How much do you tip a massage therapist for a 60 minute massage?
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Anonymous
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Do any of you know what it's like to be a full time massage therapist? If your an independant contacter, you have to pay taxes on what you make, cost of linens, aroma therapy oil, time in set up, beak down and laundry all has to be factored in!.. The person who ASSUMED massage therapists make 50% at a Spa is wrong. I worked for a high end Spa which provide health insurance and other benefits for 9 years. Received the employee of the year AWARD. And still only made $ 29.00 an hour and that was taxed.
Unless working at a place like Massage Envy, your time is never truly your own. If you signed up for a shift, you have to drop everything and go do the massage. It is an on-call service we provide. Now that I'm in my 13th year as a certified massage therapist. I have wised up, I have three part time jobs, and schedule my own clients, and rent the space, so that laundry, equipment and oils are provided. I charge $75.00 for a 60 minute massage, and then if the person doesn't tip, I feel still feel honored for the work I do. I average $15.00-$25.00 tip on top of that. So I must be doing something right. Also please take into consideration that though I keep myself available, have an excellent reputation as a person and therapist. And often have to adjust and re-adjust my schedule to be at service. I am currently living below property level. Massage therapists ALSO have to continue there education in order to keep our skills fresh, and up to date. Most classes cost in the $500.00-$1000.00 range. On top of that there are new laws in place for CMT's stipulating all therapists become nationally certified in order to keep there current licence. Which means my 13 years experience, including as a Spa manager/Director, and the 5 years experience as a Spa attendent, prior to my liscening as a massage therapist. I have to go back to school for 500 more hours in order for me to keep my licence! and be able to practice my healing arts for other business. I currently cannot afford to go back to school though I would absolutely love to!... Be compassion , tip what you can, but more than anything a heartfelt Thankyou to your therapist, even a hug goes along way, we work really hard, to intuitive your needs and provide excellent. If your massage therapist practices with the integrity I do, they deserve your gratitude and appreciation. |
Anonymous
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Do any of you know what it's like to be a full time massage therapist? If your an independant contacter, you have to pay taxes on what you make, cost of linens, aroma therapy oil, time in set up, beak down and laundry all has to be factored in!.. The person who ASSUMED massage therapists make 50% at a Spa is wrong. I worked for a high end Spa which provide health insurance and other benefits for 9 years. Received the employee of the year AWARD. And still only made $ 29.00 an hour and that was taxed.
Unless working at a place like Massage Envy, your time is never truly your own. If you signed up for a shift, you have to drop everything and go do the massage. It is an on-call service we provide. Now that I'm in my 13th year as a certified massage therapist. I have wised up, I have three part time jobs, and schedule my own clients, and rent the space, so that laundry, equipment and oils are provided. I charge $75.00 for a 60 minute massage, and then if the person doesn't tip, I feel still feel honored for the work I do. I average $15.00-$25.00 tip on top of that. So I must be doing something right. Also please take into consideration that though I keep myself available, have an excellent reputation as a person and therapist. And often have to adjust and re-adjust my schedule to be at service. I am currently living below property level. Massage therapists ALSO have to continue there education in order to keep our skills fresh, and up to date. Most classes cost in the $500.00-$1000.00 range. On top of that there are new laws in place for CMT's stipulating all therapists become nationally certified in order to keep there current licence. Which means my 13 years experience, including as a Spa manager/Director, and the 5 years experience as a Spa attendent, prior to my liscening as a massage therapist. I have to go back to school for 500 more hours in order for me to keep my licence! and be able to practice my healing arts for other business. I currently cannot afford to go back to school though I would absolutely love to!... Be compassion , tip what you can, but more than anything a heartfelt Thankyou to your therapist, even a hug goes along way, we work really hard, to intuitive your needs and provide excellent. If your massage therapist practices with the integrity I do, they deserve your gratitude and appreciation. |
Anonymous
If you were making $29/hour, and now you've "wised up" and have what you seem to think is a better arrangement, averaging a $15 - $25 tip - how are you living below the "property" (assuming you meant poverty) level? Even if you're only working 25 hours a week, which I realize is common because of the demanding nature of massage therapy, time between clients, etc - you should be grossing $9400/month with a $79/hour charge + $15 tip average. You have to pay your rent out of that (which according to you covers laundry, equipment, and oils). I think you're doing something wrong. |
Anonymous
| For a massage therapist that owns their own massage company / works out of their home studio...60 minute massage = $85, as a client is it expected that I should tip them on top of that even tho they're working for themselves? |
Anonymous
No |
Anonymous
| I don't understand how this thread has been going on for so long. |
Anonymous
| If your massage therapist charge in your insurance .How much money they charge ? so how do you know % of tip that you give ? I guess the dr therapy office they charge my two time visit over $600 on my insurance plus $70 copayment .two visit each time 45 minutes .How good money they make? and what's do you think if they ask for tip? If you go massage for enjoy relax yes you have give tip .but for medical don't because they did charge a lot |
Anonymous
| Supply and demand: if you feel your service is worth X dollars, charge it. Don't wait for charity to cover your costs. If you think your magic fingers are worth $100 an hour, charge it: simple. When your customer base decreases/increases, that will be your answer as to whether you are worth it. Tipping is a racket, plain and simple. It just gives employers all the power. You think they have any problems firing/laying off servers when they make $2.00 an hour? Nope. Put a little value to your work, people! |
Anonymous
That's crazy. Like many other jobs people work for minimum wage $10 or under. They don't get any tips, regardless of their job performances or economic condition. Tipping should be out of courtesy, not "you should".. 10 - 15%?? Any one? |
Anonymous
| I will NEVER tip for a massage unless they come to my place to do it. I never tip for anything that isn't delivered to me. If I drive to you for the service, no tip. |
Anonymous
:hunf:
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Anonymous
People find it through Google. No requirement to register to post or understanding of bumping old posts. |
Anonymous
| As if massages are not expensive enough, and then they expect a tip on top of the price? Jeez, this isn't rocket science! Making $60+ an hour for giving a massage? No wonder they can't find steady work. Who can afford that on a regular basis? |
Anonymous
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$20 for 60 min and $30 for 90 min.
Are you people kidding me? Do you go back to these people week after week and not tip them? If so I bet they hate you. OF COURSE YOU TIP THEM WELL. THEY ARE RUBBING YOUR NAKED BODY WHILE YOU LAY THERE RELAXING. CHRIST |
Anonymous
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As mentioned a few times in this thread. Tipping should really be an extra for a service that you really liked. Providers provide service for a fee. That fee should cover everything and should be the amount the provider is willing to perform the service - no strings attached. There should be no expectation of an additional tip. If the customer likes the service, they should tip a little extra, eg. $5 or maybe $10 for really exceptional service.
There is lot's of problems with the large 15-25% expected tip: 1. It is a lot of money and misleads the customer. Often you think, hey, that is a good price for a meal/massage/younameit and at the end you realize with the tip (and tax) you paid more than you wanted to. 2. It leads to lower wages and less security for the employee. They often get paid far less than what they deserve and keep relying on the expected tip more and more. 3. Often (not always), the tip gets put away into the pocket and the IRS sees nothing of it. Tip is income (unreliable, and the risk is with the employee, but still income). So employers, start paying your employees fair wages! Customers, only tip if you really enjoyed the service, not for the standard. The funny thing is, if everyone would stop tipping (at the high rate) the whole system would eventually normalize (wages would have to go up). Probably that is the only way to get this done, as employers will be reluctant to raise wages until forced, because they cannot find anyone to work for the crappy salary any longer. There should also be minimum wages by law. Lot's of other countries have worked this out, it is time we get this done too. |