If I’m paying for my goods and services with actual money, but using prop money for tips, is that bad? In my understanding, tips are given of one’s own free will and would be considered a gift to the recipient, the same as if I gave flowers or cookies as a tip. I’ve also seen fake money passed off by religious people that looks fully real on one side, and has church propaganda on the other side.
This is a hypothetical question that came up when assembling a gag gift for my kid from my parent. I don’t plan on doing it (though, there are some instances where it’d be VERY tempting…), but it does make me curious.
Collection plate is fine, anything where the person needs the money is a super dick move.
Tips aren’t an optional gift, not in the US. Tipping in the US is and explicitly began as a way to make sure you didn’t have to pay black people if you didn’t want to. Even in states without separate tip/no tip minimum wages, you’re fucking with people’s expected income and ability to plan their finances/life.
Giving fake money to homeless/working poor is straight up cruel - they are way more likely to suffer legal consequences for not realizing you were a dick.