New etiquette of tipping 💸

Plus: The science of aging 🧬

View this email online This newsletter was written by Life Kit digital editor Malaka Gharib  As a kid I spent many of my summers in Egypt, where it was very important to give a baksheesh, or “tip” in Arabic, to service workers, taxi drivers or anyone who went out of their way to help us.  My dad would always have small bills in his wallet for this purpose. If we asked our bawaab, or "doorman" in Arabic, to fetch us a taxi from the main road, he’d hand him a baksheesh for the trouble. Or if a convenience store clerk went out of his way to find the coldest Coca Cola for us to buy, my dad would thank him with a little tip.  These days, I feel compelled to carry around small bills too. Since the pandemic, tipping expectations in the U.S. have increased, reports Stacey Vanek Smith in a new Life Kit episode. We started tipping people who we don’t normally tip and tipping more than usual as a way to support essential workers at a time of crisis, says Shubhranshu Singh, a marketing professor at Johns Hopkins University.    The new rules of tipping Reina Takahashi for NPR With this upswing in tipping requests, it’s a good time to revisit the etiquette of tipping. Here is some surprising advice I learned from our episode.  💵 When in doubt, tip in cash. If you’re not sure whether your tip will go to the person who helped you say, at a restaurant, tip in cash, says Singh. “Then you know you are giving that person money right there.” 🙌 Err on the side of tipping. If you receive an unexpected tipping request at a business, like the dry cleaners, leave a little something. It’s often an indication that the workers there are not getting paid a minimum wage. Singh likes to leave a 10% tip. 🖥️ Beware of screen pressure. Some businesses load their payment systems with default minimum tip options of more than 20%, says Singh. If you don’t want to give that much, feel free to take an extra moment to select the “custom tip” option. For more on the purpose and history of tipping, listen to our podcast episode.  🚨 Attention all Google Podcast listeners! Google Podcasts is going away on April 2, 2024 (read more here). If you use this app to listen to Life Kit, you can find our episodes in many (many) other places! The NPR app is a great option, or we're big on platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also find us on apps like Pocket Casts and Overcast. It doesn't matter where you go next, just that you find us soon so you don't miss any Life Kit episodes. 🌷Malaka’s picks: On flexibility🌷  A roundup of Life Kit episodes that have helped me stretch my body and mind this spring.   💡 Applying the rules of improv to your everyday life can help you embrace mistakes and accept new ideas. Instead of saying “no” to a suggestion, I take a pause and say “yes, and” in my head instead. It gives me a moment to consider new possibilities. 🪤 Your brain has a tendency to fall into “thinking traps.” Here’s how to counteract them. This story taught me to play up the positive attributes of a situation when I find myself starting to fixate on the negative. 🖥️ If you sit at a computer all day, these stretches and exercises can relieve pain from slouching. I love the spine flossing one. It feels so good after sitting down for so long!  Newsletter continues after sponsor message Listen Sponsor-Free Support public media while getting expert advice on health, finance, relationships and more with Life Kit+. You'll get sponsor-free listening AND that warm fuzzy feeling that comes with making a difference. You can also check out loads of other NPR+ podcasts with benefits at plus.npr.org. Explore Life Kit+ How to thrive as you age Peathegee Inc/Getty Images/Tetra images RF We asked. You answered. Here are your secrets to healthy aging. NPR asked our audiences to share their hard-won wisdom. We heard from more than 1,000 people, ages 16 to 103! Here's a roundup of your best advice for thriving as you age. This diet swap can cut your carbon footprint and boost longevity. A new study finds swapping half of your typical red meat intake for plant protein reduces your diet-related carbon footprint by 25% and may also boost your lifespan. You can order a test to find out your biological age. Is it worth it? Learning your DNA age sounds intriguing. But researchers caution that the results might make you nervous. And they don't tell you much about what steps to take next. This week on Life Kit Maskot/Getty Images How to live with roommates. Whether you're living with roommates by choice or because you need to, sharing your living space with strangers or even friends is not easy. This episode walks you through how to find a roommate situation that works for you by understanding your non-negotiables, tackling conflict and inviting more joy into your shared home. Life Kit's tips of the month: On seafood labels, eye strain and sibling relationships. Our most memorable and useful expert advice from Life Kit's March episodes, hand-picked by the editors. How to clean when you don't have the energy. Having dirty dishes in the sink isn't a moral failure. Therapist KC Davis, author of How to Keep House While Drowning, has developed a framework for keeping up with house cleaning without feeling overwhelmed. Stream your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: LifeKit@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? 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