tipping

[DandyDon]

Today, Google is reporting 1 US dollar = 12.8 Mexican pesos

$15 = 193 Pesos.

 

[FishOutUvH2O]

There are some new regs for depositing dollars into bank accounts that may make it more difficult for them to deal with US$'s than it was in the recent past. Probably best to start asking them which currency they'd prefer.

I was curious about this myself and started asking a lot of the people I know that get tips in their jobs. The answer was almost universally U.S. Dollars. Most of the folks don't deposit all of their money in the bank and what they do deposit, they deposit in pesos after they've gone to a Casa de Cambio. Their reasoning was pretty straightforward. Most tippers don't actually know the current exchange rate, so they tend use a multiplier of 10 to figure out how much to tip in pesos. A $15USD tip becomes $150 pesos, a $20USD tip becomes $200 pesos, and so on. And as DandyDon pointed out, $150MXN is not $15USD it's actually around $11.70USD.

 

[DandyDon]

I always give at LEAST $5.00 per tank, but usually more. I know everyone is on a budget these days, but I think you should just figure in the daily tips as part of your cost of diving. The dive Op I use takes all of the tips and splits them evenly between the DM's on the boat, the sailor that stays on the boat, and the captain. I am always shocked and often embarassed when I see how many people give them nothing. They work their butts off to make sure we have a fun, safe dive and I darn sure think they are worth every peso I can give them. These guys rely on tips more than you know. (The DM's I know make about 150.00 a week for their 'salary'.)

It does suck that some don't tip. I under tipped when I was new to diving, once had a chance to resolve that when I returned to a resort that still employed my original crew: "You may not remember me from 4 years ago, but I owe you money." No arguments, just thanks as the $20 bills went into pockets.

I also tip the maids in my hotel room, and usually have to leave the money on the bed with a note or they won't even take it. When they realize it is for them, they always go above and beyond. Usually I have an abundance of fresh flowers placed around my room upon my return. I know they appreciate it.

Well, I've never had flowers, but I have found my $2 bill moved from the bed to the bathroom? I left it again with more the next day with a note the first day I think, and it vanished ok. Would "para mucama" be clear enough...?

I'm also in the habit of leaving a 5 in the room everyday for the cleaning lady.

$5 for two people? I guess $1/day/person would be minimum, more is nicer.

One trip I found out the lady and her daughter, that were cleaning my room, only make what the guests leave.

That may be stretching it some? I do tip tho, even when I have stayed in resorts that claim that tips are included in rates.

Getting rid of Pesos towards the end of a trip can be facilitated by tipping. Know the current conversion rate, check with the desk or a money changer in town if needed, and if you don't carry a calculator - there should be one in your cell phone. I leave my cell in my room as an alarm clock for the trip, but it's handy for that too.

 

[BTravlin]

I was curious about this myself and started asking a lot of the people I know that get tips in their jobs. The answer was almost universally U.S. Dollars. Most of the folks don't deposit all of their money in the bank and what they do deposit, they deposit in pesos after they've gone to a Casa de Cambio. Their reasoning was pretty straightforward. Most tippers don't actually know the current exchange rate, so they tend use a multiplier of 10 to figure out how much to tip in pesos. A $15USD tip becomes $150 pesos, a $20USD tip becomes $200 pesos, and so on. And as DandyDon pointed out, $150MXN is not $15USD it's actually around $11.70USD.

Yeah, in that case I bet they do prefer US$'s. Always good to know the current exchange rate.

 

[kmurray719]

That figures....

I do like to tip every day, not at the end of the trip - so the crew knows that I am not going to stiff them, and to prevent problems with crew changes. Get better service that way. If I can, I like to tip in plain view as an example to the others...

I choose to pay a little more than I "have to" in Cozumel to dive with an op that has great service as a standard, not just for those who have/will tip well. I do tip, and according to this thread, tip well. When I'm in Coz I generally tip at the end of the week because I know I will be diving all week with one of two people (one of them is the owner) and it's just easier for me. Shouldn't the tip be the extra "thank you " for great service, not the motivator for it?

 

[DandyDon]

Shouldn't the tip be the extra "thank you " for great service, not the motivator for it?

Shouldn't or Real World - and it's a different world there. But if you're paying more upfront, I understand.

 

[kmurray719]

Shouldn't or Real World - and it's a different world there. But if you're paying more upfront, I understand.

I wasn't very concise with my point--that's what happens when it's Monday and I'm doing three things at once! What I meant was that I don't like the idea that the service I receive is dependent on people's perception of my tipping (whether they know I will, think I will/won't or I already have). I think tips should be the "thank you" for excellent service, not the motivator for it. I personally prefer to pay more upfront to know that I (along with everyone else, regardless of tipping) will receive great service. Obviously not everyone feels that way, so YMMV.

 

[PacoBLUEProject]

About USD or MXN, I think It's beter to give it in USD.

The banks are accepting again to change USD but most of people change the USD in the super market than in the bank (beter change!!!).

A lot of people are also using their USD for their saving because of the bigger stability of the USD in comparasion with the MXN.

For the amount to give, a minimum is important. The tips are a great part of the salary of the DM, capitan and the employe who's washing the equipment at the shop. It depend of course of the dive operations but some of them are really exploiting their employees. It's also important that the DM or capitan feel that the tip depend of his work! Beter work, beter tip! So it's a win/win deal.

Thanks for this thread! It's very nice for the real workers of the dive comunity : DM, capitan, equipment washer, ...

 

[newgentry]

EXACTLY my point! $5 years ago would buy you a fast-food meal and drink. These days, you might get a beer!

Isn't it time our tipping habits reflected the inflation?

Technically, $5 * (1.025)^10 = $6.40 these days. (Inflation factor =2.5%)

Isn't it time to match the tip to the day, instead of the same ol' $5 you've "tipped for years"?

Good point. I've been tipping $5 per tank per diver, or thereabouts, for about five years now, plus a bump at the end of the week if we've been with the same DM every day and he's done a good job. And there are none better than Martin Matu at Dive Paradise, but I digress. Probably more than past time to go up a few notches.

 

[jjwdiver]

Alot of good points made about tipping. Sometimes I have had not-so-great service and still tipped, but the norm where I go is great service above and beyond. Many times over the past years I have "supplimented" tipping certain people with pieces of my dive gear. Working at a dive store I could easily replace it, where they would have a harder time getting certain items and would have paid alot more.

Strange sometimes leaving a wetsuit, 2nd Stage, dive lights, etc...