Time to tip the Mailman (er, Postal Delivery Person)
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Post Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 2:29 am 
 

Well, it's been a good year - I have the friendliest, most reliable Mailman I have ever had.  I've been working him pretty hard too - he's got one of the "drive the jeep to your mailbox routes", but he's at my door with packages 2-5 days at week.  He even walks "unsupported" envelopes to my door rather than bending them and shoving them in the mailbox.

Now I have added on "at your door pickup service" to his schedule so I don't have to go to the post office except for international deliveries.  

All of this comes with a price, however, as I consider an appropriate Christmas tip. . . I can't imagine going any higher than $40 (that would be the biggest tip my cheap ass has ever given out - I think it would tie what I gave the Justice of the Peace who performed our wedding!)

I must say, I get excited whenever I hear his jeep driving by!  My wife calls him my "boyfriend" , but I don't care. . . I hope he always delivers my packages!  :D

Anyone else have a Mailman that they just love. . . or hate.  A reliable Postal carrier really makes a difference.


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Post Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 3:49 am 
 

Mine was the best you could hope for. She would sign for insured packages and leave them with my neighbor for me if no one was here. When it rained, she would cover my packages up with an extra jacket to keep them dry. I miss her........
You tip a JP? Mine did it in the chapel in her backyard, which cost a bit.


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Post Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 8:55 am 
 

Uh, I think it may be illegal for a federal employee (mail carrier) to accept a tip. Could be construed as a bribe. Doesn't mean he/she won't take it, though.

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Post Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:03 am 
 

Come on now - tipping the mail carrier is a tradition!  Everyone on the street does it.  I remember growing up and it was just expected to leave a Christmas tip.

In fact, it is so commonplace, that it is allowed.  I just received some notice from the usps about tipping and that the carrier is not allowed to accept more than $40.00 (it may have been $25 - I forget exactly and I think I threw it out).

Nice of them to send notice like that.   :)


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Post Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:13 am 
 

beyondthebreach wrote:Come on now - tipping the mail carrier is a tradition!  Everyone on the street does it.  I remember growing up and it was just expected to leave a Christmas tip.


I've heard of this, and it's a nice gesture if you know your mail carrier personally...but I don't know mine, and in fact there are more than one.  This sounds like a rural tradition to me.

(I don't know how it works in the USA, but in Canada our taxes/postage fees pay for the mail service, and I think that's one heck of a tip!)

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Post Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 9:26 am 
 

Mines a dick, he's left boxs on top of my mail box in the rain!  My mailbox is at the street, lined up with 4 other boxs; anyone could have just drove by and nabed it..  Only tip this guys getting is a nail shoved under his tire  :twisted:

  

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Post Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2004 1:26 pm 
 

Even in the city, we leave a tip for the letter carrier.  There are actually Hallmark cards at the local stationery store designed for this express purpose.  I've been working my carrier pretty hard this year (70 pounds of MERP arrived yesterday) so he'll get a twenty in an envelope next month.

  


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 13, 2004 11:35 pm 
 

Theres tipping the mail carriers with money and jumbo cans of Mace
Theres tipping the garbage men with cold beer in the summer and shots of whiskey in the winter
Theres tipping the paper boy with cash in an envelope at christmas
Then theres tipping off the FEDS, which is the only tipping I dont recommend, --we never did find my Uncle Larry's body.-- 8O

  

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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:01 pm 
 

Hey!  It's Christmas time again.  I still have the same postal carrier and am eternally grateful for it!  He has really gone the extra mile for me this year in picking up and delivering packages. (when he has days off, he even leaves instructions for substitute drivers on bringing packages to my door and being on the lookout for my little sign in the mailbox that instructs them I have pre-postage paid packages waiting to be picked up.

Thought I'd revive this in case anyone has any new tales of Postal horror or happiness to share.


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:07 pm 
 

Tipping the mailman is a great tradition.  When I was a boy, my dad used to leave a bottle of rum, schnapps, or some other victual in the mailbox for him.

I've presently got a pretty good mailman, but in this town the Postal Service switches the routes three weeks or so before Christmas.  We once asked our mailman why we hadn't seen him for so long around Christmas, because we wanted to give him a gift, and he said the switch is made expressly for the purpose of discouraging tipping.  Man, if that's true, the USPS needs to lighten up a bit.

  

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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 12:18 pm 
 

afoolandhis$ wrote:Tipping the mailman is a great tradition. When I was a boy, my dad used to leave a bottle of rum, schnapps, or some other victual in the mailbox for him.

I've presently got a pretty good mailman, but in this town the Postal Service switches the routes three weeks or so before Christmas. We once asked our mailman why we hadn't seen him for so long around Christmas, because we wanted to give him a gift, and he said the switch is made expressly for the purpose of discouraging tipping. Man, if that's true, the USPS needs to lighten up a bit.


My mail carrier sucks, the only tip he gets from me is that he better not deliver a damaged package while I am home or I will kick his a$$.

J


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 1:06 pm 
 

I just read something about this recently in the Washington Post (in a guide to tipping), so I went over to USPS - The United States Postal Service (U.S. Postal Service) and checked it out. I found this in their FAQ section and it confirms what it said in the Post article:

Gifts to Postal Service Employees
While many Postal Serviceâ„¢ customers have traditionally thanked their mail carrier with gifts of cash during the holiday season, this practice puts our employees at risk of violating federal law. The Standards of Ethical Conduct for Employees of the Executive Branch ("Standards"), specifies that Postal Service employees may not accept gifts from outside sources (including Postal Service customers) or gifts given to them because of their official positions. Postal Service employees are also prohibited from soliciting gifts from outside sources.

There are a number of exceptions and exclusions to the general gifts rule. Postal Service employees may accept the following items:

Snacks and beverages that are not offered as part of a meal.
Items with little intrinsic value (i.e., greeting cards, plaques, pens, coffee mugs, etc.).
Perishable items (i.e., flowers, chocolates, cookies, etc.); if the items are clearly worth more than $20, employees should share them with others in the Postal Service workplace.
Items with a market (retail) value of $20 or less.
Gifts motivated solely because of a personal relationship.
Gifts for which the employee has paid market (retail) value.
Gifts paid for by the Postal Service.
Postal Service employees may not accept cash - in any amount or form (bills, checks, money orders) - from an outside source.


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 3:43 pm 
 

Thanks for the postal regs about gifts.

My carrier takes good care of me. For Christmas, I usually give him a stack of used sci-fi paperbacks that he likes.

  


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 3:54 pm 
 

Did someone say 'rural tradition'?  So, this is like tipping cows then, right?

bonk!

  

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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 4:13 pm 
 

Just put the cash/check inside a card inside an envelope..There are laws after all prohibiting someone opening anothers mail. :)

ShaneG.

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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 4:28 pm 
 

I usually tip the Mailman and the Garbage Men. I won't be tipping either this year because I now live in an apartment and I never see the garbage men and the mailman I now have likes to just mix everyone's mail up in the building. [sarcasm] I love getting bills 2 days after they were due! [/sarcasm]

  


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 6:12 pm 
 

I dont even know who my letter carrier is in the city. Usually there is someone different nearly everytime who shows up with oversized packages. Otherwise, the letter carrier can't seem to get the right envelops in the appropriate boxes for the building.

Tipping is only a city in chinaa this year.


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Post Posted: Mon Dec 19, 2005 8:03 pm 
 

My postman is a legend - I could not ask for better service from a public servant. In my area working for the post is a crap job done by morons and criminals so I realise how lucky I am.
So, for Rob this year its a bottle of JD and an envelope of cash - merry xmas one and all :D


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