Not Made Of Money

Everybody loves to get a bargain. I collect coupons for my favorite stores, shop clearance aisles regularly, and keep an eye on sales ads all the time just to save a little money on my purchases. Each of these ideas, though, doesn’t take advantage of the easiest way to save while shopping. If you want to save money while shopping, sometimes all you need to do is ask.

Asking for a discount can be a little awkward at first. I know it took me quite a while to get comfortable with the idea. I always felt like I was being pushy or rude. That’s not true, though. I am always polite; I simply make a request and make my purchasing decisions based on the answer I get. Now that I’ve had some practice, I’m ready to share some tips with you.

Ask the right person. The person who is stocking the shelves at your favorite shop probably doesn’t have the authority to give you a discount on that pots and pans set you’re looking at. Instead, look for the store’s manager (or assistant manager) or someone working in the specific department that you’re shopping in. These are the people who are in a position to bargain with you.

Ask the store to price match. When my husband and I were shopping for furniture for our living room, we wanted to patronize a local furniture store rather than the big name store in our city. The local store’s prices, however, were much higher than the prices in the big name store. We selected the furniture we wanted at the big name store, noted its price, and paid a visit to the local store. After explaining that we really wanted to shop there, but couldn’t afford to pay extra, the local shop was more than willing to match the big name store’s price.

Point out defects. Purchasing floor models may require that you put up with a few blemishes or defects. If you don’t mind them, though, you can get a pretty hefty discount. Ask the salesperson if you can take the floor sample off their hands at a discounted price.

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