How to Find Bargains when You Shop and What the Power of Cash Can Do

In today's economy, why pay full price? Do you want to buy a car? You can find a bargain. Do you want a new television or a DVD player? The bargains are out there. In today's economy, which has fewer jobs and in which some people even take pay cuts, you can save big money if you are prepared. The keys in finding bargains are in knowing where to look and how to bargain. You can also find big bargains by saving your money and paying cash, instead of using credit--sometimes big money.

Noted financial expert, Dave Ramsey, in his hardcover New York Times bestselling book, Financial Peace Revisited, says the key is to negotiate everything. In his financial seminars he notes that people in countries other than the United States hardly ever buy anything without negotiating a lower price first, but Americans traditionally buy everything without any haggling over price at all. He says most people traditionally do not like to be confrontational. He notes that if someone truly wants to sell something, you are doing him a favor if you do buy even if you negotiate for a lower price first.

Dave Ramsey notes some small examples from his own life of how one can save money by seeking bargains, even if the bargains are not listed. Does his favorite pizza establishment have a sale going on? When it did not but a rival did, Ramsey's wife called the family's favorite place and told an employee she wanted to buy from the employee but would take her business to the rival, if he could not match the sale price of the competitor. The family got their favorite pizza at a much lower price. Ramsey saved $200 once when he went to purchase a car stereo and simply asked an employee if he could get a better deal. The employee bought one from the back room with a small scratch and saved big.

Ramsey, who gives financial seminars and sells his seminars on DVD, is well known for helping people get out of debt, save money, and build wealth through wise investments. He is known for encouraging people to pay off their credit cards and not use them any more. He urges people to have an emergency fund set aside to avoid having to use credit and to save monthly for expensive items, such as furniture and cars, and to pay cash. He says not only will people avoid debt that way, but they will also find bargains.

Dave Ramsey uses examples in his book to prove one can save big money if he looks for bargains and pays cash instead of using credit. He says by using cash it might and having cash in hand (having cash in hand can be dramatic, because some potential buyers might have trouble getting a loan to buy), it might be possible to buy a car advertised by an individual for $7,000, for $5,000 instead. One might be able to get a $2,000 computer at a much cheaper price. He says he has a friend he pays cash for foreclosure real estate with cash. As an example, Ramsey says his friend will count out $50,000 in small denominations to make an offer for a property, and he gets great buys. One thing that helps get a good deal when you are bargaining, according to Ramsey is to walk away if you are not offered the deal you want. Much of the time you will then be given the price you had asked for or even less. Also, be prepared to say that the price offered to you is not good enough.

Ramsey says another secret in looking for bargains is to not overlook a low priced item because it may not seem perfect. He once purchased a $5,000 copier at an auction for $225 because the auctioneer had not plugged it in properly, and the power did not work. Others passed on the copier, but he got a great deal because he took the chance. He purchased an $18,000 Lincoln Continental for $11,000 because the battery was dead and the car was filthy. Other bidders were scared away. He purchased the car at a great price and got a good deal at the auction where bidders have to have cash or certified funds. A battery isn't expensive to replace, and the car wasn't hard to clean.

As his purchase of the car stereo shows, Ramsey says great deals can even be found by negotiating and paying cash at big retail stores. He said other great deals can be found at auctions, garage sales, flea markets, outlet stores, and sales, and by reading the classified advertisements.

Great deals can be found by using coupons. Ramsey said his wife saved more than $720 one year by using coupons.

According to the article, How to Find Bargain Cars, on www.ehow.com, one can get good deals on cars by looking on Craigslist.org and Ebay.com, putting notices up that you are looking for cars, going into a car dealer and telling how much you want to spend, and going to auctions.

According to the article, How to Bargain Shop, on www.ehow.com, one can find good bargains on almost any item by shopping online, checking out advertisements, shopping at outlet stores, buying items at an off season (such as an air conditioner in January), buying used items, and using coupons.

The bargains are out there, so in today's troubled economy, why not look for them?

Citations: Financial Peace Revisited, by Dave Ramsey, Lampo Press
How to Find Bargain Cars, by Kathleen Bunn, Ehow.com
How to Bargain Shop, by Ehow Contributing Writer, Ehow.com