Comments on: Ask for bargains http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/ money: saving more, making more, needing less Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:31:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Frugal Duchess http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-142 Frugal Duchess Wed, 09 Nov 2005 05:15:18 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-142 Hi: Great post: I have heard of people bargaining at high-end stores The managers of some national chains will sometimes cut you a deal if a garment is slightly stained or whatever. Others that are owned by indiviudals will also provide additional discounts, especially if you plan to be a repeat customers. Anyway great blog. I plan to return and I will provide a link to your site on my site (The Frugal Duchess) at www.Sharonhr.blogspot.com Hi:

Great post: I have heard of people bargaining at high-end stores
The managers of some national chains will sometimes cut you a deal if a garment is slightly stained or whatever.

Others that are owned by indiviudals will also provide additional discounts, especially if you plan to be a repeat customers.

Anyway great blog. I plan to return and I will provide a link to your site on my site (The Frugal Duchess) at http://www.Sharonhr.blogspot.com

]]> By: Deborah http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-141 Deborah Tue, 08 Nov 2005 17:36:33 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-141 I have been called: Ms. Frugality, Your Cheapness...etc. etc. Why, you may ask? Because I ask very nicely about (I call em) price re-adjustments all the time. If people say no, I drop it. However, that doen't mean I wouldn't ask again, ...different time. I have been called: Ms. Frugality, Your Cheapness…etc. etc. Why, you may ask? Because I ask very nicely about (I call em) price re-adjustments all the time. If people say no, I drop it. However, that doen’t mean I wouldn’t ask again, …different time.

]]> By: 2¢ Worth.com » Blog Archive » Live from the Carnival http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-140 2¢ Worth.com » Blog Archive » Live from the Carnival Tue, 08 Nov 2005 06:24:41 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-140 [...] Getting an education while eating Steak. Or, why burgers make more sense. Bargaining at a mall. And hospitals. Now I know why healthcare costs are going up! Jon’s take on [...] [...] Getting an education while eating Steak. Or, why burgers make more sense. Bargaining at a mall. And hospitals. Now I know why healthcare costs are going up! Jon’s take on [...]

]]> By: Jason http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-139 Jason Tue, 08 Nov 2005 00:20:27 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-139 I have a friend you got really good at this when he had to do a lot of purchasing for his company. He would just ask for a discount - no justification, no business case, no explanation of why he deserved it - just ask for it. He didn't always get one, but he often did. One technique he used requires the ability to deal with socially uncomfortable situations, but it always made me laugh. The price would be $100. He would say, "How about $75?" The vendor would come back with, "We don't really do that," and he wouldn't respond - just leave the line silent. Then the vendor might come back with, "Let's see what we can do... maybe $95?" Still just silence. "I think I might be able to get it for you for $85." And so on. The trick was to make the other guy anxious to fill the uncomfortable silence. For most of us, it's uncomfortable for us, too, but I always thought it was funny. A much easier one from personal experience was that I got a ticket it my irresponsible days. It was a hefty moving violation, plus I had expired plates and the total fine was $180! Well, I didn't have $180, so I went to the courthouse to ask for a break. I just walked up to the counter and asked if I could spend a night in jail in lieu of the fine. (I was very broke, which was why I had expired plates in the first place.) I didn't make any excuses or try to plead not guilty. I just asked for an alternative. The lady just said, "What if you went to traffic school for two hours and we cut the moving violation fine in half, give you six months to pay it, and waive the expired plates fine if they are current when you pay the other fine?" Of course, I jumped at the option. I have a friend you got really good at this when he had to do a lot of purchasing for his company. He would just ask for a discount – no justification, no business case, no explanation of why he deserved it – just ask for it. He didn’t always get one, but he often did. One technique he used requires the ability to deal with socially uncomfortable situations, but it always made me laugh. The price would be $100. He would say, “How about $75?” The vendor would come back with, “We don’t really do that,” and he wouldn’t respond – just leave the line silent. Then the vendor might come back with, “Let’s see what we can do… maybe $95?” Still just silence. “I think I might be able to get it for you for $85.” And so on. The trick was to make the other guy anxious to fill the uncomfortable silence. For most of us, it’s uncomfortable for us, too, but I always thought it was funny.

