Don't Forget About The Tip When Budgeting For A Local Move

When budgeting for a local move, don't forget to include a tip. You aren't required to tip your moving crew, but most people like to give their movers a gratuity. According to an Apartment Guide survey, 71 percent of people tip movers. Since even a small tip can reach a hundred dollars or more, it's important to factor this into your moving budget if you're going to leave one. Here's a guide on how much to budget for a tip, along with some suggestions on how to give it.

Deciding How Much To Tip Movers

Although most people leave a tip for movers, the amount they give varies widely. The above-mentioned survey found that, of those who tip

  • 60 percent base the amount on their move's cost, with 39 percent giving 10 percent of the cost and 21 percent offering a generous 20 percent
  • 17 percent use an hourly rate to determine their tip
  • 23 percent give each mover a flat amount

To see just how much a tip may add to your moving budget, consider how these methods of calculating the gratuity would increase the cost of a $1,500 local move. A 10-percent tip would add $150 to the price of the move, and a 20-percent gratuity would double that amount to $300.

These amounts would be shared by the crew. For the sake of this example, assume there is a crew of six people and the move takes a full day, eight hours. A $150 tip would leave each laborer with $25, and a $300 one would give each crew member $50 for the day. No mover is going to complain about getting an extra $50 for their day's efforts. Even $25, though, is a respectable tip that breaks down to an additional $3.13 per hour for the crew members.

If you were to use the other methods to settle upon an amount to tip, the gratuity might be less, but it will still add a significant amount to your moving expenses. For instance, using the above example, giving each person an extra $2 per hour would add $96 to your move's cost. A flat rate of $20 for each person would increase the price from $1,500 to $1,620.

Leaving a Tip for Your Movers

Because a tip is for the people who are moving your belongings, it should be given directly to them -- not their boss. By handing each mover a tip, you'll have an opportunity to express your thanks to them personally. They can hear in your own words how grateful you are, rather than from their supervisor.

Additionally, handing out tips directly to each crew member will prevent an unscrupulous crew supervisor from pocketing the entire amount. Most people wouldn't do this, but it's best to not give anyone the opportunity to take another crew member's tip.

To make sure you're able to hand out tips to each crew member, break up the amount you have into individual gratuities. If you want to tip $150 and there are six members, break the amount into 20- and 5-dollar bills so that you can hand each member $25. If you want to tip them $300 total, get six 50-dollar bills from the bank. This way, you won't have to leave the entire amount with one person until they can get change.

You aren't under any obligation to tip your moving crew, but most people want to give their movers something. If you decide to show your gratuity with greenbacks, make sure to budget for the gratuity -- and get the amount you budget in denominations that will let you give each person an individual tip.

For more moving tips and information, go to sites of local moving companies. 


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