Hi Rachel...I couldn't help but smile when I saw this topic after we discussed this the other day at the barbecue.
Since I live in a chalet , I figured my contribution to this subject would have to be to start a poll for you.
We all know how much Jer and I love polls... Especially when they deal with things like...oh...I don't know...QUALITY OF LIVING in Spain compared to the USA. (Sorry guys. �No lo pude resistir! )
Anyway, here's your poll Rachel and Matt. Complements of the house...
poseso.... Tony --- English Unlimited... Un ambiente para aprender ingl�s... (An English Learning Environment)
Posts: 656 | Location: Madrid (Kansas City, USA) | Registered: 06 November 2001
I think if a porter has helped out a resident consistently throughout the year, and carried anything up stairs at any time, it would be a great idea to give him a good old fashioned drink at Christmas, and I think around about €20 to €25 is about right, if he's really reliable, and you could call upon him to help you shift some stuff at a drop of the hat, and you know that he would, then I'd say more like €25 to €30 would be good, and I wouldn't feel that it was excessive. Both myself and one of my brothers have worked as Live-in Portero's (or Caretakers as it is called in London)and we both got large sums of money at Christmas, from most residents. One year my brother received over a thousand pounds from the residents in one place, although it's true that most of them were high flying company directors, so tips from them were likely to be of the order of about a 100 pounds each anyway, so it wasn't so surprising at the time, but anyway, I think you should be able to consider about €25 to be about right.
our doorman been great, helped out several times, and just general nice guy. So I'll slip him an envelope with some money in it.
btw there was an article about how someone was ripping off the tips for the garbage man, he actually left envelopes at each house expecting a tip! some how tipping the garbagemen seems a bit over the top for me.
If I had to tip like this I'd have no money left for Christmas
, I figured my contribution to this subject would have to be to start a poll for you.
Especially when they deal with things like...oh...I don't know...QUALITY OF LIVING in Spain compared to the USA. 
)
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