The five secrets to saving money on almost anything

There are some bargains that shopping around can't get you. Of course, the power of checking the market for the best possible deal shouldn't be underestimated, and could save us all thousands of pounds a year on everything from jam to car insurance. However, if you want to save even more money, you need to learn the five secrets of saving on the advertised price.
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1. Take it on

It's easy to assume that the price of everything from a holiday to a TV package is non-negotiable, and that if you try to haggle you'll just embarrass yourself. However, this is far from the case, and even people with a real aversion to confrontation can save money, simply by calling.

If you hate haggling, then at the very least you should shop around for a better deal, and then call your current provider to cancel your contract. This will get you through to the department in charge of discounting in order to keep customers.

When they ask why you are leaving, let them know why - and what their competitor is offering. Then say 'can you beat that price?' You don't have to push, or argue, or do anything clever, and you'll be shocked at the number of times they will offer you something better.

2. Research

If you are prepared to do more than push on an open door, you can save even more. However, before you get anywhere near a negotiation, you need to do your background research. According to expert negotiators at Huthwaite International, if you're not confident about negotiating, you'll fail in four out of five attempts.

The best way to build confidence is to know your stuff. If, for example, you want a car company to offer you a better price, then you're going to be much more confident telling them that you've seen one in another forecourt for a specific price, than you are going in with no idea whether or not it's cheaper elsewhere.

3. Be nice

First and foremost, don't demand or try to intimidate. The aim is to get the person to want to help you, so pay attention to your attitude - and be nice to the salesperson.

Attitude can be enough when you're dealing with a faceless individual within a huge organisation. However, when you are dealing with a smaller business or a local, consider what's in it for the other person.

Tony Hughes, CEO, Huthwaite International says: "Being confident and having power during negotiations, doesn't mean going in there all guns blazing, with a focus only on what they want to get out of it. Our advice is to be confident but not aggressive. Try to strike the right balance with your negotiation partner."

Consider what you can offer in exchange for a deal. Would a good deal mean you will shop there again? Will you recommend it to your friends? Will it mean you are able to buy more in this instance? They're not going to give you a good deal just because you demand one, so try to build a scenario where a deal suits everyone.

4. Prepare to be persistent

It's worth preparing a few handy phrases, so you have something to come back with if the haggling isn't going to plan. Start with something straightforward like: "The most I can possibly pay is £xx". If they ask for more, you can come back with phrases like: "That's going to leave me a bit short, is there any thing else you can do?" or "My wife/husband will never let me pay that much, can you do it for less?"

If you hit a brick wall, and the price is still too high, you can say something like: "That's still much more than I was expecting, I'll need to think about it." Then you can walk away, regroup, decide whether you want to go elsewhere, or come back and try with another salesperson on another day.

5. Take your time

Don't be in a rush to counter-offer. Hughes says strong negotiators actually make fewer counter offers. If you can bear it, you can stay silent and hope they fill the gap with a better offer. If you can't, then you can reiterate what you are offering. Something along the lines of "So my top budget is £xx, and if you can offer me that deal, I'll be buying all my items from here in future." Then it's their turn.

Every so-often you'll come up against a brick wall. However, if you are prepared to stick with it, then you can easily save on almost everything you buy.

But what do you think? Are you prepared to haggle? And what are the best savings you've made through clever negotiation? Let us know in the comments.

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