What if I can't afford to tip everyone on this list?

Per Emily Post's own guidance, most people understand, and continuing to use the service (without a tip) is preferable to not using it at all — a note of appreciation is also genuinely welcomed.

Where do these figures come from?

They're drawn from etiquette expert Lizzie Post and the Emily Post Institute's published holiday tipping guidance, as summarized with concrete dollar figures by Fidelity's Learning Center.

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Holiday Tipping Calculator

Suggested holiday tip amounts by service provider, from real etiquette guidance.

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Last reviewed 2026-09-05

About the Holiday Tipping Calculator

Suggested US holiday tip amounts by service-provider type, based on etiquette expert Lizzie Post and the Emily Post Institute's published "up to" tipping guidance.

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How to use it

Choose the type of service provider.
For a service-based provider (hairstylist, house cleaner, etc.), enter the typical cost of one visit.
Read the suggested tip or range.

Formula

Flat-range providers (newspaper delivery, sanitation, building staff) use published dollar ranges directly. Service-based providers (hairstylist, house cleaner, babysitter, dog walker, personal trainer) suggest tipping up to the cost of one typical visit, per the Emily Post Institute's "up to" approach — there's no universal flat dollar figure for these since service cost varies so widely.

Worked example

A $50 haircut suggests a holiday tip up to $50 (the cost of one visit). A newspaper delivery person suggests $10–$30. A mail carrier can only receive a non-cash gift up to $20.

Interpreting your result

Mail carriers are federal USPS employees and are legally prohibited from accepting cash or cash-equivalent tips (including gift cards) in any amount — only a non-cash gift worth $20 or less per customer, per occasion, is permitted.

Recommendations

• These are general guidance ranges, not a rule — actual amounts vary by region, relationship length, and your own budget.
• If a cash tip isn't affordable, a handwritten note of appreciation is a genuinely welcomed alternative, per Emily Post's own guidance.
• Tipping conventions vary significantly outside the US — treat these figures as US-specific.

Frequently asked questions

USPS employees are federal workers bound by ethics rules that prohibit accepting cash or cash-equivalent gifts (like gift cards) in any amount — only a non-cash gift worth $20 or less per customer is allowed.