If youve ever bought a car, you probably did a little haggling.
Here are six of those costs, and how you’re able to negotiate them.
In the meantime,negotiating a lower APR is possible.
Just call your credit card company and follow a script.
Heresone weve covered:
Hello.
Could you reduce the interest rate on my account to, say, 9.9%?
If you’ve got the option to successfully negotiate rent, youre golden.
And negotiating rent is more common than you probably think.
Market rent is usually $50 - $200 above that amount monthly.
Theyll come down on the monthly rate.
They budget for concessions every month to get people to move in.
You talk them down $100/month and sign a year lease?
Bam, $1200 saved.
Its definitely worth asking.
Look for damaged goods: Coffee table has a dent in it?
Small hole in a t-shirt?
Its always worth asking for a discount if the item youre buying is flawed or damaged in some way.
Many retailers will offer you a different free shipping code then and there.
Apparently, my insurance didnt cover that blood work.
Surprisingly, they agreed to pay for it as a courtesy.
This involves offering to pay your full amount all at once in exchange for some savings.
This way, if youre negotiating, youll be armed with better numbers.
And then theres the good,old-fashioned method of just asking.
Most hospitals are generous in their discounts.
you’re able to negotiate even when you have insurance.
Each visit cost about $15,000.
The hospital was able to reduce the bill to $5,000.
They add that you’ve got the option to negotiate with doctors over individual bills, too.
Some of them may even offer special payment plans for hardship cases.
College Tuition
Yes, its possible to get a better price on your tuition.
Time reported that89% of private college studentspay an average of half off the sticker price of their tuition.
Of course, colleges dont call it negotiating; they just offer scholarships and aid.
But surprisingly, thesearenegotiable.
If you have multiple offers from colleges, youre at an advantage.
We actually found they were very responsive.
They might not like the word negotiation, but clearly this was a negotiation, Goldman says.
Keep in mind that colleges that give you the same bottom line can get there different ways.
Some colleges even offer family discounts, which are discounts for siblings who attend the same school.
Harvard Business Reviewsuggests negotiating your vacation time, for example.
If you dont have any work experience, you’re free to still try asking.
Just prepare yourself with research, and focus on your skills rather than experience when making your case.
Maybe you acquired these skills in an internship, college organization, or a part-time job.
When asking for ahigher salary without work experience, focus on these skills and how youve honed them.
If theres a lesson here, its that it doesnt hurt to ask.
You might be surprised at what you’re able to get just by speaking up.
Illustration by Tara Jacoby.
