Comments on: Negotiating 101: Smarter Wheelin’ & Dealin’

By: YoungHouseLove

YoungHouseLove — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:58:29 +0000

So glad! Such a powerful non-pushy question!

xo,
s

By: Laura in Michigan

Laura in Michigan — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 01:15:41 +0000

I was just getting an auto insurance quote and when the quote came back, I used those 5 little words- “Can you do any better?” – and while the agent couldn’t immediately lower the quote, he did provide some options/bundles that I could investigate further. I felt really empowered and just wanted to thank you for this post! I read your post a long time ago, but it stuck with me!

By: Ali

Ali — Sun, 22 May 2011 02:42:12 +0000

Thanks for this post. I usually have grand intentions of haggling and then I end up just taking the price and walk away kicking myself! Giving us actual words to say is helpful. :)

By: YoungHouseLove

YoungHouseLove — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:16:30 +0000

Love it!!! Congrats!

xo,
s

By: Kara

Kara — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 19:10:09 +0000

I was with my husband when he was calling to switch his flight and it was gonna cost us about $500 extra dollars to move the flight back to later in the day. I sat quietly while he told the representative he couldn’t pay that price and kept requesting for lower priced options. After he could only get her to go as low as $284 for a flight change I told him to put your words into use. He said the exact words, (in a nice way) “can you do any better?” and she found one for $80. Makes me wonder if we had insisted further we might have gotten a change for less! Thank you for those 5 simple words that I was able to use for even a non-house improvement related negotiation!!!

By: YoungHouseLove

YoungHouseLove — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:28:31 +0000

So glad! Wahoo!

xo,
s

By: Melissa Arlena

Melissa Arlena — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 19:22:06 +0000

Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I just got estimates on paving our driveway and my husband asked me to call back and haggle since he is deployed right now and can’t. I was so nervous because I’m not good at that so I remembered YHL had a post about negotiating with contractors and I just used your magic words and got another $100 off!! Since we are having this done in the winter when it is slow we are saving $1000 with our extra $100 discount. Thank you for making that so easy for me :)

By: Rob

Rob — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:37:26 +0000

You are completely right-it never hurts to ask. I would say about 90% of the time a contractor will drop the price, even if it is very little. Today’s economy has people pinned against a wall, so they need the business. Of course they have to make a living too, but they knew what they were getting into when they got into their business. Just ask, you’ll be surprised.

By: YoungHouseLove

YoungHouseLove — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:56:00 +0000

For something like switching out a fixture we DIY those since we have learned how to do that easily and safely thanks to google and a few YouTube tutorials. First of all, turn off the power to your entire house (not just that room) and then follow the step by step instructions you find (might want to hit up the library and borrow a book on it or buy one at Home Depot). Good luck!

xo,
s

By: Danielle

Danielle — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 14:32:53 +0000

When it comes to any and all things “electric”, do you always err on the side of hiring an electrician? If not, how did you learn to do it on your own (your DIY projects only, or maybe a handy free Home Depot workshop)?

Or, at least, when it comes to re-installing a bathroom light fixture for the first time (which you thought would be a snap only to find that you’re not confident in the “before” pics anymore), should someone (me) hire an electrician in order to watch and learn…at least for the first time…? Wires can be scary!

As always, thanks!!!