Avoiding tipping?
 

How do you avoid services that need tipping? For example when at hotels I carry my own bags and avoid using room service.

I hardly ever carry small cash (or any cash) so I hate the scramble for singles or fives at the end of a tip-required interaction, as with bellhops or valet parking. I don't mind tipping for room service, dining, bar, etc. if I can add the sum to the tab, but I don't like having to keep money in my wallet. I do avoid bellhops and valet for this reason and would rather carry my own bags and park my own car anyway.

:) I do everything I can to avoid giving a tip, so that when I do have to tip I can feel comfortable giving a good tip.:)

eat at home or from convenience stores.....

It sounds like you in fact do know what to do.

Think about what services are done by professionals and then do them yourself. No restaurants (at best a cafeteria) and no taxis. Drive or take public transportation. If you travel, stay at B&Bs in which the owners themselves clean the room. Learn to cut, style and/or color your own hair. If not you, then ask a family member to do it or else make sure that the owner of the barber/hairdresser is the one who does all of the work including shampooing if that is part of the service. Shine your shoes. What else....

I'm not sure why but I feel comfortable giving tips in restaurants but hate other people carrying my bags :rolleyes:

Because a restaurant is an experience that you can't easily recreate by yourself (usually). Someone carrying your bags is simply brute labor and in many cases isn't saving you any real hassle.

I'm also totally fine with restaurant tipping (and rather generous with it), but don't like tipping for bellhops/skycaps/etc. either, and will therefore avoid their services unless I really need them (i.e. if I have more bags than I can reasonably carry on my own). Of course, if I do use them, I'll tip appropriately, but I prefer to simply avoid them instead. :)

I avoid tipping by not going to USA. Simples.

if I can do it myself, I do - especially the bags; i do not use the skycaps either.. very few exceptions why I would and then when they started mandatory charges, I won't even look at them

I don't tip the hotel/car rental shuttle driver if he/she doesn't touch my bags

some places you just tip.. restaurant where served or cabs and there really isn't anyway around it or bartenders

I never understood why its customary to give a hair cutter a tip. they are paid more than min wage.. for me.. its a 15 minute job tops. In the end they get 2 bucks from me

Simple. Remembering a simple fact. Nothing requires tipping.
A tip is not something you deserve. It is something that is earned. You do not earn a tip just because you have a job with crappy pay.

+1 I hate dealing with cash but don't mind tipping in restaurants when I add it to the bill and pay with my credit card. We use those carry-on Motherlode convertible backpacks so it would be ridiculous for a bellhop to grab them off our backs!

I don't tip (even in NYC :p) unless I have received what I consider to be an outstanding service. Otherwise what's the point of tipping?

Excellent solution.

Those working in service industries who work hard to provide good service are grateful for that! Simples. :)

+1

It is a compliment not a contribution to one's wages.