Ask, and you really will receive.
Eighty-nine percent of people who haggled in the past three years were rewarded at least once, according to a new Consumer Reports survey of 2,000 adults.
The average savings varied depending on the good or service, but in every category a majority of hagglers saved $100 or more. On furniture and medical bills, the average savings was $300, the survey found. Medical bills were the category that people were least likely to attempt to negotiate, while furniture was among the most common things to haggle over.
Most of us hate to do it, though. Only 48 percent even tried to negotiate a better deal on everyday goods and services, CR says. In the video below, we explain why haggling is the simplest way to save on everything. Check out how Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson knocked $90 off his cable bills in a 13-minute phone call:
The worst thing that can happen isn’t somebody telling you no; it’s not even trying. CR highlights the stories of a woman who knocked $7,500 off an expected $10,000 cataract surgery by explaining she lacked insurance and a group of neighbors who saved $8,000 on tree removal by banding together and asking for a discount.
We have a lot of advice on how to haggle, and so does CR’s new issue. Here are a few of their tips:
- Ask open-ended questions, not yes-or-no ones.
- Use research or expertise to prove you know what you’re talking about.
- Don’t be rushed or intimidated by a title.
CR also shares which tactics used by consumers in the survey worked best. Announcing you’d check with competitors, actually doing so (and bringing their ads), and making small talk all helped at least 40 percent of hagglers.
Do you have experience with haggling? Share your advice for people who might be a little shy on our Facebook page.
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