Are Tips Income, a Bonus…or a Mindset Problem?
Hello, hello — and welcome back to Greedy Bitch, the podcast for groomers who are done apologizing for wanting more. I’m your host, River Lee — founder of The Savvy Groomer — and if this is your first time here, let me just say: welcome. You’re in the right place if you love grooming… but you’re tired of being exhausted, underpaid, and quietly resentful about it. Now listen — we’re kicking off January with our New Year, New Money theme. So today felt like the perfect time to talk about something groomers have a LOT of feelings about… ✨ Tips. Cash tips. Card tips. The “oh my god they tipped me $40 I love them forever” tips. The “why didn’t they tip me at all?” spiral. The guilt. The gratitude. The confusion. And before we go any further, let me say this clearly: 👉 This episode is NOT legal advice. 👉 This episode is NOT tax advice. 👉 I am not telling you what to report, how to report it, or what your accountant should do. What we are talking about today is the mentality around tips — because the way you think about tips tells me everything about how you view your pricing, your worth, and your business model. And some of you guys… are using tips as a coping mechanism instead of a strategy. So let’s get into it. Let’s start here: Tips are not just money. They’re emotional feedback. When a client tips you, it feels like: Validation Appreciation Proof you did a good job Proof you’re “worth it” And when they don’t tip? It can feel like rejection. Or disrespect. Or like you did something wrong. Even when logically you know that’s not true. Here’s the thing no one tells groomers: You work in a job where: You give physical labor Emotional labor Caretaking energy Customer service AND artistry So of course tips feel personal. But the problem starts when: Your mood depends on tips Your confidence depends on tips Your ability to pay bills depends on tips Because at that point, tips stop being a bonus… and start becoming emotional income. And emotional income is unstable. So let’s ask the question directly: Are tips income… or are they a bonus? And here’s my honest answer: 👉 If you need tips to survive, they are acting like income. 👉 If your business model assumes tips will “make up the difference,” that’s a pricing issue. 👉 If tips feel like relief instead of appreciation, that’s data. Because ideally? Your pricing should already cover: Your labor Your expertise Your overhead Your energy Your lifestyle Tips should feel like: “Oh, that’s nice.” Not: “Oh thank god.” And if you just clenched your jaw a little when I said that… we need to talk. Because relying on tips is often a sign of: Underpricing Fear of raising prices Fear of client pushback People-pleasing Or being stuck in the “nice groomer” identity And none of that makes you a bad person. It makes you human. Some groomers think: “I can’t raise my prices because my clients tip well.” But what that actually means is: “I’m letting my clients decide my income for me.” Tips are optional. Pricing is intentional. When tips fill the gap, it creates: Inconsistent income Anxiety on slow days Emotional rollercoasters Fear of losing “good tippers” Resistance to change And here’s the real kicker: When you rely on tips, you’re more likely to: Over-deliver Undercharge Avoid boundaries Accept behavior you shouldn’t Stay quiet instead of confident Because you don’t want to risk the tip. That’s not empowerment. That’s survival mode. Here’s where I want to shift the conversation. Tips are data. Not identity. They can tell you: How clients perceive value How consistent your service is How confident your pricing feels to them Whether your experience matches your rates But they should NOT tell you: Your worth Whether you’re “good enough” Whether you deserve more money Whether your prices are fair Consider putting your tips aside for the next week to one month I want you to notice: Patterns Emotions Stories you tell yourself What tips trigger for you Not just how much you get. Because awareness comes before change. So here’s your takeaway for this week: If tips feel essential instead of optional, your next money move isn’t “get better tips.” It’s one of these: Review your pricing Learn how to raise prices confidently Build a budget that doesn’t rely on randomness Create a system that supports consistency And that’s exactly why January matters. You finally have the space to think. To reflect. To plan. And if you’re realizing: “Wow… I don’t actually feel in control of my income,” That’s not shame. That’s clarity. And clarity is where New Money starts. If this episode hit a nerve — good. That means you’re paying attention. This month’s theme is all about New Year, New Money so try to start tracking your tips, and start noticing not just what you earn… but how you feel about it. And if you’re ready to take this deeper:
We talk about pricing inside the Price Increase Masterclass:
https://www.savvygroomer.com/pimc
We talk about money habits inside Personal Finance on a Leash:
https://www.savvygroomer.com/enroll
And we track it all with the Paws & Prioritize Planner: