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. Eventually we'll be back in the world and spending money and it might be hard to get back in the habit. So, where should you keep your money in your pocket and where should you tack on a few extra bucks?

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.

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.

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. Colombian 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 who we don't tip that we should.

Have you ever committed a tip faux pas?

5 of My Favorite Budget Travel Tips

There are lots of travel tips I tend to offer up over and over, but it's because they work and I use them myself. I travel on a budget as much as possible, and sometimes I cut costs in some ways in order to splurge somewhere else on my trips. By now you know I love food, and I will plan full days around where I want to eat. On the other hand, sometimes I know there are one or two really unaffordable things I want to do, and if there are ways I can make up that in savings elsewhere, I'll do that, too. 

Here are 5 of my favorite budget travel tips for you:

Travel in the off- or shoulder-season

When you travel during the busiest times (usually summer and the holidays, but this can vary from destination to destination), not only do you end up paying more than you would otherwise, but you also lose a lot of time waiting in lines. These are two of the worst things to waste in my opinion. I travel in the fall, because it's almost always a shoulder-season time for destinations. Kids are back in school everywhere, so places are less crowded. Places are often looking to entice visitors and drop their prices. In fact, you might save up to 50% off hotel rates, 30% off airfare and vacation rentals. 

Do laundry

I know laundry sucks, but it's not that bad when you're on vacation. Why do I suggest doing laundry? Because this allows you to pack less and travel lighter. I'll be doing a packing post soon, but think about this: You are going somewhere new. People there don't know you and won't remember what you wore all week. I mix and match a small capsule wardrobe for my trips. It's enough to give me variety, but it's also easy to pull stuff out and know that whatever top and bottom you choose, they'll go together, because you already planned ahead of time. 

Eat at food trucks/carts

I love food, and that means I want to eat a lot of it. There's only so many hours in the day, and I can't eat a ton of food at a time. Food trucks are great, because not only is there usually more than one when you find them, but they are also affordable. If you travel with your family or you just don't eat the same things as your travel companion, food trucks are awesome. You can each get something you want without having to fight over restaurants. And if you like to try all the things, you can easily get items from different trucks and share. 

More and more trucks are serving restaurant-quality food, and while they may creep into the almost-restaurant prices, they don't have overhead like staff and rent, so you aren't expected to pay for all those extras or give a big tip for someone to wait on you.

Look for coupons & promo codes

When we travel, we try to book as much ahead as possible. Why? Because you can often get a better deal by booking early, booking online, or through promo codes. Groupon is available around the world as well, so I often set my subscriptions 6 months out to my travel destination and keep an eye on discounts for attractions, activities, and restaurants. We've saved a ton of money this way. 

Take public transportation or walk 

I rarely take taxis, and though I often use Uber for getting around, I usually forgo it unless I really need to get somewhere and can't take public transportation to get there or it'll take too long. Public transportation can show you an entirely new view of the city and often I speak to locals, while also learning to get around my temporary home. Public transport is usually cheap, and is a great addition to walking around. Compare rates where you're going. I've found that an Uber can run between $15-20 for 5 miles or so during peak times, and the same ride on the bus or the subway can be $5 roundtrip or for the whole day. You even get to people watch, since everyone is usually on their phone. This is one my favorite parts of riding around a city. 

I'll be adding more money-saving travel tip blog posts soon, now that we have a vaccine and might have some hope of traveling by the end of the year. I'll be taking my first road trip for the first time in almost a year in just a few weeks. 

What are some of your favorite ways to travel on a budget?

Advice When Planning A Trip For A Large Group Of People

Planning a trip for a large group of people is always difficult. This is because you have many different opinions and requirements to take into consideration. The organization can be challenging, to say the least. With that being said, we have put together some useful tips that can help you to organize an exciting vacation for a large number of people.

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• Consider transport carefully - The first tip is to make sure you consider transport carefully. If you have a large number of people, getting from activity to activity can be difficult and expensive if you do not have a plan in advance. There is the option of renting coach buses nationwide, and this is something that can work out more affordable when you are splitting the cost between a big group of people. Consider all of your options carefully and compare expenses to determine what is going to be the most affordable for you.

• Don’t wait around for everyone to be happy - One of the most challenging things about planning a vacation for a large number of people is that it can feel like it is almost impossible to make everyone satisfied. If you cannot agree on a date because everyone is busy, you will have to go for the majority, otherwise, you may never end up going anywhere at all! 

• Consider booking a large villa rather than hotel rooms - Accommodation is another area that needs to be considered carefully. There are plenty of different options for people today, and Airbnb has opened us up to the possibility of booking vacation homes rather than staying in a hotel. If there is a large number of people, you can often find that staying in a big villa ends up being much more affordable, so make sure that you look into this. When you are looking at how many the property sleeps, though, make sure you check out how the beds are divided up and where they are all placed so you can be sure everyone is going to be happy and comfortable. 

• Don’t get stressed if people want to do their own thing - It can be difficult to keep everyone satisfied when going on vacation. If you are planning lots of fun activities, don’t take it personally if some people do not want to get involved in all of them. We all have different tastes and different ideas of what makes a great trip, so allow people the freedom to make their own decisions and try not to stress about it!

So there you have it: some key tips and pieces of advice if you are planning on booking a trip for a large number of people. There is no denying that there is a lot to think about and consider when booking a trip for a large number of individuals. However, if you have a plan and you stick to the advice that has been provided above, you should find it somewhat easier to enjoy a great vacation.