25 Great Ways to Negotiate Better Deals

Haggle your way to lower prices for a new car, furniture and more

Laura Petrecca,

AARP

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Published November 14, 2025

a man looks toward a saw as it cuts through a dollar sign on a blue background

Negotiation can be intimidating for many people, but it's often the best way to cut costs, especially for major purchases.

Sam Island

All around us, costs keep climbing — from monthly internet and utility bills to big-ticket items like new cars and appliances that are more expensive due to tariffs. That escalating financial squeeze can be especially tough for retirees living on a fixed income, or older adults saving for retirement.

However, you have more power than you may realize to reduce these expenses. All it takes is negotiation, a skill that can be nerve-wracking to flex but often pays off.

While haggling can be intimidating, especially for introverts, the right strategies can save you hundreds or even thousands of dollars. We’ve compiled advice from negotiation pros on how to slash the cost of some of your biggest purchases.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS

Annual spending on home renovations and repairs continues to rise, with remodeling projected to hit a record $524 billion in early 2026, according to a July 2025 report from Harvard’s Joint Center for Housing Studies.

In AARP’s 2024 Home and Community Preferences Survey, 3 out of 4 adults ages 50 and older said they want to stay in their current homes as they age. For many, that means taking on home renovations ranging from adding a ramp to remodeling a bathroom. Here’s how to talk your way into better deals with contractors.

1. Ask what flexibility they have in their pricing

Use those multiple offers as “negotiation ammunition,” says Kwame Christian, founder of the American Negotiation Institute, which helps individuals and organizations negotiate and resolve conflicts.

If you have a preferred service provider, Christian says to ask them an open-ended question like, “We’d love to work with you, but finances are our biggest concern. We just got a quote from Company C, and it’s X amount. That made me want to have a conversation with you to see what flexibility you have on your offer.” Phrasing it this way “forces them to give you information, not just say no,” he explains.

(Bonus: Use this approach when negotiating other products and services, too, Christian says.)

2. Inquire about perks that go beyond price

In addition to negotiating the price, see if there’s flexibility in areas like payment installments, priority scheduling and cleanup service so you’re not left with a mess when the renovations are finished. Christian suggests these scripts:

“It would make it easier for me to move forward if we could talk about payment options. What plans do you offer that would let me spread out the payments?”
“I’d like the work to be done as soon as possible. Is there a way to get priority scheduling?”
“I want to make sure the cleanup is part of the project. Can we put that in the contract so it’s clear the space will be left safe and usable?”

“Sometimes these nonmonetary concessions are worth more than a discount,” Christian adds.

3. Let awkward silence work in your favor

You don’t need to be a smooth talker or a wheeler-dealer to get a better deal. Simply staying mum after you make your ask can be an effective negotiation strategy. For instance, you could say, “Are you willing to throw in the cost of the materials?” Then stop talking.

“Let them fill the uncomfortable silence,” Christian says. “That’s when they reveal what they can actually do.”

4. Find solutions that benefit both sides

A successful negotiation doesn’t necessarily mean you won and the contractor lost. Sometimes it leads to an agreement that satisfies both parties, says Marty Latz, founder of the negotiation training firm Latz Negotiation and author of Gain the Edge! Negotiating to Get What You Want.

For example, if a service provider is facing a cash-flow crunch, offer a larger deposit. You might secure a lower price. Or, if you’re not in a rush, offer to get the work done during a service provider’s slow season. It might help you get a better rate.

a woman looks thoughtfully at multiple pieces of paper

If you tell contractors you’ve got several bids in hand for a project, it can push them to quote a lower price so they can secure a commitment from you.

Sam Island

5. Tell them you’re getting multiple bids

Get at least three quotes, and five for major projects, recommends Kevin Brasler, executive editor at the nonprofit consumer advocacy group Consumers’ Checkbook. “Let each know you’re collecting multiple proposals,” he says. “Competition will push them to provide their best pricing.”

