TO GET A BETTER

deal on your next purchase, all you really need to do is ask.

Thanks to a slowing economy and a subsequent decline in consumer spending, haggling has become a lot easier. "Practically everything these days is negotiable," says Mary Hunt, founder of consumer advocate web site Debt-Proof Living. "Retailers want to move merchandise, even if it's at a discount." And you don't need to do any fast talking. Most deals can be had with a little research and a few simple tricks.

Here are five expenditures worth haggling over:

1) Medical Bills

Getting first-rate medical care doesn't have to mean paying full price. Doctors, labs and other medical providers are often willing to negotiate, with both uninsured patients and those whose insurance only covers a portion of their health expenses, says Jonathan Pletzke, author of "Getting a Good Deal on Your Health Insurance Without Getting Ripped Off." Patients can get 20% to 50% knocked off the price, he estimates:

Pay cash upfront

. Doctors may offer you the same lower rate that they charge insurance companies, if not an even cheaper fee if a patient agrees to pay them at the time of the appointment, says Pletzke. Then the patient can later file a medical claim with their insurer. Say your insurer covers 80% of a $650 root canal (or $520). Negotiate a $450 cash fee before filing the claim, and you've cut your out-of-pocket costs by $40. An uninsured consumer could save $200.

. Check your provider's rates against those of other doctors in the area. (You can find local rates through your insurer, or via patient posts at

.) Often, doctors will lower their fees in order to stay competitive. A New Yorker going for an eye exam and contact lens fitting, for example, could pay anywhere from $45 to $69 depending on the eye doctor they visit. Potential savings: $24.

Compare costsOutofpocket.com

Read our story for more tips on cutting health-care costs.

2) Retail stores

You'll have more room to negotiate with independently-owned stores, but even big-name chains like Wal-Mart and Target aren't immune to a little haggling if approached the right way, says Hunt. All it takes is a little flexibility:

Point out flaws

. Floor models, sale items and products with visible damage (like a scuff or missing button) are ripe for discounts. "Most sales associates can offer at least 10% off without a manager's permission," says Hunt. Ask for a bigger cut if the item's problem isn't easily fixable, like a stain or dent.

. Substantial flat-out discounts aren't always possible, so ask about extras like free shipping or an extended warranty. Hunt says she usually initiates negotiations by asking, "Is this the best price I can get on this?" That leaves it to the employee to start suggesting possibilities.

Be flexible

3) Cars

"It's really a buyer's market right now," says Jack Nerad, executive editorial director of auto pricing site

Kelley Blue Book

. "There's plenty of room to negotiate." The catch: The discount you get depends largely on the make and model you're considering. If you want a car that's in high demand, like the Toyota Prius, it will be more difficult to convince the dealer to budge from the sticker price. Other vehicles, such as SUVs, will yield better deals. Here's how to get them:

Incite dealer competition

. If you're buying a new car, collect quotes from local dealers. Do this online at Kelley Blue Book or Edmunds.com. Then try to pit the dealerships against one another by emailing each with the other's offer. Not only should it help you get a lower price and better financing, but it also saves you from the hard-sell you'll encounter visiting showrooms in person.

. "A used car, because it has a unique history, mileage, etc., is a one-time deal," says Nerad. You can't easily compare it to another, which can make it tough to gauge a fair price. Buyers should use sites like Kelley and Edmunds to estimate the used car's value, then talk up the factors they don't like (i.e., not the ideal color, too many miles) to work down the price.

Assess market value

Read our story for more tips on cutting car costs.

4) Financial Aid

Although you are "negotiating," don't dare use that term or worse, "haggling" in conversations with financial aid officers if you want a better package, cautions Paul Wrubel, co-founder of TuitionCoach.com [http://www.tuitioncoach.com], a financial aid education site. "Talk about, 'How can we work together to close the gap [between expected family contribution and the cost to attend]?'" he suggests. "That's a much less threatening approach."

Leverage competing offers

For more on comparing offers, use our guide

if you encounter financial hardship. Any loss of income in these tough economic times, say, from a job loss or depleted home value, should trigger a special circumstances re-evaluation, says Wrubel. During a reassessment, the college will judge your ability to pay based on projected income for this year instead of last year's actual income as reported on your federal return. Many colleges have discretionary funds set aside for such appeals. For more on how economic woes impact financial aid, read our

.

Ask for a reassessmentstory

5) Tag sales

Sellers at flea markets and yard sales want to unload their items before calling it a day, which gives you plenty of leverage to bargain, says Leann Houston, a spokeswoman for the Fentress County Chamber of Commerce in Jamestown, Tenn., headquarters for the

World's Longest Yardsale

. Her best tricks:

Go late

. Early on in a sale, vendors have little incentive to haggle, says Houston. "There are so many people coming through, they can be pretty sure of getting a better deal," she says. Visit later in the day, and he or she may be more willing to drop the price on that antique bureau or mountain bike to avoid lugging it home.

. Exact change makes it easier to enforce your maximum price i.e., "I only have a $10 bill. Would you take $10 instead of $15?" It's also less insulting to the seller because you aren't pulling out a bill big enough to cover their initial asking price, she says.

Bring small bills

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