How Much To Tip During Holidays, Plus Money Tools That Make It Easy

‘Tis the season of giving back — whether it’s in the form of gifts, donations or a thank-you tip to seasonal workers.

Discussions around tipping have sparked debate in recent years as Americans found themselves bewildered to be asked to tip at a self-service checkout. But one thing we can probably all agree on is that those who’ve made our life easier throughout the year deserve a year-end show of appreciation.

In fact, this year, over half of Americans (56%) plan on gifting or tipping their housekeeper and 47% are giving extra to their childcare provider and teacher, respectively, according to a recent Bankrate survey.

Here are some tips on holiday tipping.

It’s the start of December, which is the perfect time to set a limit to how much you want to spend on holiday tips between now and the new year. Start by choosing a total amount that you’re comfortable spending, and then make a list of those you want to tip, starting with the highest priority — or those who’ve really gone the extra mile. You can note how much you tipped each person last year, for reference, and make any tweaks necessary for this year, keeping in mind your total spend goal.

Use a budgeting tool

You can see how your holiday tipping fits into your overall holiday spending, and beyond, with a budgeting app. In an app like Monarch, you can make holiday tips as its own custom category and then input each tip so you track in real time how close you are to reaching your holiday tipping budget.

PocketGuard also allows users to track different budgeting categories, and the app is especially helpful when creating a debt payoff plan — a valuable tool if you’re aiming to free yourself of debt as a New Year’s resolution. Users can get a personalized payoff schedule once choosing the snowball or avalanche repayment method, and PocketGuard will prioritize your debt payments based on the payoff strategy to ensure you stay on track.

You don’t have to use cash

Tips usually mean cold, hard cash, but these days, you can feel free to tip via a money transfer app. Use an app like Cash App, Venmo or Zelle — just ensure that you’re sending money to the correct person with their email address, phone number or username. And, of course, include a sweet, personalized message for the holidays.

How much to tip during the holidays really depends on how much you can afford, the cost of the service and your relationship to the provider — someone you’ve known for years is probably getting a higher tip. For a general guide, Fidelity recommends using “up to” amounts, such as up to a week’s pay or up to the cost of one session.

Here are specific guidelines, per Fidelity:

• Babysitter/nanny: one typical session/one week’s pay
• Daycare staffer: $25–$75, depending on weekly hours
• Hairstylist/colorist/barber: cost of one service
• Home health aide/in-home caregiver: one week’s pay
• Housecleaner: cost of one visit
• Landscaper/groundskeeper (including snow removal): one session
• Massage therapist you visit regularly: one session
• Manicurist/pedicurist you visit regularly: one session
• Newspaper delivery person: $10 to $30
• Personal trainer: one session
• Pet sitter/dog walker/groomer: one session
• Trash collectors/sanitation workers: $10 to $30 each

With wallets stretched thin this holiday season — consumers expect to spend on average 5% less on holiday shopping year over year, per PwC’s 2025 Holiday Outlook survey — sticking to these guidelines may not always be feasible. In that case, Nicole Carson, CFP and founder of 2nd Story Wealth Planners, LLC, suggests turning to meaningful alternatives like handwritten notes that can be just as thoughtful.

“People are tipping a bit more this year because the cost of everyday goods has gone up, but many families are still feeling the pressure of inflation,” Carson tells CNBC Select. ” I am seeing a mix of slightly higher tips and thoughtful gestures like handwritten notes or small gifts. The desire to show appreciation is still strong; people are just finding ways to make it meaningful and manageable.”

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