When evaluating offers, keep in mind that higher prices don’t necessarily mean higher-quality workmanship or materials. For example, Consumers’ Checkbook’s undercover shoppers got quotes that differed by $3,000 to $5,000 for an identical HVAC installation. For a basic furnace installation, some professionals charged as little as $4,000, while others asked as much as $14,000.

“There are many fantastic service providers who charge low prices,” Brasler says. Still, it’s always a good idea to check a contractor’s ratings and complaints with the Better Business Bureau and talk to previous clients.

FURNITURE

Boomers spend an average of $679 a year on furniture, according to the Home Furnishings Association. The majority (61 percent) favor in-store shopping, where they can see items firsthand and get help from sales staff. Those face-to-face interactions provide a prime opportunity to negotiate a lower price.

6. Gather intel before heading to the store

Check previous promotions, compare competitor prices and ask friends what kinds of discounts they’ve scored there, says Latz. Also, look at extra costs, such as delivery or assembly fees, to get the whole picture. This kind of deep research can provide leverage when it’s time to negotiate.

Document as much information as possible, such as saving screenshots of a competitor’s pricing, so you can point to concrete data when you push for a better deal. This can also help you avoid falling victim to a “limited-time sale,” which is often just a marketing ploy. “It will likely be on sale the next week, and the next week, and the week after that,” Brasler says.

7. Ask probing questions

Pointed questions can help you better understand a seller’s needs and preferences, such as how motivated they are to move older merchandise to make room in the showroom for new furniture.

Here are three that Christian suggests:

“If I’m willing to pay cash today, would you be open to giving me a discount?”
“How long have you been trying to sell this?”
“This is what I’m looking for in my furniture. Do you have an older model I can get at a lower price?”

Also, ask what the salesperson’s “best available discount” is, Brasler suggests. “Many stores have unadvertised promotions they can apply,” he says.

8. Use timing to your advantage

The best time to negotiate is when you’re browsing, not after you’ve already decided on that cozy sectional. “If you’re simply looking around, you’re still at risk of walking away,” says Latz. “If you wait until you’re checking out, they know you’re willing to pay whatever the price is on the tagged item.”

Consider shopping on a weekday morning, when stores are usually less crowded and staff have more time to talk. That kind of one-on-one attention can help you build rapport, and “salespeople are more likely to say yes to people they like,” Latz says.

9. Ask for freebies

Don’t just negotiate the price, says Brasler. You can also request things like free delivery (often priced at $100 to $200), free assembly and setup ($150 or more) and an extended return window. If you’re paying cash, ask for a 2 to 3 percent discount, since the store won’t have to pay a credit card processing fee.

an outstretched hand holds a miniature table and chairs

When you buy multiple pieces of furniture at once, it helps both you and the business. You get a lower total price; they get lower expenses.

Sam Island

10. Bundle purchases

Buying multiple pieces of furniture can boost your negotiating power, says Latz. Stores have an incentive to close larger transactions, since bigger sales reduce their business expenses and a salesperson’s workload.

If the associate you’re working with denies your request for a bundling discount, kindly ask to speak with a manager or the owner. “The higher you go up on the food chain, the more likely they’ll be focused on customer satisfaction,” Latz says, noting that many frontline salespeople have limited authority.

HOMEBUYING

Older Americans are dominant players in the housing market, with boomers comprising around 2 in 5 of all recent home buyers, according to the National Association of Realtors’ 2025 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends report. That’s the largest share of any age group. Top drivers for recent boomer homebuyers included wanting to be closer to friends and family, retirement and the desire for a smaller home.

Here’s how older homebuyers can win in today’s market.

11. Edge out the competition by getting fully underwritten

Compared with a mortgage prequalification or preapproval, a buyer with a home loan that’s been underwritten is more appealing to home sellers. It requires more work and time up front, since an underwriter thoroughly reviews your financial credentials to determine your eligibility for a mortgage, but it can make you stand out from other buyers by showing that you are on firm financial footing.

