Ask for a better price

Old Taskmaster recently returned from a holiday in Bali and I must say that I am glad to be back.

It was a lovely holiday, but a strange phenomenon came over my partner – they became the world’s biggest haggler almost overnight.

Now, haggling is standard operating procedure in many countries and it’s always good to get into the local spirit when travelling.

But my partner went crazy. Every time we would get in a cab, they’d start negotiating, battling for five minutes to save what was usually $3.

Me, I couldn’t be bothered. I’m on holidays and I’m not there to drive some poor taxi driver or market stall owner into the ground.

But there is a place for haggling and back home it’s a different story. My partner would never ask for a better deal and I always do.

Most people don’t haggle in Australia, but in these tough times I reckon it’s crucial to train yourself to ask for a better price.

You don’t need to be pushy or aggressive (although it can help to get a better deal!) but there is absolutely no harm in popping the question.

I always take the approach that I am happy to leave something in the transaction for the other guy, as no one should get screwed.

But if you don’t ask, you don’t know.

Get it done – today!