Top 5 Times to Haggle for a Better Deal

This story was originally published on AOL on June 16, 2008.

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:

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.

Compare costs. 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 Outofpocket.com.) 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.

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

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.

Be flexible. 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.

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.

Assess market value. "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.

Read our story for more tips on cutting car costs.

Leverage competing offers. Tell College A that they're your kid's first choice, but from an affordability perspective, College B makes more sense. Ask the financial aid officer if they can match the other school's offer. (For more on comparing offers, use our guide.)

Ask for a reassessment 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 story.

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.

Bring small bills. 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.

Also See:
5 Credit-Card Pitfalls Everyone Should Know About
How to Save on (Almost) Everything
Top 5 Ways to Make a Car More Fuel-Efficient