After all their hard work, chances are you'll want to extend your gratitude to your movers by giving them a little something extra. Tipping your movers is a great way to thank them for taking good care of your belongings throughout the move. So, how do you go about rewarding them for their hard work? As it turns out, there are plenty of ways you can show your gratitude.

Cold, Hard Cash

Cash is always king, especially when it comes to tipping. It's by far the fastest and easiest way to tip your movers, in most cases. Right about now, you're probably wondering how much you should tip your movers.

Fortunately, there's no right or wrong answer to that question. Most experts agree that the industry standard tip is 5 percent of the total bill for each mover. This means if the cost of the moving company's services totaled out to $500, you can expect to tip each mover $25.

Of course, you can always tip more if the movers did a phenomenal job overall. In a recent poll, Apartment Guide found that 39 percent of respondents tipped 10 percent, while 22 percent tipped a whopping 20 percent. Some people prefer to give a flat amount to each mover instead of working out a percentage.

If you plan on tipping in cash, it's usually a good idea to personally give each mover their cut instead of calculating each tip and giving the lump sum to the lead mover to disburse. This way, you can be certain that each mover was properly rewarded for their hard work.

Food and Drink

Instead of handing out cash, you can show your appreciation by offering the movers food and drink. For instance, you can hand out cold bottles of water or sports drink throughout the move in a thirst-quenching gesture, provide light snacks such as chips and cookies for a quick energy boost mid-move, or treat the movers to an affordable lunch. You can even treat your movers to dinner once everything is squared away.

Beer and other alcoholic beverages, however, should never be on the menu. After all, no moving company wants its movers to knock back a few while they're on the job.

Unneeded Goods

If you plan on discarding unwanted furniture, electronics, or basically anything else you might not need at your new home, you might be able to offer it to the moving crew in lieu of a traditional cash tip. It's a win-win situation, in many cases -- you'll save the time and money that would have been spent on a trip to the local dump and they'll get something they themselves can use and enjoy.

Keep in mind that not every mover will take you up on your offer, whether for space constraints or because they simply don't need or want what you're offering. Also, make sure what you're offering is in relatively decent condition and up-to-date -- unless it has the potential to be a collector's item, most movers will object to being offered old and worn items.

Remember: Tipping is Optional

No matter how you decide to tip or how much, it's up to you to decide if you want to tip at all. You should only offer a tip when you feel that the mover has done an exceptional job. If the movers did a poor job, you're not obligated to tip them at all.

Professional movers should never demand a tip for their services. If you ever feel pressured to give a tip, you should make your concerns known to their supervisors and, if necessary, report them to your local Better Business Bureau. If you're still looking for a moving company, consider one like Palmieri Movers.

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