DEAR HARRIETTE: I love my husband, but I think he could work on his personal appearance. From time to time, he surprises me and dresses up. I like how he looks when he is dressed up; however, those days are few and far between. When I asked him why he does not dress up more often, he said he did not need to. I was taken aback by his response.
I really want my man to dress up more often, and I need some help convincing him that he should. -- Upgrade My Man, Memphis, Tenn.
DEAR UPGRADE MY MAN: Rather than chastising your husband about his casual attire, give him some incentive to dress up. Start inviting him to go with you to dressier activities, such as a fancy dinner or a community dance. Buy him an outfit that is a bit of an upgrade and that you think he will be comfortable wearing. Show him your appreciation whenever he puts on fancier clothes.
He may never become a fashion plate, but there's a good chance he may be willing to dress up from time to time if you can draw him in with inviting activities.
You also may choose to dress up for him as you give him a new tie, shirt or other article of clothing. Make the whole scenario sexy. Then watch the heat rise -- at least a bit!
DEAR HARRIETTE: I order takeout food and often have it delivered because I don't always have time to go pick it up. I always run into the same predicament: How much do I tip? I usually tip $1 to $2. Am I being too cheap, or is this amount reasonable? -- Tipped Off, Manhattan, N.Y.
DEAR TIPPED OFF: When you eat in a restaurant, it is typical to tip the waiter 15 percent to 20 percent of the bill. If you have stellar service, it's great to give more.
On delivery orders, it is more common for customers to pay about 10 percent to the delivery person. But put yourself in the delivery person's shoes: If it was particularly difficult to deliver your food, give a little more. For instance, do you live far away from the restaurant, and is the delivery person on foot or on a bike? Is the weather inclement -- raining, blazing hot, cold, snowing?
It's preferable to give cash to the delivery person so that he or she doesn't have to share it with the folks back at the restaurant. That tip is supposed to be specifically for the person who took the time to get the order to you.