How to say thanks without spending a lot

The holidays are a season of gratitude. But it’s also a time when budgets feel tighter than ever. Between travel, gifts, and higher everyday prices, many people want to thank the service providers who make their lives easier all year long — without adding extra financial stress.

“Holiday tipping is alive and well and still as popular as ever,” said Jacqueline Whitmore, founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach and author of “Business Class: Etiquette Essentials for Success at Work.” “Having said that, people’s purse strings are getting tighter and more selective.”

The good news? Showing appreciation doesn’t have to mean handing over a big envelope of cash. There are several ways you can get creative and still give your service providers holiday tips without breaking the bank.

Holiday tipping is a way to express gratitude to the people who make your life easier throughout the year. These are typically people you go to for regular services, such as your babysitter, dog walker, barber or hairdresser, mail carrier, pet groomer, or doorman.

You may not know these people on a personal level, so giving them an actual present may seem inappropriate. However, gifting cash is one way to show them you appreciate all that they do for you.

So, how much do people typically tip? According to Fidelity, holiday tips are often calculated in “up to” amounts, such as up to one session’s or one week’s pay rate, rather than a specific dollar amount. They suggest the following tipping guidelines for common tip recipients:

• Babysitter/nanny: one typical session/one week’s pay

• Day care staffer: $25 to $75, depending on how many hours your child is in this person’s care each week

• Hairstylist/colorist/barber: the cost of one service

• Home health aide/in-home caregiver: one week’s pay

• Housecleaner: one visit

• Landscaper/groundskeeper: one session

• Massage therapist you see regularly: one session

• Manicurist/pedicurist you see regularly: one session

• Newspaper delivery person: $10 to $30

• Personal trainer: one session

• Pet sitter/dog walker/groomer: one session

• Trash collectors/sanitation workers: $10 to $30 each

Read more: 6 creative holiday savings tips to keep your budget in check this year

That said, these amounts are simply guidelines. If you have a close working relationship with a particular service provider and feel they deserve more, you’re absolutely free to tip a higher amount.

For many people, however, these tips can really add up, and it may not be financially feasible to tip every service provider that much. There are additional factors to consider when deciding how much to tip — or whether to tip at all:

Holiday tips tend to be larger in metropolitan areas because rates and the overall cost of living are higher. On the other hand, suburban or rural areas often have more modest tipping expectations.

Relationship and frequency of service

Consider how long you’ve been working with a particular service provider and how much support they provide. For example, you may be inclined to give your housekeeper of the past five years a generous tip — but you may forgo tipping the manicurist you see once every six months.

Whitmore said it can help to make a list of the most important people in your life who make you look good or make your or your family’s life easier. Then divide those people into three lists: A, B, and C. A-listers are your priorities for larger tips, while B-listers may receive a bit less. “The people on the C list are usually the ones who get little or nothing at all,” she explained, as they’re the people you have little to no contact with throughout the year (mail carrier, sanitation worker, newspaper delivery person, etc.).

Your previous tipping history can serve as a benchmark when deciding how much to give during the holidays. For instance, if you’ve tipped someone regularly, staying close to last year’s amount helps avoid any awkwardness and shows your appreciation. But if you don’t typically tip your dog walker or doorman, there will be less expectation or pressure to do so at the end of the year.

Most importantly, you should consider your budget and any financial constraints before handing out generous holiday tips. During a season of increased spending, you don’t want holiday tips to throw your finances off track.

Take a look at your budget to determine how much you can comfortably afford to spend on holiday tips this year. Once you’ve accounted for your regular expenses, holiday travel, hosting costs, and gifts for immediate family and friends, then you can get a sense of how much money you can realistically spend on holiday tips.

Ultimately, you should tip however much makes sense for your financial situation. “What matters most is giving what feels comfortable for your budget,” said Stephanie Watson, financial advisor at Northwestern Mutual. “If the suggested amounts feel high this year, it’s completely acceptable to scale down.”

Read more: Holiday budget guide: How to save money and avoid debt this year

You may decide that this year, holiday tipping just isn’t possible — and that’s OK. In some cases, certain service workers aren’t allowed to accept cash tips anyway. In either case, there are alternative ways to say thank you.

“Monetary appreciation isn’t the only way to extend gratitude,” Watson said. “A handwritten note or a small handmade gift can also be a wonderful way to be intentional with your appreciation and not go over budget.”

For self-employed providers, you can provide valuable feedback that helps their business grow. For instance, consider leaving a glowing Google or Yelp review in lieu of a cash tip.

For workers who can’t accept cash — such as postal workers and sometimes delivery or sanitation staff — a snack, warm drink, or small care package is often welcomed, according to Watson. “The goal is simply to let them know their work has made a difference for you this year and that you want to acknowledge their hard work,” she said. “If your budget is tight, remember it’s the thought that truly counts, not the dollars spent.”

Read more: 5 holiday side hustles to boost your end-of-year budget