[I’ll be the first to admit that I’m not the epitome of prim and proper- heck, who really is nowadays? But looking around at the misguided youths of today *ahem drinking buddies*, I’m starting to think that Miss Manners might have been onto something.

While you may never need to know how to greet a duke or how to tell which fork is REALLY the oyster fork, knowing how to deal with people whom owe you money, how much to tip, and how to address the ever annoying licorice-in-teeth conundrum without being rude might actually come in handy in the real world. I'm not trying to be your mother - oh goodness, no - I'm just here to help you out of those little etiquette dilemmas. So here goes: a quick lesson in etiquette. The sh*t you might actually need to know.]

I know that times are tough. The economy is in the dumper and our wallets are just getting emptier and emptier. These days it seems like I can’t turn a corner or walk into a bar without having to pay somebody something. Though I know it’s hard to choose between blowing your last dollars on another pitcher of beer or tipping the bartender, as a one-time waitress, I would never ever suggest skimping on tips. These service providers work hard (usually on a tiny salaries) and their paychecks rely heavily on your tips.

The other day, I was appalled when after ordering a heap-load of Chinese food, a “friend” of mine flicked the delivery guy a quarter and closed the door. A quarter. As in twenty-five cents. I literally had to chase down the guy and shove a few dollars at him. When I confronted her, she said she wasn’t sure how much to tip. I called bullsh*t, but it got me wondering if this is a real problem for a lot of people. So in case you were wondering, here is a tipping cheat sheet on who to tip and how much to tip them.

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Okay, I get it. We are all college students on a budget. We all love a great deal, a cheap meal and any leftover cash is going to be spent at the bar thank you very much. But, my fellow students, as a server I have realized that many of you are just clueless about tipping. And without your tips, I won’t have money to spend at the bar either.

Maybe it’s how you were raised or maybe you are just cheap. But if you are going to walk into any place that is offering you a service of some sort, be prepared to spend a few more bucks on the person waiting on you. If you are going out to a “splurge” restaurant- be prepared that the tip is going to be an extra chunk added on to the bill. Want the $30 dollar steak but don’t feel like tipping on it? Then please, that’s what Burger King and Denny’s are for.

In lieu of cheap tippers that I as well as other friends of mine in the service industry have come across–here are some of the guidelines when it comes to tipping. Click here For a full list of tipping etiquette for every service imaginable (and I mean everything). Read More »