Kimberly Palmer of Alpha Consumer asked her readers this week whether you should tip less during a recession. There was your typical philosophical discussion about the merits of tipping (think about the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs) but it seems as though, based on the callers into NPR’s Talk of the Nation, a show that Kim was on, people, based on empirical evidence, felt it was acceptable to tip less.

I don’t think it is. I worked once as a banquet waiter and so was not subject to per-ticket gratuities and I wasn’t compensated as if I were subject to per-ticket gratuities. I was paid a handsome $10 an hour for my banquet waiter duties and the only tips I ever saw were for getting drinks for people. I may be a little biased, but not terribly so.

I think that if you don’t think you can afford to tip fairly, you should be using the services are expect tips. You can cook your own food for far less than eating out, so if money were really the issue then you wouldn’t be ordering or dining out, you’d be cooking yourself.

As for the philosophical qualms people have about tipping, our society has made it a norm. Some food service staff are paid less because there is an expectation that they will be compensated by patrons for their service through tips. If you don’t like it, don’t blame the waiter or waitress, blame the system and blame the restaurant owner for perpetuating it.

What are your opinions about tipping? Do you think it’s acceptable to tip less when money is tight? What about the philosophical angle about how tipping has really stretched itself into other areas or how tipping in general is really a terrible compensation system?

(Photo: mwichary)

Part of the fun of setting up the Festival of Frugality is that I try to read each of the festival posts and at least hit up a few of the posts being linked to when they catch my eye, thus far I haven’t seen too many off the wall tips but every so often you see a few that really don’t make much sense!

So, for your reading enjoyment, here are some ridiculous tips and my thoughts about them. Some of these are from past festivals and some are just tips I’ve heard over the years:

• Buying two-ply toilet paper and pulling the sheets apart – Ignoring the fact that you can just buy singple-ply toilet paper, the time it takes and the “risk” involved in using single ply is too high to make this really worth it… right?
• Buying one entree and splitting it, buying dinner and asking for a take-out box to split it immediately – I understand that meals have gotten bigger and bigger but seriously, if you want to save money, cook for yourself!
• Skip on insurance – Some insurance policies aren’t worth it but all those folks who argue that you don’t need the big insurances (auto, health, and homeowners/renters) are fools. Sure, if nothing catastrophic happens, you’ve saved yourself a few bucks… but if something does happen, you could be out a lot of money. The funny thing about accidents and disasters is you don’t see them coming.
• Tip less than the customary 15% – If you get good service, why punish the server by saving a few dollars and short changing them on their duly earned money? If you want to save this money, don’t go out to eat!
• Dumpster dive for stuff – I’ve taken a television out of the trash (it was in an apartment and someone left a TV by the garbage chute, which was fifteen feet my from my apartment, but I would still calling me fishing it out of the trash despite not having ever set foot there) but I’ve seen suggestions that you take food (and coupons and other assorted items) out of a dumpster. Dumpsters are dangerous (ever see the signs, don’t play in or around the dumpster) because people throw all their crap in their, sharp crap too, chemical crap, and you don’t really need other people’s garbage that badly. If I was a dumpster diving advocate, I’m not anymore.

Gems from Consumerist Commenters

• BOHEMIAN: Save your bar soap slivers and putting them all in the mesh bag you get onions in. I take my old bar of soap and smash it into my new bar of soap, but saving the slivers so you can reconstitute it with other bars? That’s a little too much.
• MAMEDENNIS: Driving 30 miles to save twenty cents – for groceries, for gas, etc. I know plenty of people who do this and it’s ridiculous! It’s not like media hasn’t smashed it into your head that gasoline is expensive not to mention your own personal time.
• RECTILINEAR PROPAGATION: “Taking flowers from funeral homes to give to your wife.” I think the ridiculousness of this one is pretty obvious.
• CHICAGO7: Expanding on the original splitting two-ply TP, Chicago7 has this to say – “Save on toilet paper – use your hand!”

What are some of the ridiculous frugal or money saving posts have you heard? What about some that you may use yourself that others have called ridiculous? Share share!