Thou Shall Not Pay Retail

It’s a simple concept in theory but difficult for many people in reality. How does one get the best price on clothes, housing, and other life necessities? Haggling is an art form more than anything. In Max Edison’s book How to Haggle: Professional Tricks for Saving Money on Just About Anything readers learn the best ways to save a few bucks. True, you may feel like a cheapskate but over the long haul being able to successfully negotiate price is a useful resource that will save thousands of dollars.

Rent is often one of the best areas to haggle on. It’s amazing how few people actually try it though. Perhaps a landlord with an empty property is willing to throw in a free month or $30 a month off rent. I’ve personally tried this technique successfully on a number of occasions. Sellers, this can also work for you too. When you list something for sale, mark the price up just a bit so there’s room for negotiation. I believe it was Chester Karrass who once remarked “In business you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate”. That’s why it doesn’t make much sense to post an asking price with the words “firm” next to it for a car. Ask around. Most people never buy a car for the asking price.

With Edison’s book, he takes this to the next logical step… as in perhaps there are other things to haggle on. For instance, automobile repair is one area that is frequently over-looked. The key is to not to get too greedy or come off as being unreasonable. Ask “if I pay cash, is there a discount” or “is there any way to get a lower price”? Or the old favourite, “would you take a competitor’s coupon”? Often those magic words can easily knock ten percent off a repair bill… especially in this economy.

Switching gears, we have a fantastic talk on acing your job interviews coming up at Kansas City, Kansas Public Library in the Main Library Second Floor Auditorium on Tuesday, August 4 at 6:30 pm. Then we’re having another talk on Tuesday, August 11 from 6-7 pm in the first floor computer lab on locating employment. Please RSVP in advance by contacting Curt Friehs at 913-279-2064. We’re located over on 625 Minnesota Avenue and these talks will be given by special guest speakers from the Workforce Partnership. Last month we had a great talk on resumes. In August, we’re going to show you what to do when you finally get your foot in the door for an interview. It’s a tough job market and every little bit of helpful advice can make the difference between a job offer and the less than pleasant alternative. Until next time, catch me in the library.