How To Haggle For The Best Prices

Haggling is commonplace in some countries, but in the UK, it isn’t all that common in day-to-day life. But there are some instances where it’s useful to know how to haggle.

With inflation so high and people struggling, it pays to haggle on certain things. A recent poll of Moneysavingexpert users found that 85% of people who haggled with RAC and Virgin Media were successful, as were 84% of those who haggled with Sky and 81% who haggled with AA. So you’ve got a good chance to get a discount.

Broadband, insurance policies, phone contracts and even some online buying can benefit from a haggle.

How to haggle when you’re a bit embarrassed

Thankfully for those of us introverts, you can usually do a lot of haggling online via live chat or sometimes just with a phone call. In almost all cases, you don’t need to see a person.

Adam Bullock, UK Director of TopCashback said: “More than half of Brits prefer to negotiate for a better deal online. Luckily, previous research has shown people having success with getting a discount after speaking to a service agent on a web chat.”

“Simply ask a few questions about the product or service you’re looking to buy and then ask if there are any discounts or better deals they can offer. Haggling online means you could earn cashback too, so it can result in double the savings.”

Where you should attempt to haggle

Hagging on your broadband and TV contracts

Almost every house has a broadband package, and prices seem to be going up.

“Price hikes mid-contract can be a great bargaining tool, as with providers like Sky and Virgin Media, you may be able to leave the contract penalty-free. This offers leverage for negotiating a new deal,” says Uswitch broadband expert Max Beckett.

If you want to haggle a new deal, check out what the company are offering to new customers, and what competitors are offering. When you speak to them discuss the option of cancelling because of the better deals you can find elsewhere. Most providers will ask for this information, and you may be able to find a cheaper deal.

You may find that haggling will get you a better package while not paying any extra. So this may be a good incentive to not make a move.

How to haggle with streaming services

Almost everyone will have some sort of streaming service, we have Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime. And you can sometimes haggle a better deal out of them by doing a ‘soft quit’.

All you have to do is go to your account and follow the cancellation process. When asked why you want to cancel, choose the option around it being too expensive. A lot of the time, they’ll try and keep you on board with a discount code, or special deal.

Insurance quotes

I’m pretty sure I’ve only hagged with vehicle insurance, but the same could be used for pets, homes and other types of insurance.

As I mentioned above, with broadband and TV contracts, do some research on other providers and get comparisons. New pricing rules came into play in January 2022 where providers can’t offer better deals for the same thing to new customers, so you shouldn’t be able to find a better deal with the same company.

Almost every time my car insurance has come up, I’ve found a better deal for the same thing with any company. I will then call or live chat with my current provider to cancel as I’ve found a better deal elsewhere. Pretty much every time, my provider will reduce their price, and sometimes even price match my new quote.

How to haggle on second-hand items

I use websites like Vinted and eBay quite a lot, and with both of these, you can make offers on items.

So if you’re trying to save a bit of cash, or the item is over your budget, you can make an offer. As you’re offering a person and not a company, always be respectful if they decline your offer.

You can figure out how to haggle and use these skills on Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and even in person at car boot sales.

When your phone contract ends

Phone contracts are so expensive, so when yours ends, you want to move over to a new plan as quickly as possible. In most cases, a SIM-only will be cheaper, which is a great time to negotiate a saving.

Work out exactly what you need from your plan regarding data, minutes, and any add-ons. This way, you won’t be dragged into a more expensive deal than you need. Compare the deal on comparison sites.

“Not only will this help you haggle, but it can also help you decide what you are willing to pay. If your provider cannot meet your expectations, you can always walk away for a better deal,” says Catherine Hiley, Uswitch’s mobile expert.

Your network will want to retain as many customers as possible, so may be able to offer a discount or match a competitor’s price.

Do you know how to haggle, and have you managed to save some money by haggling?

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