Holiday tip to Portero

[Gringoboy]

My shop is at the bottom of an apartment complex, for which we receive almost nothing in return for the almost $900 we pay monthly.
They should be tipping me!

 

[elclandestino]

Not a dime to porteros

 

[Sleuth]

Are there expectations for other people to tip for the holidays? Cleaning services?

It all depends. How much do they do for you? How often are they there?

My wife (Argentine) and I have very different views on tipping people. She says a pan dulce and cidra for some people, but I told her people prefer cash. The amounts we want to give are wildly off too...but then again, I come from New York, where $100 to the doorman was the minimum.

 

[AngelinBA]

Man you guys are generous! We give a cider and a pan dulce to each and that´s it! Bet our porteros are disappointed there aren´t more temporary rentals in our building!
Although, I do feel sorry for our doormen. There are 81 apartments in the building. Each person gives each of the doormen (5 in total) a pan dulce and a cider.
They could start their own specialist Christmas shop with that!!

 

[elclandestino]

You Argentines are really cheap

I'm generous, but I don't like lazy overpaid bastards porteros

I do tip waiters, cab drivers, hotel staff, maids and other hard working folks who actually do something for me

For a good service, I'm generous

 

[AngelinBA]

You Argentines are really cheap

Ha ha, but I'm not Argentine - if you'd said you New Zealanders are really cheap you'd be closer to the mark. (We're the type of person who carries their own bags up to the room in a US hotel to avoid having to tip the bellboy. )

But, as I'm married to an Argentine and the other people in my building are Argentine and they all give ciders and pan dulces, I guess your point stands and that's just one more thing I have in common with them.

 

[KevinK]

At end of year I tip/pay:

Portero 250 (early begining of month so he can use it when he needs it most) and if he is married or has a child a I give either a smal gift or a pan dulce for them right around the day.

Mailmen 40 peso
(I always get my package sent by postal service and I get around 10 a year at least and anyway it pays to be friendly with your postperson ...it is always the same one)

Garbage truck #1 30-50 pesos (when living in a house) the one that comes by on daily basis i give them 10 pesos for each person on the truck (can be 3-5 driver included depending on route) making sure it is the same truck number that comes by all the time.

Garbage truck #2 25 pesos flat(when living in a house) the one that picks up the stuff the other wont take and comes once or twice a week making sure it is same truck as always...I mention this because it is not uncommon for a couple of con artist to "borrow a sanitation truck" during this time of the year and go around during the day all over the place asking for xmas gifts asif they were your garbage men...

Street Cleaner 20-25 pesos (if you live in a house in the suburbs at least) it is always the same guy who sweeps every morning


Maid -one half her monthly salary (she gets the same even if 4 or five work days in a month) as end of year bonus (the other half in june even if she is not official as she is only one-half day a week) plus min two weeks a year off with full monthly salary paid (My maid comes in only once a week does everything and is gone..I dont thiink she has ever missed a day not previously arranged and always she makes it up , I have been blessed as I have had the same maid now twenty years so it is a rather unique situation)

Guards (either at office or if apt building has guards) Small Pan dulces, or small bottle of champagne (the 25 peso one in the supermercado) with a note for him to share it (but not at work lol) with his significant other.

Service People that attend you personally on a regular schedule that are not employees (like chauffer,butler etc lol not in my life or lifestyle ;-} ) i.e....trainers, massues, barbers, nails etc... Anything from a little set of 3 ferrero rocher chocalates to a pan dulce to a little doll to an email card (my dentist lol)...it depends on them and you...BUT it is about letting them know at this time of the year they are being remembered and appreciated by you..not the gift itself...

Hope this helps


And then there are the "not expected but expected" business gifts to every company that provides a service to your company which is a whole other story

 

[Markgeezer]

Are there expectations for other people to tip for the holidays? Cleaning services?

Yes, rubbish collecters, firemen, postmen and sometimes policeman always knock on my door for Xmas tips and so do fraudsters. 20-30 pesos is the norn.

 

[elclandestino]

Ha ha, but I'm not Argentine - if you'd said you New Zealanders are really cheap you'd be closer to the mark. (We're the type of person who carries their own bags up to the room in a US hotel to avoid having to tip the bellboy. )

But, as I'm married to an Argentine and the other people in my building are Argentine and they all give ciders and pan dulces, I guess your point stands and that's just one more thing I have in common with them.

Some Kiwis are cheap, some really generous. I lived in Wellington briefly. My business partner on many a venture and as of many a year is also Kiwi