To tip or not?

tip the window installers? huh? i can't imagine why.

I got window guards done in my place and did tip them ($30 for 2 guys, 1 did most of the work). I myself never know if I should tip car service guys or pay what they quote for the ride. I usually tip furniture delivery guys or people who come into my home to do some work (if they are not the ones getting the $$$ from the sale. Ex, I don't tip a handyman b/c he charges by the hr, but the window guys were just working for the company I bought the guards from).

I generally go with anytime it's questionable, I tip, and here's my reasoning: probably, there are other people out there who question this as well, and so, whether it's appropriate or not, these people occasionally get tips and also occasionally don't. If they occasionally get tipped, I might as well be one of the people who tip, because I figure I'm already paying for that window installation / futon delivery / erotic massage, what's 10-20 bucks more if it's going to make this person's day that much better.

I think I got this from having worked several jobs where people occasionally tip, like delivering sandwiches to events catered by the deli I worked at - people don't know if they're supposed to tip you or not. They are.

Also, I briefly worked as an erotic masseuse.

I tip car service drivers. I tip for coffee sometimes just because I feel guilty that people are trying to get by on low wage jobs, but I also think coffee is already overpriced enough and starbucks should pay it's workers (not me). Isn't that one of the points of take out? You pick it up and then go elsewhere to eat, so you don't pay for service. I do tip food delivery people, of course.

BTW, how much do people tip hairdressers? I'm getting a cut today.

offer them a beer or something... A beer can go a long way after some labor.