by Julia Orwell 21 Replies latest jw friends
Julia Orwell:
Here in Australia tipping is not a cultural thing and JWs pay the waiters the exact amount of the meal while non-Jws will round the payment up or throw in $5-10 if the service was good.
I'm not aware that any such clear distinction regarding JWs and non-JWs exists in regard to tipping in Australia. If there is any such correlation, it is more likely to relate to income.
From my observations, I think it depends on the person & their financial circumstances more than their religion.
It's not customary to tip where I live but depending on what group of people I am out with depends on how tight they are. Most of the jw's I socialise with normally give a little extra, especially when the service was good. One of my closest jw friend & her husband are very generous & giving whether it's paying for yr dinner or a drink, and giving gifts, not cause they have to I.e. Birthday, Christmas, but coz they want to. its their ways of thanking those that mean a lot to them. But they are only that way towards those they consider their real friends. Btw - they are generous to both their jw & non- jw friends. On the other hand, I know some, both jw & non-jw that are so tight with their money it becomes embarressing. I have seen that behaviour with both jw & non-jw's. I have seen some (both jw & non-jw) who are normally generous with giving who have had to suddenly watch every penny coz of losing their job so have had to become 'tight' with their money to pay for necessary expenses like their mortgage and utilities and other everyday expenses or they are saving up for their dream holiday or a house. I have also seen some (both jw & non-jw) that are wealthy but they are embarrassingly tight with money...
Jeffro,
I've never seen a JW of any income level tip at a restaurant. Never. My non-JW dad, who is on a very modest income, always tips.
most of them are living on a shoestring so they have to be very frugal....and most tend to be bad tippers which is why they get a reminder about it prior to the summer conventions. the religion does not engender a generous spirit. on the other hand, people range from downright scrimy scrimpy to open-hearted and open-handed. depends on the person - and their attitude toward their fellowman. i know my husband and i are big tippers - and were when part of the religion and that never changed one way or the other....i guess it has to do with the individual and his inner sense of ethics and fairness - coupled with humanity and fellow-feeling.
Most dubs I knew were CHEAP and not very forthcoming with the wallet. I've almost always picked up the check when dining out and can't really recall anytime anyone really fought me for the check or insisted on paying at least the tip. I found going out with groups quite embarrasing when it came tip time and often found myself leaving a larger tip to make up for the deficiency. There were some who I would refuse to go out with because they were notoriously rude and bad tippers to boot.
I can only speak from the observation of my own parents, who converted to JW in the last few years. Every year at christmas, my dad used or give us each $100 bills as a gift. My mom was also fairly generous. Since they started going to the KH instead of the family Christmas, there have been little or n. Gifts, even for the grandkids. I'm assuming they are donating it to the WTS.
I would like to add, we took my mom along on a fancy vacation in May. It cost us over $2,000, but it was our choice and we did tell her we would pay her way and her meals, etc. She offered NOTHING. She didn't even offer to buy a cookie or a gumball for the kids. I thought she might act like a typical grandma, but she did not. It was disappointing, but oh well... She has her priorities. They are obvious.
Not when it comes to buying cars and polyester suits.
They pay top dollars for those suits if they can find them.
Julia Orwell:
My non-JW dad, who is on a very modest income, always tips.
I think your sample size is too small to reliably indicate a trend.
Apparently, some years ago ('50's or early '60's) the JW's had a convention in New York. In one of the local newspapers, it reported something to the effect that "they came into town with the 10 commandments and a 10-dollar bill, and didn't break either of them." This is hearsay on my part, but I have no reason not to believe it.
Once my JW ex-husband and I and an older sister ate at a local restaurant. The waitress was having a bad day, and the older sister said, "Don't leave her a sign of a tip!" I told him that waitresses are poor and may have children at home. Then I asked him, "Would you like it if you had to live on handouts from your customers? Don't you have a bad day sometimes?"
My experience with American JW's is that they are more tight-fisted with money than most other people.
I had jw friends who would insist on paying for your coffee even though they were on the pension. I knew jws who spent lavishly, and my money habits have always been the same, jw or not. I think it is to do with the person. Money management seems to be the one thing that rarely changes when u become a jw.
