Tipping

Live musicians and DJs are whom I tip, and pathetically little at that.

The SL economy of micropayments - especially because it has that $ in it - causes us confusion with relation to RL. When I go to see a favorite musician do a two hour set, I'll usually tip L$1000. Seems like a lot? It isn't, it's about US$4, much less than the cover charge I'd pay in RL to see the same show. Okay so part of the experience isn't quite the same, but the music is as good, and I don't even have to put on my leviticusdeuteronomous jacket and sharp shoes to go there.

DJs get downright misty when I throw L$500 in the jar. I pay more for a cuppa joe at Barstucks, and then tip the kids behind the counter for their 20 seconds of effort on my behalf.

SL easily has the most cost effective entertainment on the planet.

As usual, everyone is right. I spend most of my SL money on tipping. People whose gigs I go to regularly get L$500, but often more than once a week. I also tip venues, which are essential if you want to hear people play and are usually run non-profit.
You can't do this as a % as you're generally not being charged, but I'm sure every contribution, small or large, is appreciated. Give what you can!

The thing for me is that I make money in SL, so I should spend money in SL. If I didn't make any money here, and had to buy L$ with a credit card, I would be MUCH more frugal in my spending habits. Keep it in the family, sez I.

That would be my guess too, though I don't frequent clubs with DJs. I do encounter plenty of hosts at live music events and usually check whether they own the place to make sure my tip to the venue would go to them. If there is a host there who does a greta job but doesn't own the place, I'd be inclined to tip them too, because it looks like a lot of hard work to me.

I have never tipped individuals in places that would be similar to a coffee shop, and I am not really sure why (I'd tip them if I was sitting at a counter type of situation).

The couple of times when I have sold some of the stuff I made, the money was gone before I could blink at the numbers Paying it forward I reckon.

Isn't it? Jackie Mason had a great routine about Starbucks. He basically said You charge me 3 times the price for burnt nasty coffee, you don't give refills, you give me a paper cup isnstead of china , you make me put in my own milk and sugar, I seat my self, get up if I want to to order something else, and make me clean up after myself. You should be tipping me.


As far as SL tipping goes, I am woefully on the low end admittedly as I allow so much to be spent on Lindens each month and after Tier and Shoes I am sometimes not left with much to work with. I sometimes can only muster a $25L tip, whic is embarrasing for some of my favorites.

It's a lot more than just hitting a gesture button every couple of minutes which I think some people think all it is. If I do a trivia contest, which I do at least once or twice a week, it can take me hours to prepare. It takes a little longer for me to be sure I'm not being American-centric, even though I do get accused of that from time to time.

The only time I've seen trivia at an event is when there was some annoying trivia object shouting every two seconds. The host/hostess puts the questions into those things?

I thought that was a puppy.

The one's I've bee in the Host just asks the questions in Chat and the first to answer wins

Kind of getting OT here, but I rarely do either. I would equate it to tipping at McDonald's.

We now return you to your original thread topic....Tipping in Second Life

That's the way I do mine. It's a lot more fun that way. I do wear a microphone that I type a gesture to bring up the question, but I load the questions in the night before and still gives me plenty of freedom to interact.

I've seen the annoying automated ones. I want no part of that.

Also true in our case. Our hosts have to write and send out events notices an hour prior to their shift starting to multiple groups, help keep chat going with guests, hand out VIP tags, manually keep track of contest voting through IMs from voters, hand out contest prize payouts and manually change the event boards to whatever event is on the next night in their respective time slot. It's not just showing up and saying hi to everyone in our situation.

Not to mention that even part time employees at Starbuck's get health insurance and 401(k) benefits. I think they're doing just fine, considering all they're doing is filling a cup with coffee. Jackie Mason was right.

Most hosts I've seen work very hard for what is not a lot of RL money. It is a labor of love (as most SL jobs are). You have to really want to do the job.

I enjoy the times I do hosting/dancing. I do it infrequently enough for it to be fun most every time I step up on stage.

Okay--I must be one of the poorest people on the board. My account is never flowing with L-cash and I use that for both spending money and investments.

I tend to feel that $200 is a good tip for a live performer (lead) and and additional $100 to accompanists. I also give $200 to the venue ($1000 at special events for my faves).

This is easily in the running for the understatement of the year. How much does it cost to go to a movie in RL these days? Figure if it's two of you and you get popcorn and a couple sodas - maybe some Junior Mints, you're looking at $50. $50 = $13,500L at 270/1. $13,500 goes a really, really long way in SL. SL is no substitute for RL experiences, of course, but I'm just saying that it is dirt cheap entertainment.

That pretty much sums it up for me, too.

Yeah, same here.... I do tip when I go to a club, but after paying rent I have only L$200 per month. So compared to most of you posting here, my tips are extremely puny... but I can only hope that the receiver is as gracious as Bradley.

No, think I have you beat for poorest person on the board.

I don't have a SL ~or~ RL job atm (one of those wonderful "transition periods" in both worlds) so I can't afford to buy many L, regardless of how inexpensive they are.

I feel like tipping "something" though at least shows my appreciation for either a wonderful DJ, live music, trivia game, or instructor in a SL class.

I used to work as a "Cigar Girl" in a vintage 1940's jazz club. The tips ranged from 5L to I think 500L was the largest single tip I received over about 3 months, 2X week average. I was pleased to get ~any~ tip regardless of the amount - they all added up. The average was about 25L. Some of the regulars (there every night) never tipped, and others tipped every time I served a virtual drink.

To my knowledge the Managers/Hosts rarely if ever got tipped. Honestly, I didn't think of it until recently and they do put in a lot of work to greet new arrivals, make people feel welcome, have group tags ready to hand out, be alert for any possible griefers, etc. and in a busy venue, sometimes keeping up with it all is an exercise in rapid multi-tasking.

We used to joke that when another Cig Girl or Bartender was on duty and we were there dancing, we passed the same tip around to each other!

I've never tipped a host. I feel really bad about that right now. I honestly never knew how much work went into it, and it never occurred to me to do it. Dang. I'm really sorry I haven't. I won't make that mistake again.

It's okay Trout. Have a goat's blood martini. It's friday.

VIVA LA CHUPACABRA!!!!!

How about a bourbon? Maker's Mark on the rocks? Better make it a double. On second thought, what's the biggest glass you have. I'll need a straw and an ambulance.

Can I have a piece of Marionberry pie with that? It's my favorite.

I think they only do tipping in Texas and Kansas.