yes. For generosity, planning your giving, have some spontaneous giving. You're like, but planning it is important to. And every dollar is a great app to do that in.

That's right. All right, before we spill the tea on our guilty is charged segment, let's share the drink details. You slug that Hawaiian punch down. I liked it. This was a cherry apparel spritz. I'm going seven out of ten. Eight out of ten. I don't know if I would order it at a restaurant.

But it was served to you on a hot summer day. Yeah, I wouldn't be mad about it. very pleased. I'd be happy, but I don't think I would order it. It's got fresh cherries, apparel, preseco, club soda, not the cheapest drink. It knows it's worth $4.66 per serving. It just wasn't punchy enough. I like a punchy drink. And again, this one's more just refreshing. Yes. A refreshing drink. I put it in that category. Get the recipe and the show notes. Give it a try this weekend if you're of age. All right. Now it's time for guilty as charged. And this is where we ask each other a guilty charge question every week. And if we're guilty,

we take a sip. All right, George. This question is from Chelsea on Insta. Thank you, Chelsea. What's something you got away with as a kid that you would never let your kids get away with? Oh, that's such a good one. What do you let your kids, or sorry,

that you got away with that you would not let your kids get away with. So you're more strict on this than your parents is what it would be. Yeah. The one that comes to mind for me is skateboarding. I was an avid skateboarder living outside of Boston, and we would, like 13, walk down to the train, take the train to the city, skateboard in the streets,

between cars, no helmets all day. Yeah. 12 hours, we were gone. Just go. And my parents never were like, hey, don't do that. They just trusted me. But I think that trust made me not want to screw it up. Yeah, totally, which is good.

Yeah, it's a good thing. And I didn't get hurt. Almost got arrested, but we didn't. We're fine. But I would not let me out. Like I think Mia skateboarding or Henry skateboarding would give me a lot of anxiety. Yes, yes. But they would need to be fully padded like bubble boy out there so they wouldn't get hurt.

Right. You'd be very concerned. Mostly because I know Whitney would be upset with me. Yeah. If they broke something? Yeah. Luckily, I never broke anything, but my friends, there were some things that happened. Totally.

So I'm too scared of that for my kids. How about you? My parents were like really not strict at all on like sleepovers and like when it happens and movies. So yeah, so I have very vivid memories in middle school, like spending the night at my friend's house or her spending the night at my house on a school night. Wow. And we would like take her to school the next day.

That's what I'm saying. And I'm like, I don't think I would do that. But yeah, my friend Kate and I, we would spend the night all the time together. And our moms were like pretty cool with it. Amazing. Yes, I mean, not like every week, but like I remember asking and they were always like,

yeah, it's fine. And I just think now having a middle schooler, I'm like, I don't think I would. You got to get up early? You got your homework Watch someone else's kid on top of your own There's just a lot happening But they were super lax

With that So yeah I don't know if I would do that I bet you were easy though TBD You weren't a difficult child At a sleepover No

Never you go with the flow Very nice, very polite I think we were middle school though But yeah That's sweet Anyways that's it So listen DMS If you have a guilty use

Question because we may use it We'll screenshot it Send it to our producer Jenna And yeah It always adds to the collections so we always appreciate it, you guys. You could be the next Chelsea. Yep, DM us at George Camor

at Rachel Cruz. And if you enjoyed this episode, you're going to love our episode, Frugal Hacks, that could go too far. So we'll link it for you. And make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an all-new episode of. Smart Money Happy Hour.