Your Guide to Tipping Around the World

In America, we are so used to tipping for everything, we don’t even think twice about it when we go to restaurants or have services performed, like getting a haircut. We just figure it into the bill. Tipping is not customary everywhere in the world and in some countries it’s even considered rude. So, where should you keep your money in your pocket and where should you tack on a few extra bucks?

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Asia

• China does not practice the art of tipping and so no tips are expected unless you have an experience that is above and beyond your expectations.
• India may include a 10% service fee to your check, but 15% is appreciated for good service. 250 rupees (or $5) per night for the housekeeper and 50 rupees per bag for porters is the norm. Keep plenty of small bills on hand in India, because it may be hard to get change.
• Japan isn’t big on tipping either and a tip is not anticipated anywhere, unless you allow the porter to carry your bags, then the yen equivalent of a dollar per bag is the norm.
• South Korea is a non-tipping society, with the exception of drivers and tour guides who should receive $5 and $10 respectively and $1 per bag for porters.

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Australia and New Zealand have similar tipping practices as the U.S. 10-15% for your waiter in restaurants is now acceptable, 10% for cab drivers, $1-2 per bag for porters and $1-5 per night for housekeeping.

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Europe

• France, in general, does not expect tips to be given when dining out, but if your service is excellent, up to 10% is appreciated. A euro or two for cab drivers is common, as is one to two euros per bag for porters and per night for housekeepers.
• Germany has hefty tipping practices for hotels: five euros per night for housekeeping and three euros per bag for porters. Only 10-15% gratuity is expected at restaurants. Cash is expected.
• Italy has a cap of 10% tipping at restaurants, though gondoliers are not expected to get tips. Five euros for porters is customary and one to two euros per night for hotel housekeeping.

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Middle East

• Dubai is a very friendly country with overachievers in the customer service department. The standard here is 10%, but only tip with cash. At hotels and restaurants the tip is figured into your bill, so no need to add extra unless your service was exceptional. Tipping your taxi driver is not really done, except to round up your fare.
• Egypt has an easy 10% tip rule. Ten percent for dining is already included in your bill, but it is customary to add 5-10% extra to that total. Tipping your cabbie is appreciated, as is any guide who takes you on a tour.

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North America

• In Canada, like the U.S., it is standard practice that 15-20% is tipped in restaurants and a few dollars per day of your hotel stay if your service was satisfactory.
• Mexico expects tipping 10-15% in restaurants, five pesos for gas station attendants and 20-50 pesos for hotel staff per day. It is appropriate to tip in the local currency rather than dollars.

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South America

• Argentina generally assumes that diners will round up their bill and add a 10% tip to the total. Dollars may be difficult to spend, so carry some smaller bills in Argentinian pesos for purchases and tips.
• Brazil includes a 10% gratuity on all restaurant checks and no additional is expected. Round up your fare for cab rides and a dollar or two is a suitable tip for bag porters. Dollars are preferred, as the exchange rate is better than Brazilian currency.
• Colombia may or may not add gratuity onto your restaurant check. Make sure to look to see if it has, though it’s customary to add extra for a 15% total. Many small hotels are family-run, so expect to leave $5 per guest per day. The usual dollar or two per day is fine at larger hotels. Columbian currency is preferred.

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The United Kingdom often includes a tip on your restaurant bill. Often, it will be under “optional”. If it is not figured in, then 10-15% is standard. Tipping in pubs is not customary. Add up to 10% for a cab driver and a pound or two per bag for porters.

It’s easy for Americans to get in the habit of tipping and do it wherever we go, but in some countries it can be a major faux pas, so it’s always best to check requirements for each place you visit to know what is customary and what is not. It’s better to feel a little awkward, but save your money, than offer a tip and offend someone. Plus, you'll have some extra dollars to spend! Here are more tips from Budget Travel on who we always tip and probably shouldn't, as well as you we don't tip that we should.

5 Affordable Ways to Celebrate Fall

The beginning of Fall is my favorite time of year. The weather is lovely and there are still plenty of outside activities to engage in. You can still do summery things, but you also get the benefit of holidays events starting. I only lament that you only get a good three to four weeks to do everything before the weather starts to get too cold to be comfortable. There's only so much I want to do when I have to bundle up in nine different pieces of outerwear. I'm starting to get out and so some of my favorite things for this season transition and these are great to do at home as well as when you travel.

Corn maze

I look forward to the corn mazes all year long. It's so fun to go out and spend an afternoon on local farms and get lost in a maze of maize! We pack up the car with a change of clothes and the dog and hope there's no mud where we will have to use our extra clothes. The mazes test our ability to read a map or our trivia knowledge. While other families split up and race each other through the maze, we view it as a fun family outing and the three of us go together. Sometimes we just let the dog go and pick our course and sometimes we use whatever clues they give us at the beginning. After we emerge from the corn, we make a trip to the gift shop, grab something warm to eat and drink and then head home. There are always great photo ops.

Pumpkin harvest

I don't really get excited by pumpkin carving. That might be a little weird for someone who loves Halloween as much as I do. I just don't find it fun and I don't make pies, but often the harvest festivals are full of pumpkin-picking and other activities like hayrides, squash-tossing, farm animals and more. If you find a corn maze, it's not unusual for there to be pumpkin harvest festivities going on nearby. Kids love to run and pick out the pumpkin they will use for their jack-o-lantern at home and also enjoy running and around and climbing on things. We have farms that feature hay bale pyramids and tours on a farm train. Usually these days out are fairly affordable and you can even sign up to receive coupons when the celebration starts.

Fruit picking

I love fresh fruits and vegetables. I also love to visit local farms. I'm always amazed by what people can grow. I have my own garden, but it's not big and awesome, so I like to get ideas on how to make it better. Many of these farms let you go pick your own fresh produce. You pay by the pound and often they have a store where they sell jams, sauces and other things they make on-site. These make great gifts and souvenirs as well.

