As retailers struggle with slowing sales, tightening credit and rising energy costs, it's easier than you think to negotiate prices. But not until you ask.
Good Housekeeping consulted world-class haggling mavens to help you save on anything from cars to cashmere.
Negotiating a lower interest rate can be one of the fastest and easiest things to work out. It costs card issuers about $300 to obtain a new customer, so they would much rather give you a lower rate than lose your business, says Scott Bilker, founder of debtsmart.com and author of Talk Your Way Out of Credit Card Debt.
How to prepare:
* Collect three tempting credit-card offers that came in the mail.
* Use bankrate.com's Credit Card Rate Search tool to find the best rates for someone with your credit standing.
* Use the lowest interest rate you find (or lower) as your opening offer.
Lower-priced clothes
Be sure to tailor your strategy to the type of store. Discount stores like Target or Kohl's respond best to tactics emphasizing what their competitors are doing. At single-brand stores, like Gap or New York & Co., you'll often get better results by pointing out how long a particular item has been on the rack.
How to prepare:
* Gather price information at competing retailers and e-tailers.
* Time your visit wisely: Weekdays and mornings are best.
* Make your opening offer 10 percent to 15 percent less than the lowest price you've found.
* If a sales representative says she isn't authorized to bargain, politely ask to speak to a manager or supervisor.
Cheaper cars
Dealers generally expect you to haggle when you come in. Only the most popular models, like the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic Hybrid, tend to go for the sticker price. You might get the best deal by negotiating wholly via e-mail and heading to the dealership for the paperwork.
How to prepare:
* Research rebates, loans and MSRPs (manufacturer's suggested retail prices) at auto sites like edmunds.com or Kelley Blue Book.
* Check dealerships' Web sites for their online price quotes. Then, start e-mail negotiations with an Internet manager. If you wind up talking face-to-face, bring your research.
* Time your visit. Show up on a weekday morning, when customers are rare.
* Calculate your opening offer. Phil Reed, consumer-advice editor for edmunds.com, suggests taking the best price you've found, subtracting rebates, and knocking off $500.
* On another matter: Good Housekeeping suggests trying these foolproof egg tools to make preparing delicate dishes easier: Even with less-than-perfect poaching skills, you can make eggs Benedict - with Lamson & Goodnow's HotSpot EggShell Silicone Egg Poachers ($8.75 for a set of 2). Lightly oil a cup, crack an egg into it, then float it in boiling water. If your ideal brunch entree is an omelet, expertly roll one out of the Nordic Ware 8-inch Restaurant Skillet ($35.50) with sloping sides and nonstick finish. To get a boiled egg without the nasty green ring around the yolk, use the Nordic Ware Microwave 4-Cavity Egg Boiler ($10.50).
