• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Start Here
  • Work with David
  • Our Services
  • Contact
Young Adult Money

Make more. Save more. Live better.

  • Blog
  • Credit Cards
    • Rewards
    • Cash Back
    • Travel
    • Airlines
    • Hotels
    • Balance Transfer
    • Student
    • Business
  • FREE Budget Spreadsheet
  • FREE Student Loan Spreadsheet
This Just In... Check out the latest travel rewards credit card offers

5 Ways to Negotiate Better

By Rachel Slifka / Last updated: February 25, 2018 / Business, Careers, How To, Lifestyle, Personal Finance, Save Money

We may receive compensation from companies mentioned within this post via affiliate links. Read our full advertiser disclosure. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Pin34
Share5
Tweet3
Email
Buffer11
Share7
60 Shares

Do you know what you want, but are afraid to ask for it? Negotiation can be a powerful, but intimidating, tool. Here are 5 ways to negotiate better.Have you ever heard someone refer to negotiation as an art form?

Successful negotiators go for what they want and get it. They earn more money because they ask for a raise, they get better deals, and they always seem to have people willing to barter with them. Why is that?

To many, negotiating seems intimidating because they aren’t sure where to begin or how to initiate the conversation. They would rather take the first option told to them than to ask for the better deal.

Many times, people make you an offer and expect you to negotiate. Failure to do so means you’re losing money. Fear of negotiating has the potential to leave thousands of dollars on the table.

Don’t let that happen to you! Here are X ways to negotiate better.

 

Do Your Research

 
Though you may know what you want, it’s important to research to see if what you’re asking for is reasonable.

For example, you may be job searching and want a salary of $100,000 for a job as an entry-level office coordinator. Chances are, you won’t get hired because your salary expectations are a bit unrealistic. While you should aim high in negotiating, you should still be feasible.

Knowing what something is actually worth gives you a lot of power and prevents you from accidentally offending the other party.

On the other hand, performing adequate research ensures that you aren’t short-changing yourself too much. You should still aim for what you want, but in a practical sense.

 

Know What You Want And Ask For It

 
Now that you’ve done your research and have a starting point, don’t be afraid to ask for it! Negotiating can seem intimidating, but it’s easier when you’re prepared and know exactly what you want.

Be bold and straightforward, while remaining courteous. Refrain from beating around the bush and just ask for what you want.

Be as confident as you can. Remember – you did your research and this is what you want. There is no harm in asking for anything.

 

Stop Talking and Listen

 
Many people make the mistake of talking too much after asking for what they want. You don’t need to explain any further. Continuous talking and a lengthy explanation only make you seem nervous and unsure.

Allow the other party time to think and respond. The ball is in their court now so be patient. If the object of your negotiation is large or costly, this could be a bit of a waiting game.

If they don’t agree to exactly what you asked, listen to their reasons. Are they making excuses as to why they can’t meet your proposal or are they giving you legitimate reasons? Listening closely allows you to form a proper response.

 

Look For a win-Win Solution

 
Remember that negotiating involves a lot of back and forth. Most often, the other party’s response is not entirely what you asked for. This is where the actual art of negotiating comes in.

Be prepared to have an alternative offer. Remember, whatever they are offering you is of value, so try to find a solution that makes both of you happy.

Personally, I always look for win-win situations when I am thrifting something from someone on Craigslist. Usually the seller simply wants the object out of their house. So I volunteer to pick it up, haul it away, and negotiate for a lesser price than what they initially listed it for. We both leave happy because the seller had to do minimal work while I got the deal I wanted.

 

Be Willing to Walk Away

 
Even with the best negotiator, there is no guarantee that you will come to an agreement that is suitable for both parties. The worst case scenario is that you may have to walk away from a deal.

Walking away from something you really want is never easy. The key is to maintain emotional detachment.

So how do you stay emotionally detached from a potential purchase?

Know that there are other options out there. For instance, if you’re interviewing for a job, but the salary isn’t what you asked for, you’ll have to consider if it’s worth it. You remain emotionally detached by reminding yourself that there are other jobs out there that might better fit your needs. The more attached you become to the potential job, the more power you lose in negotiating.
_____________

Negotiating can aide you on your quest to financial freedom if you are able to do it correctly. By remembering these tips, you can master the art of negotiation and ask for anything you want in life.

 
 
Would you call yourself a good negotiator? Do you have any stories of when negotiating benefited you?
 
 

Check out some of our favorite personal finance resources:

Are you getting the best credit card rewards? Check out the top cash back credit card offers (updated daily)

Make extra money: 15 ways to make money from your computer

  • Get our FREE Automated Budget Spreadsheet and our Student Loan Spreadsheet

Get the First Chapter Free!

Student Loan Solution Cover - 3D

Join our online community and get the first chapter of the book Student Loan Solution absolutely FREE!

