It’s a Bargain

Nicole's Penny Thought: “Never pay full retail price”.

Nicole has a nose for bargains. Like a dog foraging for truffles, she unearths precious discounts in places others almost never take the time to look. Be it the electric bill, a gym membership, the kids' college tuition, or a routine grocery store run: Nicole never, ever pays full price. Sure, she uses coupons and shops the sales racks like the rest of us, but her best work starts with picking up the phone.

Periodically, she'll call her bank, utility company, healthcare provider, credit card company or subscription service, and simply asks: “Do you have any discount rates available? Would you be able to extend me a one-time courtesy credit? Is there anything you can do to lower my bill?” If the answer is negative, she'll either try again later or start shopping elsewhere for a better deal.

She’ll research providers online, using aggregation services whenever possible. For online shopping, discount widgets assist in locating the best prices. She digs and digs to ferret out elusive, plummy deals.

She's done it for years: consistently and with great success. Does it take effort, time and patience? Yes, indeed it does. But, to Nicole bartering and sleuthing are challenging, entertaining games. She's taught me that bargains can be found anywhere; all you have to do is look and ask.

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