September 17, 2020 How to Haggle for Better Prices When You Travel

Tips to get the best deals when traveling.

Since childhood, we have witnessed the art of negotiation in its full glory. Think of the hours your family sat together negotiating over where to go for the annual family trip or the way you negotiated with your sibling to cover up your mistakes. Of course, negotiation has become a part of our lifestyle.

While some may swiftly haggle and shrink prices, some face a tough time managing to budge the asked prices and get good deals.

If you belong to the latter lot, you can use the below-mentioned tips to hone your negotiation skills and get the best deals while traveling.

Here’s how to haggle for better prices when you travel.

How to haggle for airline tickets?

Yes, you read it right. You can bargain while buying air tickets. Here’s some easy hacks to get your air tickets at a lower price.

• Some airlines offload their unsold tickets for the next weekend early in the week. You can grab this opportunity and get tickets at their lowest price.
• You can use travel agents, the true champions of negotiations, to fetch the best deals for you.
• You can even try bargaining directly with the airline’s representative on the toll-free number. Be patient and polite, and ask them about the possibilities of getting the flight at a lower fare.
• If you’d rather prefer the online route, look for websites that offer airline tickets at throwaway prices or if they have special offers going on for certain cards that you may have.

How to haggle for hotel fare?

Contrary to the common belief, you can book a comfortable and safe hotel at a low price, given you know how to bargain for the best deal.

These tips will help you haggle for the best price on your stay:

• Call the hotel directly and speak to the manager. Request them for their best price. Generally, hotels entertain any requests made by their potential guests, so you may find a room at a lower price. However, this is subject to availability.
• If a friend has recommended the hotel to you, do not forget to mention that. It may work in your favor.
• Mention a special event or celebration you are planning to hold at their hotel. If you are planning to celebrate your birthday, anniversary, or honeymoon, you will likely get a room at a better price.

How to haggle for a better price while shopping?

What’s traveling without shopping?  There is no way you can return from your holiday without all those pretty souvenirs and gifts for your friends. But, if you aren’t careful with words and currency, shopping can burn a hole in your pocket.

Here are some easy negotiation tips while shopping:

• Before making your first attempt at bargaining, go around the market and get the idea of the rates of the items you want to buy. This will give you a clear picture of the general rate of the items in the market and what is the scope of bargaining.
• Learn a few phrases in the local language to break the ice to build a good rapport with the seller.
• Let the shopkeeper always make the first offer.
• When you counter their offer, make sure you keep room for further negotiation. It is always better to start between 25% and 50% of the market price as the seller will certainly not seal the deal in the first offer. You need to use your best negotiation tactics to get a good deal.
• If the seller refuses to yield, walk away. There are high chances that they will call you back,  agreeing to the final offer you made.

The Bottom Line

Traveling to new places is one of the most enriching experiences in life, but it is also expensive. Moreover, sellers are likely to quote higher prices to tourists. Therefore, to ensure to stay away from overpaying and being scammed, use the above easy negotiation tips to get the best possible prices on flights, hotels, and shopping.

Happy traveling to you!

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