Pin34
Share5
Tweet3
Email
Buffer11
Share7
60 Shares

Rachel Slifka

Rachel Slifka is a freelance writer and human resources professional. She is passionate about helping fellow millennials find success with their finances and careers. Read more by checking out her website at RachelMSlifka.com.
Connect:

Comments Policy

Comments, responses, and other user-generated content is not provided or commissioned by this site or our advertisers. Responses have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by this website or its advertisers. It is not the responsibility of advertisers or this website to ensure that all comments and/or questions are answered. With all that being said, please comment away!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Lila says

    I think it takes practice. The more you do it, the better you get at it.

    If it’s a negotiation for a raise at work, definitely play up what you did, and not because you have bills to pay. I’ve seen a lot of raises at work get turned down because people said: “I have a baby, new car, got married, bought a house, etc.”

    Everyone has bills to pay and life events, so bosses aren’t really impressed by bills, and they have to be accountable to their boss and the company. The raise has to make sense on their end.

    • Rachel Foxwell says

      Love those points. No one is entitled to getting what they want or think they need. I personally negotiated performance based raises semi annually at my job. It keeps me motivated to work hard since the company will only agree to a raise if I’m putting in the effort.

  2. Amanda @ centsiblyrich says

    I love the art of negotiation. Solid advice here! We recently negotiated a large purchase and got a good, fair deal, in my opinion. The most important part of the negotiation was our complete willingness to walk away (knowing other options would, eventually, present themselves).

    • Rachel Foxwell says

      Thanks, Amanda! Being willing to walk away and remain detached is difficult, but if you give in to emotions, you’re probably not getting a great deal. Glad to hear you walked away with a fair deal!

  3. Centsai says

    Researching is so crucial to negotiation! You definitely do not want to walk in and not know what you’re talking about and ultimately look like a fool! Additionally, being confident and bold is definitely needed to get what you want out of the deal! If you are shy and insecure there is a chance that the person you are negotiating with might see you as a pushover and you won’t get what you originally came for.

    • Rachel Foxwell says

      Great points! Researching helps you to look confident, even if you aren’t.

  4. Tia @ FinanciallyFitandFab says

    When it comes to salary negotiations, I think it is important to realize that they are other things to negotiate for than a bigger paycheck. For example, the company may not be able to give you the exact dollar amount that you are looking for; however, they may be able to compensate with more vacation days or allowing you to work from home.

  5. Mustard Seed Money says

    I think negotiations is an acquired skill. I think about the show Pawn Stars when I think of negotiations. You can tell those people that have never negotiated vs. those that are comfortable. It’s interesting to see the dynamic between the experienced negotiators and the Pawn Stars cast.

    I feel like I’ve learned so much from them without ever taking a class. While I haven’t had to negotiate anything in awhile I definitely feel more equipped.

  6. Francesca - From Pennies to Pounds says

    I love talking about negotiation/haggling – because I am British, we can be very reserved at that kind of thing. The best negotiators I know are my friends who are in sales, they know that ultimately, the person wants to make a sale and most people/stores have some wriggle room for negotiating.

  7. Michael says

    Nice tips, Rachael!

    Recently, we purchased our home. I told the selling agent (via my realtor), I see the listed price, what is the price at which you are willing to sell. The person in a hurry is always the first one to speak their offer and puts themselves at a weaker point when it comes to negotiation. The seller gave me a number that was lower than the listed price – that is where I started negotiating. We got a good deal.

    Secondly, I always ask – “Is this the best you can do?” towards the end of the negotiation. You might be surprised with the response you get, it works for me most of the times.

Primary Sidebar

Credit Cards

  • Best Travel Rewards Cards
  • Best Balance Transfer Cards
  • Best Cash Back Credit Cards
  • Best Business And Side Hustle Credit Cards
  • Best Student Credit Cards

Start a Blog:

How to Start a Blog that Makes Money
 

Top Posts

  • 15 Ways You Can Make Money From Your Computer Right Now
  • When You Should and Shouldn’t Refinance Student Loans
  • How Much Money You Will Need to Make $1,000 in Dividends

Free Spreadsheets & Downloads

  • Free Automated Budget Spreadsheet
  • Student Loan Repayment Spreadsheet
  • The Ultimate Personal Finance Checklist
  • 401k Spreadsheet to Analyze your Options
  • Wedding Budget Spreadsheet
  • 52 Week Money Challenge Spreadsheet and Printable

First Chapter Free!

Join our online community and receive the first chapter of Student Loan Solution absolutely FREE.

If you don't see the email in your inbox, please check your spam folder.

Connect:

Categories:

Search:

Get the New Book!

Student Loan Solution: 5 Steps to Take Control of Your Student Loans and Financial Life is available on Amazon by clicking here, or by clicking on the graphic below.

Make more. Save more. Live better.

Site Directory:

  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Recommendations
  • Finance Tools
  • Credit Cards
  • Insurance
  • Banking
  • Investing

Disclaimer | Privacy Policy

Feedback? Questions?
Contact us and let us know what you think.

Connect:

Search This Site:

Copyright © 2012–2024 Young Adult Money, LLC / All Rights Reserved
Designed by LizTheresa.com / Developed by Nuts and Bolts Media

Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Statistics

Marketing

Features
Always active

Always active
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}
Manage your privacy

To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.

Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}