The Fine Art of Negotiation

Did you know that you can negotiate the prices on nearly everything you purchase? You could be saving money on everything from taking a cab to your home energy bills just by having a few simple conversations.

A lot of people are afraid to negotiate because they think it’s rude, or they are afraid of a confrontation. Don’t be afraid! There is definitely a right way and a wrong way to negotiate. Here are a few simple tips:

1) Negotiate before services are performed – If you visit your hairdresser, nail salon, talk to someone about mowing your grass, etc., the right time to haggle is before the person does the work. If you both agree on the price before anyone does any work, then everyone is happy. If you wait until the work has been done and then try to talk down the price, you look like a con artist. So – respect the folks you want to haggle with and do it before they do any work for you.

2) Be polite – No one wants to give a deal to a jerk, who would? The nicer you are and the less confrontational you are, the more likely people will be to help you out and close the deal.

3) Know what you want to pay in advance – Start out a little lower than you are actually willing to settle for. Then be willing to “give” a little in the negotiations. If you are willing to pay $100 for an item or service, start by suggesting $75 and letting the person “talk you up”. This prevents arguments and makes the person on the other end feel like you are willing to compromise with them.

As you get better and better at these tactics you will literally not believe the amount of money you are able to save. Negotiation isn’t just a yard-sale tactic. That locally owned grocery market, the scratch-and-dent floor model you want, even your monthly bills are all open to discussion. You’ll never know how well it works unless you try it!