Farmers' market

This is similar to you-pick farms, except you can just go with your list and have fun finding them at the different stalls. Another plus to the markets is that you are getting affordable local foods and you can usually pick up lunch from any number of food merchants there, too. Our market up the street is a great place to get everything from crepes to tamales. When you're traveling, it's a perfect way to stock your fridge with healthy options for snacks and side dishes.

Wine and beer festivals

Right after the grape and wheat harvests come the festivals! Food, wine, beer, you name it. Fall has tons of wine and beer celebrations everywhere they serve such things. Find new favorites when you can sample all the local (and some not-so-local) varietals and brews. Most of these fests require you to buy a glass for your samples, so you already have a built-in souvenir, too!

What are some of your favorite ways to celebrate fall? 

Travel to New England for a Spooktacular Halloween

Halloween is possibly my favorite day of the year. I love to decorate and dress up and it’s exciting when other people share my love of the day. This year, we’ll be spending Halloween at Disneyland Paris. Unlike the Disney parks in the U.S., Paris only has one celebratory night for the season. I’m happy to say I got tickets to that party on the 31st and will be trick-or-treating along with everyone else. I’m a little sad to be missing things happening here at home, but it also means I’ll be on vacation on my wedding anniversary (Oct 28th), which is always fun.

While I was thinking about the cool ways to spend Halloween in the future, I decided to check out what there was to do in New England, because when I think spooky, it conjures up witches and Stephen King, both of which hail from the Northeastern states. Did you know there are crazy amounts of things to do the whole month of October? It’s true! Whether you want to be scared witless or just learn the history behind this fun holiday.

This photo of Lake Compounce is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Connecticut

The Haunted Graveyard at Lake Compounce is Southern New England’s largest Halloween attraction. It has evolved from Ernie and Carol Romegialli’s creative yard decorations 22 years ago. The decorations grew more elaborate and eventually outgrew their yard and they have been occupying a larger area ever since. Donations go towards their upkeep and diabetes research, which is pretty awesome if you ask me. They are open Friday through Sunday, October 4-27.

Witch’s Dungeon Halloween Classic Movies Museum - For just a $2 donation per person, you can visit the longest-running Halloween attraction in the country. Opened in 1966, you can view memorabilia from your favorite classic horror and sci-fi films and also watch them on the silver screen. Open Friday through Sunday from October 4 - Nov 3.

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New Hampshire

Nightmare New England is 40 acres of non-stop scary-thrills, located in Litchfield, NH. Along the Merrimack River, the landscape plays its part in making the six themed areas even spookier. There’s so much to do in this “scream park” including zombie paintball, five haunted attractions, tarot card readings and even a restaurant. I wouldn’t expect normal fare, but this is a place that tries to scare you the moment you step out of your car. Nightmare New England wants to make Halloween a destination. Open selected days and weekends from September 28 - November 3.

Keene Pumpkin Festival - Keene townsfolk plan all year to break the record for the most jack-o-lanterns in their downtown square. They have done it, too! 8 times! Enjoy food, fun and music during this one-night family-friendly celebration on October 19. The food and craft court sounds like a place I would be happy to lose myself in. Candy apples and handmade Halloween decorations are pretty high on my list of things that make me go “Yes please!”.

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Massachusetts

Salem – Where better to celebrate Halloween than witch-central? All October long you’ll find themed festivities and attractions including a carnival, haunted house, spooky tours and more.  Every day of the month you’ll find something going on. This is my kind of town.  Where else can you hit the farmers’ market during the day and then see the Crucibal at night and get your palm read and shop witchcraft shop in between? There might be some places, but I doubt many. And there are even fewer places where you can visit the actual places where witch trials took place. This is definitely on my list of must-see places.

Six Flags New England Fright Fest is fun for the whole family, with daytime and nighttime activities to please everyone. During the day, families will be able to fill their bags on the trick or treat trail and then get up close and personal with creepy crawlies like snakes and lizards. Once the sun goes down, the scares come out with a haunted house and scare zones. All rides stay open during Fright Fest, but beware, you might find yourself sitting next to a ghoul. Fright fest runs on weekends from September 21-November 3.

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Vermont

The Haunted Forest - A more family-friendly Halloween activity, the Haunted Forest takes visitors down a jack-o-lantern-lighted path to view a dozen different scenes presented by community theater performers. It’s just spooky enough for older ones and tame enough for little ones. The “performance” runs on various times October 24 - 26.

Looking for deals to get to and stay in the area? Check out these travel merchants:

• Airbnb - For a great deal on an apartment/condo/house, browse what's available from private renters through Airbnb. I've used them to book my lodgings in London and Paris this fall and I feel like I'm going to be really happy, and not just because I save a bunch of money.
• HomeAway - Not quite brave enough to deal directly with a homeowner? Then go bigger with HomeAway. They also have competitive pricing on private rentals and a really big selection anywhere you want to go.
• Hotels.com - If you want someone to clean up after you and overall feel a bit pampered, then you might be interested in the rebate deal going on at Hotels.com. Earn up to $100 cash back on stays from 3 to 12 nights.
• Expedia - Save big with a package deal where you bundle your airfare and lodging together. Using Expedia, you can save up to $525 when you book this way.
• CheapOair - Save more over their lowest rates with promo code FALL15, which will knock an extra $15 off on hotel and airfare rates.

If New England doesn’t sound in the (tarot) cards for you this year, FareCompare has some ideas for trips to scare you. You can also look back at my post from last year on trips to theme parks that have special celebrations as well as other places around the world you might want to visit (including the Paris catacombs, which I will be venturing into in November). What are your favorite fall/Halloween activities?