One of the essential life skills is learning how to negotiate. If you can master that, you can muddle through most anything. Just like if you know how to make a satisfying meal out of scraps and leftovers, then you will never starve.
But what things should you learn to discuss with someone with clarity, persuasiveness, and confidence? Here are some of them:
1. Mortgage
Not many people know they can negotiate loans, and even if they do, they don’t even try! That’s understandable because it can be intimidating to collaborate with lenders, such as banks.
However, negotiating mortgages provides many benefits you will miss out on. You will get a better interest rate and payment plan, which eventually helps you save more money.
Lenders can also offer you the ideal mortgage program based on your needs, budgets, and preferences. Moreover, you can get complete freedom in choosing the property you like.
Remember that banks are businesses too, and they expect you to consider the offer given to you as well. If not, don’t be afraid to decline their requests and ask for a better one politely.
2. Salaries
Many people don’t have the slightest idea about negotiating their salaries. But it’s not surprising considering that most companies are secretive about pay rates.
However, employers are willing to negotiate salary packages based on your experience, job responsibilities, qualifications, and other factors. They are also very open to negotiating salary packages if you have an exceptional academic background or impressive work history.
So before you sign up for a job offer, do some research on the average rate of the position you’re signing up for, so you can get a better deal from your future boss.
3. Sales Deals
In retail stores and online shops, deals often come with low price tags to attract more customers. However, you may be surprised to know that you can still negotiate discounts because these offers are usually not set in stone.
You can talk with a salesperson and ask for a better deal on the item you want to buy, such as lowering the price or giving you more items within the same budget. You can also ask if they have other items at a lower price you can choose from. Sometimes buyers aren’t too discriminating and flexible once they set their eyes on something.
But before asking for discounts, make sure that it’s worth your time and effort. Otherwise, you might be wasting your precious resources instead of saving them.
4. Property Prices
If you’re planning on buying a house, then negotiating the price is another way to get more for your money.
Before you visit a property or speak with its owner, do some research about this type of house’s average pricing in that area. This will help you determine if the price given to you is reason enough to accept both parties.
If not, negotiate! You can ask them to lower the asking price or give more incentives, such as paying a higher down payment.
5. Pay Raise
To maintain a living wage, your pay should catch up with inflation. However, new data suggests that most don’t even have one for at least a year.
There are many ways to ask for a raise, but remember that this should be a carefully thought-out plan. The main goal of asking for a pay raise is to ensure that you’re getting paid fairly and not exploited by your boss because you deserve it.
To make your request as effective as possible, create a strong case for yourself. Show how much effort and dedication you put into the business and how productive you have been lately. You can also show them a financial analysis of the company’s budget if they need proof of why they should give you what you want.
6. Debts
Negotiating with creditors is a tricky job, but it can be achieved when you’re willing to do whatever it takes to get what you want.
Although they might reject your offer or give you an even higher interest rate, don’t lose hope! There are ways to negotiate successfully, even if they refuse your proposal.
Instead of giving them a direct answer, ask them if there’s anything else that could work for both parties instead of the original deal you’ve proposed to them. Know about their policies, so you can determine if they’ll accept your plan without completely losing out in the game.
With all these tips in mind, negotiating will no longer be hard because everything is possible when you put your heart into it.
