To Count or Not To Count?

[BuffaloKyle]

This is kind of a silly topic. But I recently noticed when I pay the provider it's about 50/50 in terms of guys who will count the money in front of me and those who will put it right in their pocket without counting. I'm sure that half counts it once they are leaving or I leave. I think the half who put it right in their pocket sees it as rude or not trustworthy to stand there and count the money in front of the client. But if I was a provider I actually would also want to make sure a client didn't overpay on accident and kindly ask if they left a tip or didn't count right themselves if there was extra money that was handed over.

[56harrisond]

I prefer to pay in cash the first time I meet a provider. I like to make sure he sees me put the money on the table then excuse myself to the bathroom. This allows him to count it or not while I'm out of the room. Once a provider miscounted/undercounted the amount and asked about it when I returned to the room. I said it was correct and I asked him to recount, awkward.

[BCMan]

I always pay cash immediately upon meeting. And I always first meet in a public place, usually a bar. It’s in an envelope. Sometimes I will encourage them to go to the bathroom and count it themselves. I want to get it over with, and I want them to be comfortable and not worried about it. Yes, there is risk involved in that. But so far I haven’t been burned. 

[Wings246]

I asked a somewhat related question a few months ago:

 

I always pay in cash and I actually want them to count it in front of me for all of the reasons (and a few more) mentioned above by @BuffaloKyle.  Nonetheless, all of them either just leave the envelope on the table or stuff it in their pockets without even opening it.  I honestly won’t be offended if they count it (I tell them so each and every time).  I just want to make sure everything is accurate.  But I guess they all trust me.

[DMonDude]

The times i pay cash, they've always counted it in front of me, but i've heard some guys don't. And i think they should and i don't see it as rude if they do. I'd much rather they know they got what they asked for and i know i didn't accidentally hand them less/more than intended.

I definitely think the notion that counting the money whether in front of the client or not is rude/impolite isn't right. I think it's similar to the false notion that office workers discussing their pay is rude/impolite. It's not, it just isn't conducive to the employer getting away with under paying or unevenly paying the employees 😆.

Edited 22 hours ago by DMonDude

[Mark_fl]

If they are counting, I'd rather it be in front of me. I make sure the amount is correct, so I don't want them to count it out of my sight and tell me I was short.

[+ JamesB]

I guess I have an honest face. I always pay cash in an envelope, and almost none of them have ever counted the money in front of me. Only two that I can remember have actually counted it, and curiously, both were from Venezuela. Maybe it’s a cultural thing. Whether they count it or not doesn’t really matter to me. I always check and double check that I have the correct amount.

[+ Jamie21]

If I’m paid in cash (which is about 30% of the time) I don’t count it in front of them unless they ask me to. Only once did I get shorted but I called the guy back because it was like half the correct amount and he was apologetic and had miscounted. It was fine.

I find it awkward to count it when the client is getting dressed so I just put it aside and count it if they leave the room or once they have gone. If I’m in a hotel I count it discreetly in the corridor outside the room. 

[+ Pensant]

Rarely have they counted in front of me; however, I don’t care when they do.

[Chien Andalou]

I always pay in cash, and I usually fan it out when I put it down. That way that they can quickly eyeball the amount. If I tip, I might also say I put a little extra for you. 

[Mark_fl]

I don't find it at all insulting if they count immediately. I don't prepay, so they have taken the risk up to that point. I cant think of any service where they trust you to have paid the right about before you leave. Maybe a restaurant that has table kiosks, but verifying proper payment seems pretty normal to me.

[+ 7829V]

I always pay cash in an envelope, and out of ALL the providers I’ve paid, only one has ever counted the money in front of me. Everyone else just takes the envelope and that’s it.

[Nightowl]

I just put the cash on a table, in or out of an envelope.  No one has ever counted it in my presence but some have texted me their profuse thanks when I am driving home.