Saturday, June 28, 2014

Getting the best price on everything ! Learn to negotiate & haggle.

Clothes: ask a store manager ( cashier probably won't know or have authority to save $$) . Ask about upcoming sales, or if there is any coupons . Be polite . If the store doesn't have a deal , you can probably find the same item online ( EBAY, Amazon, blue fly , etc). 

Antiques & collectibles: always treat antique shops like a yard sale. And the more you know what the item is worth the better you can haggle. But first chat up the dealer & show enthusiasm for the item you want. Then negotiate . You can also go to antique auctions or ask the dealer if there is any final day clearance . 

Cell phones : I did this last year ( and posted months ago ) . Call your carrier and ask for a better rate . I was paying as much as my car payment & called AT&T . I explained my situation and she looked at how much I used per month . I saved $60 then . After a few more months I thought it was still outrageous amount for a cell phone so I went to a pay as you go . I pay only $60/mo for unlimited talk/ text/ data. If your carrier isn't budging tell them you're going to switch companies . That usually works .

Home repairs & renovation : If you have a friend or your husband can DIY it . Even better ! Make sure that person knows what they are doing other wise you will pay double just to fix it . Otherwise shop around . Call 3 different contractors and get estimates for free. Go with the cheapest one. And look into home stores ( Home Depot , Lowes) for discontinued items . My parents bought ceramic tile flooring at Home Depot for $100. It tiled the whole down stairs ( 5 rooms). Or lumber liquidators  & habitat for humanity re-stores are great places to find super cheap items . Shop around .

Medical and Dental : call your insurance company and ask what they cover before you do any major procedure . And check into doctors offices & dentist for cheap but good care . I have a dentist in my town that is outrageous for fees & insurance doesn't cover all of it . But if I drive 1/2 hr away I can get the same work done and my insurance covers most if the visit. Try not to go to ER walk in clinics if possible . It will cost you up to $100 . Call your doctor and make an appt . Depending on your co-pay ( I pay $25) it will save you about $80. 

Car repairs : you almost always get better deals if you're a regular customer . They have an incentive to keep you coming back & be happy. And it really pays to know exactly what is going on with your vehicle . I've had mechanics not fix the problem and I still fork over the money . If you have a mechanic friend , even better! I do , he usually charges me $20. Or look it up on YouTube and inspire yourself ( I suggest small jobs ). 

Rent: I started renting again last August . I had all my ducks in a row ( finances , stable job, haven't moved around ) so I saved $35 instantly off my monthly rent . I also negotiated the security deposit . I asked if I could do a payment plan if I couldn't get all of it together ( I did ) . They had no problem . The company was willing to increase my rent for up to 6 months until the security deposit was paid. You could also negotiate your rent by offering to take out the garbage , mow the lawn, plow, or paint.


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