5 Unexpected Places You Can Bargain For Deals

I love a good deal. Something about saving money gets my blood pumping. My blood pressure rises and I feel excited. It’s almost the same feeling I get after exercise. After years of working on my bargaining skills, I have found a few places that will regularly make deals, you just have to ask. There are many places that you expect to haggle, like a car dealership or when house hunting, but there are a few unexpected places that can make your more common expenses lighter.

Almost any business will haggle with you. If you show them cash or the promise of money, they will find ways to make sure you spend it there. Here are 5 unexpected places I have bargained for deals.

Everything to gain, nothing to lose

Have you ever wondered if you could get a better deal on something? I mean anything. With more and more stores doing away with their price matching policies, knowing when and where to haggle can come in handy. Why not ask for a deal? Unless there is a REALLY good reason to pay full price at that particular store, then ask away. All they can do is say no, then you pay what you were going to pay anyway.

If you’re anything like me you have a hard time sticking to a strict budget. I have tried and tried to do them in the past, but there is always something I mess up. Now I’m taking a different approach, I try to spend the least amount I can on everything and I ask myself the same question before I buy anything, “Do I need it?” For the majority of the time, the answer is NO. On a sideways note, this little question has helped my diet as well.

If you don’t succeed, try again

As with any form of bargaining, it won’t always work, but when it does you’ll be grateful you tried. For every deal I do make, there are 10 that weren’t successful, but that’s OK. I know it may not work out when I start, that doesn’t stop me from trying though. Don’t let it stop you either.

I don’t have a system in place, I go off of instinct. I thank my mother for this, she would give us fifty cents at yard sales and tell us to get as much as we could with it. It really is amazing how much stuff people are willing to give you for free or cheap if you can just strike up a friendly conversation. The best I ever did was in my teens. I bought my car a CD player, a shelf for books and a new dress all for 13 bucks!

I’ve even begun teaching my kids the art of deal making so they can build their deal radars as well. My oldest is getting pretty good at it. I have to stop him from getting things for absolutely nothing at yard sales all the time. He somehow manages to make that happen consistently. I know it isn’t stealing since they hand it to him, but I don’t want him getting used to sweet talking people into giving him stuff. I want to breed business savvy, not swindling.

Unexpected places to bargain for deals

The Grocery Store

Particularly at the deli counter. You can really get some good deals there. Just ask the attendant to cut you a deal on the meats/cheeses, even if they aren’t on sale. I’ve gotten as much as 50% before, just by asking for it. That isn’t the only place to get deals though, anywhere in the store is game on. I like grass fed/free range products, but they are dang expensive. If you pay attention to the labels on the shelf, you can get the lower price for items if they stock the shelves wrong. At the checkout, just let the cashier know so they can do their double checks, and you get the deals.

I’ve heard you can ask for a discount on dented cans as well, but I haven’t had any luck with that one yet, so I think it may be a myth.

The gym

These are almost always successful. Even the big name gyms will do something for you, even if it isn’t a deal on the membership. I’ve gotten discounted fees, free massages, personal training, guest passes and merchandise just by asking for it. With gyms, the trick is usually paying up front. Why sign a year membership and pay every month, when you can pay for it all up front and get extra stuff to boot? That may not be in the budget for everyone but if you can swing it, I would recommend it.

The doctor

I have yet to meet a doctor’s office that won’t give you a discount if you ask for one. Many will do a 15- 30% off up front rate if you are willing to pay the balance on that day. This one works well of you either have no insurance or a high deductible that you know you won’t meet and don’t want to deal with insurance at all.

One note, this technique may not work at urgent health clinics, especially county clinics, which typically go off sliding income scales. It won’t hurt to ask though.

Discount electronics store

A lot of people don’t think to ask for more deals at a discount store; but really, they expect you to. I have to thank my dad for this trick, he uses it at department stores like Sears or JCPenney as well, so try it everywhere. This one takes a little bit of time and effort to win big, but the rewards can get substantial. If you have a home remodel or move that you know is coming, get to know the salespeople a bit. Put feelers out there for what you want, or even walk them to the product and show them which one you have our eye on. This way, when the items become last season, or maybe become a scratch and dent piece, you are the first in line to scoop it up. My parents have completely remodeled their kitchen with stainless steel appliances this way, at a 50-75% discount on each purchase.

If you don’t have time for the long game, that’s okay. Asking to see old models or for a lower price is still the way to go. Pull a little bit of cash or your card out of your pocket, and then put it away so they can feel the hurt of that money leaving. You will be surprised at what they might do to make a deal happen.

Hotels

If you can’t get a deal on the price of the room, then you can at least get perks. Many hotels will upgrade your room for free or cheap or give you a special rate on one of their services if you just ask. In Vegas, I have gotten wine and brunch services for just 10 bucks a day!! I know this doesn’t sound super exciting since I still spent money, but if you have ever done this, then you know what an amazing deal that is. Only 10 dollars for two people to eat as much as you want for breakfast and brunch and all the wine and mimosas you want!! That right there, saves money on 2 meals, which can get pricey on vacation.

Why Not?

That is the question to ask yourself. Why not go for the deal?  Why not ask for what you want? All that can happen is someone says NO in that moment. Be persistent in your cause, either they may say YES in the future, or someone else with the same product might. Asking doesn’t cost a thing. Go out and make some deals.

Let me know in the comments if any of these worked for you.