An oft overlooked part of saving money is the power of simply asking for a better deal, or for an unjust situation to be set right. Often we accept what we are told at face value, and if a car repair is quoted at $500 we assume that is what we have to pay. Likewise, if something breaks or stops working long before it seems reasonable, we might just shrug our shoulders and move on.

But don’t. Don’t accept the status quo. Don’t assume that whatever happens or is offered is the best you can get. Negotiation goes a long way. In the past, I have negotiated to get a better interest rate on my credit card, a discount on new tires, and a number of upgrades for our furnace. It doesn’t always work, but it is definitely worth a try. And the more you try it, the easier it gets.

Right now I am working on getting my defective computer monitor replaced as well as my child’s stroller that showed wear too quickly in my opinion. We’ll see how those go, but I am glad that I am trying. So speak up! Be assertive. It can have a bigger effect than you think.

This frugal tip provided by paidtwice of I’ve Paid For This Twice Already…

This entry was posted on Thursday, September 18th, 2008 at 6:34 am and is filed under Frugal Tip. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.