How Much to Tip Movers for Local & Long-Distance Moves

By Sharon Neiss-Arbess

The moment you have been waiting for has finally arrived. Your new home has become a reality and wouldn’t it be so lovely if you could snap your fingers and presto – you can move right into your new humble abode? Unfortunately, we don’t have that magic power…yet, so in the meantime, we have these wonderful and oh so helpful people called movers to help us with this process.

According to Health status.com, moving is the third most stressful life situation a person can go through, right under death of a loved one and illness. This alone is the best reason to choose your movers wisely and to reward them for it with a tip.

“Reward them? Hello… I am already paying them!” You may argue.

Like working in a restaurant, moving is a service business where tips are expected.  The average mover expects to make more than 30% of his earnings off of tips. And, moving is hard! We are talking lifting really heavy couches, ginormous TV’s, your grandmother’s precious coffee table, just to name the few things that you need to make your new place your home.

These angels from heaven place these heirlooms, and entertainment systems that put a smile on your face after a long day’s work carefully in a padded moving truck, which is way better than the back of your car – that may get crushed by an office desk that is half hanging out of your trunk – that will fall onto the highway – in the middle of rush hour traffic.

We must have gratitude for these movers. They are saving you what could happen (see previous paragraph) and time at your chiropractor’s office as well.

These movers deserve 15% to 20% of the total bill. Remember, even though the hourly rate may be $35 an hour or a flat rate of some kind, these movers do not pocket the whole bill – the company they are working for does. They get a salary, just like a waiter/waitress at a restaurant. And, just to make a point, a chandelier is much more difficult to get from point A to point B than eggplant parmigiana and we tip our waiter 15% of the bill without a single thought.

Some may be able to afford a packer. How does this work? All you have to do is point to a room and every book, picture frame and crystal vase will be carefully wrapped and stored into a moving box. What do you have to do? Leave your house for a few hours and it will all be done. Very sweet.

What about if you’re not moving across town, but to a different city – or even across the border? All of your possessions are safely tucked away, in their moving “blankies.” On top of their tip, I give the movers 10% to 15% of the total cost of the move.