Haggling is not a new thing, the human race has always loved a bargain and has tried to barter down the price of pretty much everything over the last few hundred years.
Many of us would never consider asking for something cheaper and the very idea could possibly fill you with dread, but if you cast off your inhibitions you may find it comes more naturally than you think.
Some prices are sadly pretty much set in stone and you will really struggle to talk it down although it’s always worth a shot.
However, with some household bills, haggling is actually a normal occurrence and is completely socially acceptable. These bills are usually broadband, mobile, insurance and breakdown cover.
Some companies will be easier to haggle with than others and the Money Saving Expert (MSE) website, founded by Martin Lewis, has recently shared some research on the best companies to haggle with, based on the experiences of over 3,000 MoneySavers.
The research also shared the degree of success, from cheaper prices, extra goods and better deals, MoneySavers got with each company.
Overall, MSE found that Virgin Media was one of the best companies to haggle with, as 58% of MoneySavers had a “big success” and the overall haggle success rate was over 85%.
With the same overall success score, the insurance company RAC came in second place with a “big success” haggle rating of 50%.
Third place was taken by Sky who MoneySavers said had an overall success rate of 84% and a “big success” rating of also of 50%.
Other companies which made MSE’s top 10 companies to haggle with list included the AA, Admiral, Three, TalkTalk, Sky Mobile, O2, and Virgin Mobile.
The MSE website also noted that the best sector to haggle with was the TV/Broadband sector, followed closely by mobile, then breakdown cover and then insurance.
If you are looking to save a bit of cash on bills next year, it might be worth giving haggling a go but there are ways you should approach it.
The key to a successful haggle is showing that you can get what you want cheaper elsewhere and that you're happy to go to the alternative source.
After all, most sellers would rather keep you as a customer than lose the sale altogether.
