In this day and age when we work harder than ever, and carefully review all our expenses to be certain that our hard earned dollars are spent wisely, (to insure that our quality of life does not diminish), we often find ourselves a at quandary when time comes to reward those who work in the service industry. The question that arises each time the billing cycle comes around as to how much to tip is the subject of this paper, particularly where such practice pertains to the newspaper delivery service.
This question and many more have crossed our minds as long as we can remember. As a little boy I remember looking over the final bill we had incurred at a local restaurant, and could not help but to notice that the waiter received extra money from my father. When I asked him about it he explained to me that one “must always reward those who toil on jobs that make your life easier.” Of course he then went on to explain about the amount, and so on, and so forth.
Later on, as I pondered on the answer he had given gave me I realized that I never saw him give mother any money after supper, or after anything for that matter; “That”, he replied, “is because your mother and I share in all that we have, and contribute in-kind to each-others efforts. Rather than tipping we give one another gifts that show our appreciation”.
Years would go by before the practice would come back into my life when, as a teenager I would deliver papers at a High-rise building in Arlington Virginia. Early each morning I would ride my bike to the building, and with a key provided by the door man I would stop the elevator every other floor, while I walked the corridors and delivered the Washing Post to my customers.
In those days debit was non-existent, and credit payments were rare; most if not all of my customers paid by either check or cash, and since collections were done at the door, there was a feeling of having a personal relationship with all of my customers. Occasionally I would puncture a tire on my bike, or bent a wheel rim on a pothole I did not see, but other than that, expenses were low and much of the receipts, (other than the wholesale cost of the paper itself), were mine to keep; the icing on the cake were the tips, and the notes of encouragement I received with the payments. Not too bad for a fourteen year old.
Soon though, life would take its inevitable turns and I would begin dating. College and a real job would then follow, then marriage and parenthood, but though all of that I practiced the lesson I learned from dad; “Reward those who toil on jobs that make your life easier”. We all know from personal experience that when one recognizes the effort that someone puts out for good service, (as a waiter in a restaurant would), one will always be welcomed and subsequent visits become more pleasant.
There are many industries that provide a wide array of services to consumers, and while one would immediately recognize the waiter, the mailperson, and the waste collectors as work occupations one would always tip; other occupations have become convoluted if not forgotten as are those of the gas station attendant, the taxi driver and the paper delivery person.
Today in general, the cost of the product we receive might deter us from tipping, and thanks to the ease of the ever present plastic card we have removed the person behind the service, (as some one who no longer deserve our thanks); however, inspite of credit or debit, and the higher cost of gas, some of us still tip the gas station attendant. The mail person and the waste collectors earn today more than before, (and receive benefits to boot), yet we tip them because of the tradition behind the practice.
What then happened to the paper boy?
Funny you should ask! Over the years newspapers went more and more over into morning editions, children became more vulnerable to crime, and demands from the advertisers to cover wider areas pressured the newspapers into finding the most reliable means of delivery. In came the paper boy's parents, and the family car. Today a paper boy at work is a rare sight; his job has evolved. Children were phased out to avoid liability, and the parents using the family car became today's paper boys, otherwise known as Independent Carriers.
At first, when adult carrier routes were being established, newspaper companies offered bonus incentives that made the job attractive; however, over the past twenty years while America as a whole has experienced near historic recession and inflationary pressures, reimbursement to Independent Carriers has remained stagnant, bonuses have all but disappeared, and subsidies are becoming a thing of the past.