A much easier one from personal experience was that I got a ticket it my irresponsible days. It was a hefty moving violation, plus I had expired plates and the total fine was $180! Well, I didn’t have $180, so I went to the courthouse to ask for a break. I just walked up to the counter and asked if I could spend a night in jail in lieu of the fine. (I was very broke, which was why I had expired plates in the first place.) I didn’t make any excuses or try to plead not guilty. I just asked for an alternative. The lady just said, “What if you went to traffic school for two hours and we cut the moving violation fine in half, give you six months to pay it, and waive the expired plates fine if they are current when you pay the other fine?” Of course, I jumped at the option.

]]> By: » Carnival of Personal Finance #21 by Blueprint for Financial Prosperity http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-138 » Carnival of Personal Finance #21 by Blueprint for Financial Prosperity Mon, 07 Nov 2005 13:29:54 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-138 [...] g How To Cook (Efficiently) Sarah of Frugal Underground explains how you can get deals by bargaining in places you otherwise wouldn’t think you could. Steve Pavlina at St [...] [...] g How To Cook (Efficiently) Sarah of Frugal Underground explains how you can get deals by bargaining in places you otherwise wouldn’t think you could. Steve Pavlina at St [...]

]]> By: bookchiq http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-137 bookchiq Sat, 05 Nov 2005 14:43:30 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-137 That's awesome! I am always amazed, but it happens often enough that I really should be used to it. My mom always says, "You don't get what you don't ask for." That’s awesome! I am always amazed, but it happens often enough that I really should be used to it. My mom always says, “You don’t get what you don’t ask for.”

]]> By: SMB http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-136 SMB Sat, 05 Nov 2005 12:55:00 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-136 I thought of this post just last night after placing an order with Lands End for a cashmere sweater. I've wanted one for years, and finally decided to treat myself. After I hit "Add to Cart" I was informed it was backordered until Dec. 5th. I went through with the order, but after thinking about it (and your post) for a while, I decided to send an email asking nicely if they'd waive the shipping cost since I had to wait so long. They responded within minutes and said they'd be happy to. While I didn't exactly ask for a deal on the sweater itself, I did save over $8 in shipping. And all I had to do was ask! I thought of this post just last night after placing an order with Lands End for a cashmere sweater. I’ve wanted one for years, and finally decided to treat myself. After I hit “Add to Cart” I was informed it was backordered until Dec. 5th. I went through with the order, but after thinking about it (and your post) for a while, I decided to send an email asking nicely if they’d waive the shipping cost since I had to wait so long. They responded within minutes and said they’d be happy to.

While I didn’t exactly ask for a deal on the sweater itself, I did save over $8 in shipping. And all I had to do was ask!

]]> By: jennifer http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-135 jennifer Fri, 04 Nov 2005 22:10:40 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-135 we shop occasionally at siera trading post, on line and in town; they deal in overstocks, last years stuff, seconds, and thirds. one time we went to see what they had and look specificaly for a footprint for my tent. we found one for another tent that would work, but not a match for my tent (was for a bigger tent with a star shape rather than roughly rectangular). it was ticketed at $50 or something. we went up to the cahsier and said hey will you take $15 or $20 for this. he punched in some numbers and sold it to us for $10. we shop occasionally at siera trading post, on line and in town; they deal in overstocks, last years stuff, seconds, and thirds. one time we went to see what they had and look specificaly for a footprint for my tent. we found one for another tent that would work, but not a match for my tent (was for a bigger tent with a star shape rather than roughly rectangular). it was ticketed at $50 or something. we went up to the cahsier and said hey will you take $15 or $20 for this. he punched in some numbers and sold it to us for $10.

]]> By: ncnblog http://frugalunderground.com/ask-for-bargains/comment-page-1/#comment-134 ncnblog Fri, 04 Nov 2005 17:14:08 +0000 http://frugalunderground.com/test/ask-for-bargains/#comment-134 Wow, good post! I am a terrible negotiator! I just feel strange asking for a discount...I don't know why. Maybe I don't want to be seen as "cheap." Whoever invented the price "tag" was a psychological genius. He KNEW that putting the price on something would discourage haggling, and thus put pricing control into the hands of the seller, not the buyer. Great post, ncnblog.com Wow, good post! I am a terrible negotiator! I just feel strange asking for a discount…I don’t know why. Maybe I don’t want to be seen as “cheap.” Whoever invented the price “tag” was a psychological genius. He KNEW that putting the price on something would discourage haggling, and thus put pricing control into the hands of the seller, not the buyer.
Great post,
ncnblog.com

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