How Much Should You Tip Long Distance Movers
Once you start preparing for the moving process, one of the first things that you will do is set up the relocation budget. Depending on how many items you have, how far away are you moving, and other factors, your move can turn out to be quite expensive. And when you calculate everything that needs to be paid for, there is always a question of tipping movers. Tipping movers is not obligatory in any way, but it has become a common practice, just like tipping waiters, or taxi drivers. These service providers can make your relocation smooth and stress-free, so it is only normal that you want to tip your long-distance movers.
Should you tip your long-distance movers at all?
As we already mentioned, tipping your movers is not mandatory. But, if you want to tip them and are worried about the amount of money that you should give them, there is an easy way to find this out. The question of whether or not to tip your movers is quite easy to answer. If they provided excellent service, you should definitely tip them. Here are some ways to determine whether your movers did a good job:
- Did your long-distance movers arrive on time? – Moving long-distance can be quite stressful, so waiting for your movers to arrive is something you definitely do not want. You want to reduce stress during a move as much as you can. If your movers arrived exactly on time, then they are off to a good start.
- Were they professional? – You will easily be able to recognize a professional crew. If they did not make extra long cigar breaks and did their job well, you are safe to tip your movers.
- Did they damage your items due to inexperience or rudeness? It is very important to observe how your movers are treating your moving boxes. If they are just tossing your moving boxes with the Fragile sign on them, you do not have to tip your movers at all.
- Did the transition between the moving crews go smoothly? – A long-distance move requires a lot of preparation. One crew will pack your items in your old home, and relocate your items, only to hand them over to a new crew. If nobody bothered you with the transition, and everything went smoothly, you hired the best Brooklyn movers who deserve a tip.
Who should you tip and when?
Is there a common practice about who to give the money to? Do you give it to the foreman to hand out everyone their fair share or not? We strongly advise you to hand each and every crew member their tip. If you just give the money to the foreman you will never be sure whether they distributed it correctly.
There are also a lot of doubts when it comes to the perfect timing of tipping. Do you tip your movers at the end of the job or at the beginning? Well, the common practice is to tip your movers once they finish the job. This will also give you a chance to determine the exact amount of money you want to give them. However, if you decide to tip your movers at the very beginning, this is certainly not a mistake. Chances are they will work harder after they have already received a tip.
How should you tip your movers?
There used to be a time when the only way you could tip someone was to give them cash. However, that was a long time ago, and now you can do it in more ways. The first way is the aforementioned cash. Just make sure to have enough of the bills to hand out to everyone.
Another way is to pay this gratuity via credit card. Of course, this option varies among the moving companies. So, you can ask your moving company whether they offer the service of paying for tips via credit card.
The third option is to pay via cheque. You can write your movers a cheque instead of giving them cash or your credit card. This option is particularly useful because you will be able to justify your taxes and even get a tax deduction for this.
How much should you tip your movers?
We finally arrive at the biggest question of them all, which is how much to tip your movers? The common practice is to tip them 15-20% of the total amount of your relocation costs. However, since this can turn out to be quite expensive, you can basically tip them according to your financial possibilities. Bear in mind that you will probably be dealing with two crews in a long-distance move, and you will have to tip both of them. So, it is completely okay if you tip them anywhere between 50-100 per person.
What else can you do for your movers besides tipping them?
There are some things your movers will appreciate even more than the tips. While you are waiting for your movers to arrive, make sure that you have running water in the bathroom so that they can always wash their hands. Also, soap and a clean towel are a must.
If the movers will be working for several hours at your home, they will be happy if you offer them lunch. Snacks and cold beverages are always welcome and will give the necessary boost to your local movers Brooklyn NYC.
More tips on tipping your movers
There are a few other factors that can influence the amount of money you give to your movers. For example, if your long-distance movers worked in awful weather. Heavy rain, snow, and fog are the worst conditions for relocating heavy items and driving them to your new location. Also, if you had a lot of heavy furniture, and no elevator, you should consider raising your tip. Whatever you decide, if your movers receive a tip at the end, and food and drinks they will be grateful to you. Good luck!