Bargain Like a Pro

Americans tend to be weak on this front because it's a skill we rarely use, says Reid Bramblett, a travel expert and founder of Reid's Guides. Sure, we bargain at the car dealership and during job negotiations. But for the most part, the price on the tag is the price we pay.

Unfortunately, this means we often overpay. And when traveling abroad, this weakness could be viewed as downright insulting. "It almost annoys the vendors," says Bramblett. "They would rather it be the proper social interaction."

Here are some tips on how to bargain with confidence:

Retail Stores
Most people don't think you can negotiate with a retail store's prices, says Wallner, but there's no harm in asking for a discount. Here, it's very important to be nice — and articulate. "You really want to try to give the merchant a reason to give you a discount," she says.

The best situations for trying to snag a lower price at a retail store are when you're buying a big-ticket item, when the product is flawed, or when you've been a loyal customer to the store in question.

Retail is one area where you will pretty much always need to initiate the bargaining, but, again, don't be the first to mention a specific price. Don't specifically ask for, say, a 20% discount, Wallner advises, since it may come off as too aggressive. Instead, ask if there's any chance the item will be on sale soon, or if there's any way the sales associate could offer you a better price. Keep in mind that a discount may not always be cash off, she says — you could get free delivery, extra products or some other perk.