Holiday handouts...

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
1,546
0
36
Yesterday...
While we were having a TV dinner someone rang a bell. I couldn't tell if she's one of our neighbor or which house she came from since I mostly work till late at night and keep mostly quiet on weekends. According to our neighbor who spoke little English told me, she was looking for some money to give out people who cleans the town(?).
Anyways...
Back in the state I had about $200 put aside for people who have served and protected us. Like garbage men, mail man, fire fighters and etc... Is DR same as well?
I want to be nice to our two watchies and Garbage man if I see them and donate a little more to my wife's favorite charity once we go back to state. Do you guys give out little extra during the holidays? How much should I pay watchie and garbage man?
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
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i do not pay anyone who does not work for me. so we only give christmas bonuses to the maid and gardener: double monthly wages.
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
1,546
0
36
i do not pay anyone who does not work for me. so we only give christmas bonuses to the maid and gardener: double monthly wages.
Since I live in gated community and our rent includes all the maintenance people, I guess house owner will take care of them on paying bonuses?
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
whoever pays them their salaries will give out 13th wages as well. do not give them anything: you cannot possibly give a little something to absolutely everyone, people will only get upset...
pay nicely to those who work directly for you and in your house. you should have paid them already, actually. most of double wages are given on the 15th...
 

Ringo

On Vacation!
Mar 6, 2003
2,823
41
0
Yesterday...
While we were having a TV dinner someone rang a bell. I couldn't tell if she's one of our neighbor or which house she came from since I mostly work till late at night and keep mostly quiet on weekends. According to our neighbor who spoke little English told me, she was looking for some money to give out people who cleans the town(?).
Anyways...
Back in the state I had about $200 put aside for people who have served and protected us. Like garbage men, mail man, fire fighters and etc... Is DR same as well?
I want to be nice to our two watchies and Garbage man if I see them and donate a little more to my wife's favorite charity once we go back to state. Do you guys give out little extra during the holidays? How much should I pay watchie and garbage man?

We pay our help the required Christmas bonus plus a little extra. We pay for health insurance on our main man and they all get paid vacation time and a little extra depending on ... whatever. One of our men needed a leg operation or could have lost his leg... so we took care of that and he works an extra hour a day as his way of thanking us. They have been with us for some time and.... I would hate to have to find replacements.

Good, honest and reliable help is NOT EASY TO FIND.

Other then them, we tip the sanitation workers at Christmas. Our garbage area usually looks pretty clean when they pick up each week.
 

Castle

Silver
Sep 1, 2012
2,982
1
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How much should I pay watchie and garbage man?

I pay the cleaning lady roughly two month's worth of salary, plus her regular payment. In numbers, I gave her 5000 DOP extra. She makes about 700 a day and visits once a week.
I gave the guachi a big bottle of Brugal (the one they call La Comparona), about 700 DOP
 

Givadogahome

Silver
Sep 27, 2011
4,397
2
0
I give the garbage guys a little something at xmas. I don't give to the general random needy, there are too many and the majority are scams under some legitimate cause.
I remember when I first moved over a woman with a blind kid cornered us for a few pesos, I put it in the hand of the blind kid who dropped it but showed no sign of being blind as he chased it across the sidewalk.:cross-eye
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
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yahoomail.com
I gave my household help a "Double Month's Pay", I tip the guy who brings the "Diaro Libre" 500 pesos.
The biggest, BUY FAR, part of my income goes to "Supermercado National Arroyo Hondo"!
I tip generously there all year long.
They set aside the best, and biggest, fruits & vegetables for me. They bring me a chair to sit on while they check out my order.
They KNOW how to bag my stuff so the eggs don't get broken, the bread and chips mashed into powder, and the clorox bottles are tightly closed.
The butcher saves my chicken skins, and other Animal Parts" for my dogs.(I am charged 8 to 10 pesos a lb.)
He also has been known to miss label meat and chicken in my favor.
The watchman, & gate keeper, run to open a handicapped parking space in front of the main door when I arrive.
If the bananas are old and black, they bring me a new box.
I tip my plumber, electrician,and gardener, and the guy who fills my propane tanks.
I give the butcher 1,000 pesos, everyone else 500 for Christmas tips.
I love being a "Big Fish", in a "Small Pond!!!!!"
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william webster

Platinum
Jan 16, 2009
30,247
4,329
113
Black bananas...

