Montana, Is Tipping A Machine Really an Option Now?

Montana, like a lot of the country, has seen inflation hit us hard these days. I don't think anyone likes to spend more money on anything. There has been some good news lately, the price of gas has dropped a bit in Montana. Even though it was only a small amount, at least the price didn't go up again. I am trying to stay positive.

Read More: Montana Gas Prices Drop For the First Time in Three Months

Inflation hasn't been the only thing that has cost people more money. There are other types of "flation" you may need to be aware of. "Shrinkflation" is when a company makes a product smaller but charges the same price. There is another "flation" that seems to be happening these days, "Tipflation".

Tipping Is Everywhere These Days

When it comes to tipping, I have made my position clear. I do tip, but I think that tipping in this country should end. It shouldn't be up to me, to determine how much someone else gets paid.

Read More: An Open Letter To Montana On Tipping 

So how much are people tipping these days? According to a TalkResearch.com survey, Americans are spending almost $500 a year on tipping.

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How Much Do You Tip?

The average respondent to the survey tips $37.80 a month, for a total of $453.60 a year in just tipping. Almost half of the respondents have noticed "options for tipping on tablets and digital devices increased in value in the last month alone."

Would You Tip a Vending Machine?

One question that TalkResearch asked that was shocking to me was 23% of respondents are willing to leave a tip "for a service that had no human interaction, such as a vending machine or a self-checkout kiosk at the grocery store". That is a big number to me. Who would leave a tip on a vending machine? I guess I am the 77% that wouldn't leave a tip. I like to believe I am not a cheap person, but tipping a machine is too much for me. When I tip, I want to know that I am tipping a person.