Savvy consumers know that there are ways to save money on almost anything available for sale. Yes, you may need to do some negotiating, but by opening your mouth and stating your offer, you may be able to reduce the price for most any item at any store. Read on and we’ll look at some ways you can save money, allowing you to keep more money in your pocket.
Find and use coupons — Coupons are king and still represent an important way for manufacturers and merchants to lure consumers. Not just Sunday paper coupons too: you can find coupons in your mailbox, in store circulars, on the Internet and through local coupon books offering deals for a variety of retailers. Coupons may be used by retailers to snag you, but you can selectively choose and use coupons to help you save money.
Ask for a better deal — That $799 couch may not be on sale, but if you’re ready to buy and have cash on hand, you may be able to strike a much better price. Effective negotiators already know what any item costs the merchant and attempt to get a price as close to that cost as possible. Wholesale pricing information can be obtained by searching online and also by reading articles from consumer magazines. For example, if you visit The Consumerist, you will learn that furniture is marked up by 200 to 400 percent. With that knowledge in mind, you can offer the salesperson a much lower price, say $250. If he laughs at you, ask for the manager and present your offer to her. She may not agree on your price, but most likely will shave something off the top that is acceptable to you. You won’t get this deal except if you ask for it.
Insist on rain checks — You know that deal that was supposed to stay in place until Wednesday? Well, the store has run out of those items. Check the circular to find out if there is a “while supplies last” notation in the fine print. If not, then that means that you qualify for a “rain check” or a note from the store allowing you to claim the item for the lower price when it is restocked. Stores typically provide enough merchandise to cover anticipated demand, but occassionally they’ll be caught running out of one or more items. If so, politely approach the manager and state that you are a regular customer and that you would like to buy the out of stock item for the discount price once it comes back in. If you have been inconvenienced, say so — the manager may allow you to stock up on more than the “limit four” items her store usually lists.
Never buy new — You’ll always pay more than what something is worth if you insist on buying new. That’s because goods and services are fully marked up. Buy something that has been previously used and you’ll pay less, reflecting the depreciation already taken. You’ll want to buy new food, of course, but clothing, cars, sporting goods equipment, furniture, and a whole host of items you use every day can be had for much less if buy used. Visit garage sales, yard sales, rummage sales, estate sales, shop eBay and Craigslist and bargain with a neighbor over the lawn equipment he is thinking about selling.
These are, of course, just a few ways that you can save. The idea here is to get you into the “savings mode” where you expect to pay less than full price sale or no sale. If a merchant rejects your low, but viable price, then be prepared to walk away — there will always be other people who will accept your offer or at least come in with a better deal. But only if you ask.
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