When my brother had terminal cancer, he tried to read the report and it was gobblety-gook to him.

He asked his friendly doctor for a layman's translation....

The Doc said,
"Don't buy any green bananas"


Count your lucky stars that yours are going black


True story............. really true
 

Koreano

Bronze
Jan 18, 2012
1,546
0
36
CC... Thanks for that info. it looks like I need to start to give a little to folks at local Nacional and La Sirena and see if that starts to make difference on our quality of meat ($20 or $50RD notes?). Our quality of Ribeyes and skirt steaks had been inconstant and I want to have decent steaks once I come back.

I guess I'll play safe and put $200 Paso note in a brown envelope and give our two guards the day I leave for State. Those two were very helpful while we were trying to adjust our life here, like when I try to order some specialty food at some restaurants and when the person is asking way too much information I can handle and meanwhile other catch my son when ever he venture outside without our permissions and promptly notified and brought back.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
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yahoomail.com
I know all the managers at Supr Nat., including the "GM".
He is from Spain, it's Spanish chain, and we exchange "Dumb Dominican Stories" all the time.
It helps if you concentrate all your efforts with the same people all the time. That constant income stream makes them veru helpful, and dependable.
When I walk in, the bag boy, and low level mgr. tells me which # check out register to use.
The young butcher, who happens to have polio, comes to tell me he has chicken skins, or whatever, and he will bring them to me.
I bought a birthday cake for my daughter a week ago. When the low level mgr. saw it, he said, "Wait" and left with the cake. He was gone a Loooong time, I was getting ****ed, he finally arrived with a fresh cake. Said the other one was too old.
Next year I am going to ask for a "Sedan Chair", so my feet never touch the ground!!!
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flyinroom

Silver
Aug 26, 2012
3,796
683
113
i give the garbage guys a little something at xmas. I don't give to the general random needy, there are too many and the majority are scams under some legitimate cause.
I remember when i first moved over a woman with a blind kid cornered us for a few pesos, i put it in the hand of the blind kid who dropped it but showed no sign of being blind as he chased it across the sidewalk.:cross-eye


...................lol
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
21,843
191
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yahoomail.com
Then there was the famous "One Legged Guy".
Pictures in the paper and on TV,of the police Unbinding his "Invisable Leg"!
Too Funny!
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Bronxboy

Well-known member
Jul 11, 2007
14,107
595
113
Then there was the famous "One Legged Guy".
Pictures in the paper and on TV,of the police Unbinding his "Invisable Leg"!
Too Funny!
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<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/81aYE4Ta6iw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>.........
 

belgiank

Silver
Jun 13, 2009
3,251
103
0
We give our maid double wages for the month, and also buy her a surprise xmas basket with some goodies we know she likes, and normally cannot afford (small pack of smoked salmon, a bottle of red wine, some nice cheese, a dessert from the Belgian bakery, etc..). Not much, maybe a 1,000rds, but it shows some personal attention. And she does more for us, then she normally should do.

Our gardener is included in the rent, so we do not pay him double wages, but as he also helps out with the dogs etc... on occasion, we normally buy him a turkey. Last year we bought him a live one, but this year it will be a butterball, as the local ones are more expensive.

BelgianK
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
Staff member
Jan 9, 2009
23,097
6,247
113
South Coast
I've actually had people I know come to me with Christmas turkeys, to see how much I'd give them for it. I get the impression a lot of them aren't crazy about turkey.

I agree with you. I think a lot of them don't have a clue how to roast a Turkey, almost everything they cook is done on the stovetop. Many [not all, don't start throwing tomatoes at me] Dominicans don't use their ovens for anything except storage of pots.