On Sale

In light of the insane and ongoing tuition increases at colleges, I ran across an interesting article regarding six schools offering discounts.  It appears even higher education sees you can price yourself out of the market sooner or later.  One particular institution, Lincoln College, cut their tuition by 24%.  Lincoln noticed enrollment continuing to go down as their prices went up.  This example just reminds we should always ask and negotiate.  It’s not a matter of being cheap.  It’s a matter of getting the best value for your dollar. 

For instance, I noticed a 20% increase in my basis rate service on my phone bill.  I called customer service, and of course, they were not empowered to change anything.  However, when I indicated I might cancel my service, I was transferred to their retention department.  The rep told me he could not change my rate, but he could give me a valued customer discount for one year.  Overall, the 20% went away and my phone bill went down a few more percentage points. 

We all work hard for our money.  Why assume and pay full price when you can ask and save a little.  Pretty much everything out there is negotiable if you just ask.  If you are nice and ask if there are any unpublished sales or incentives, you may save a few dollars.