Here's how to save big bucks -- haggle

Parent Cafe
1

<p>Check out this article. Lots of great info.</p>

<p>"A recent Consumer Reports study found that 66 percent of American consumers had haggled at least once in the preceding six months, with an 88 percent ka-ching rate on gadgets, clothes, furniture and steak. “People like this,” Koehn said. “They are not going to go back to giving their money away. Why would they?”
[url=<a href=“http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012803512.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2010012901664]washingtonpost.com[/url”>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/28/AR2010012803512.html?hpid=topnews&sid=ST2010012901664]washingtonpost.com[/url</a>]</p>

2

<p>Steak??? I could see the other ones, but where does that fit in? In a restaurant or supermarket?</p>

3

<p>The author pointed out to the butcher that the steaks approaching their ‘sell by’ date and asked if they could be discounted. The manager knocked off $1.50 each. The author also negotiated a one-time discount with Verizon on his monthly wireless bill.</p>

4

<p>I read that article but I’m still not sure I’d have the nerve. It just isn’t in me. I am even uncomfortable trying to do that in countries where it is the norm. I usually just don’t buy anything.</p>

5

<p>Ah it’s not so bad once you get a few ways to approach it. And it depends on store and product too I think.</p>

<p>Was in Nordstroms at the Fashion Mall in Phoenix last month…hubby went to look at blazers, and I find him getting shown a lovely leather briefcase by the salesperson. I approached, said to my husband, “oh don’t buy it now hon…briefcases always go on sale…we’ll come back and buy it later”</p>

<p>The salesperson said “well THESE bags never go on sale, but tell you what, I’ll knock off $100 if you buy it today”. Hubby said “sure”. </p>

<p>$100 for one sentence. WELL worth trying it. </p>

<p>I took a class once where students had to go and negotiate a product and come back and report on it. Students were able to save money on EVERYTHING. I mean everything. You’d not believe the money we collectively ‘saved’ as a class. The best story I remember is the guy that negotiated a large chunk of change off an engagement ring for his girlfriend. </p>

<p>The lines I find the easiest are these: “Is this the best price?” or “when is your next sale on this?” It just sort of opens up the conversation without necessarily requiring you to make an offer per se (and sometimes you learn when to wait to buy something). Keep track of your success…you can pay for an entire vacation a year by remembering to negotiate.</p>