Once your loan application is through the underwriting process, “the lender can go to bat for you and say, ‘There should be no hang-ups in this transaction,’” says Tamara Suminski, co-owner of Beach Real Estate Group in Manhattan Beach, California. “That diligence on the front end can make you a stronger buyer for the seller and the seller’s agent’s consideration.”

12. Learn what the seller really wants

Finding out what matters most to the seller is critical to homebuying negotiation success. That means identifying their priorities, which may not be apparent. For many sellers, price isn’t the only factor. For some, a rent-back agreement allowing them to stay in the home for a month after closing might also be important.

A skilled buyer’s agent can help you ask the right questions to determine what the seller wants, be it a specific closing date, extra time in the home or a large earnest money deposit proving your strong interest in buying the home. One of Latz’s colleagues cemented a deal by addressing two of the seller’s top concerns: avoiding financial contingencies and ensuring the buyer would care for the property well.

13. Keep emotions in check

The homebuying process can stir up a range of feelings, from excitement to fear to frustration. But don’t let emotions drive your decisions or haggling tactics. “Oftentimes, when we’re emotional in a negotiation, we don’t see the big picture,” Suminski says. “We react and we respond.” Those reactions, she warns, could cloud your judgment.

Lean on your agent to help you stay on course; their role is to guide you through the homebuying process, which includes handling communication with the seller or seller’s agent. “Sometimes there are deadlocks because both parties are only focused on winning one term, whether it’s price, closing date, move-in date, or even who gets the washer and dryer,” says Suminksi. “But is it really worth losing the house over the washer and dryer?”

14. Be creative when negotiating your agent’s compensation

Recent changes in commission rules for real estate agents who advertise homes on a multiple listing service (MLS) have added more transparency to homebuying negotiations — but also more complexity. One of the biggest shifts is that buyers can now negotiate their agent’s compensation directly, instead of having buyer-agent commissions automatically set by the seller.

The secret to success, Latz says, is to think creatively about how to structure your agent’s compensation. For example, you might agree to pay your agent a flat fee or an hourly rate for their services, instead of giving them a percentage of the home’s sale price.

a man with zipped lips stands inside a house

On a home tour and you see something you like (or dislike)? Zip it. Things you say out loud can come back to haunt you.

Sam Island

15. Stay tight-lipped during the home tour

When touring a home, keep any compliments to yourself. What you say could influence the negotiations if the seller or listing agent hears it — or if the seller has a discreet security camera installed that’s recording audio. “Be respectful, show that you have interest and you like the house — but if you get overly excited, you might show your hand,” Suminski says.

Ditto for criticisms. Pointing out what you dislike about the home or want to change could offend the seller, Suminski says. (Declaring that you want to rip out the “ugly” green shag carpet in the family room won’t go over well if the seller loves the color.)

CABLE/INTERNET

Internet access for adults 50 and older is essential, and a growing number of them are shopping and banking online, a January 2025 AARP report found. Moreover, about two-thirds (64 percent) of Americans ages 65 and older and 44 percent of those 50 to 64 subscribe to cable or satellite TV, according to an April 2025 survey by the Pew Research Center.

However, cable and internet services can take a big bite out of your monthly budget. These steps can help you negotiate a lower rate.

16. Gather proof of better deals

Familiarize yourself with your plan(s) and decide what services you want to keep. Then gather evidence to support your case for paying less.

For leverage, check the plans, pricing and offers of competitors in your area, says Ben Kurland, senior director of strategy and growth at Experian Consumer Services and cofounder of what is now called Experian BillFixer, which negotiates with providers on customers’ behalf. Also, check out any promotions your provider is offering new customers — they may be willing to give you the same rate to retain your business. And find out what friends and family who live in your area pay for internet and cable. If their rate is lower than yours, ask your provider to match it.

17. Ask for the customer retention or loyalty department

To get the deepest discounts, don’t try to negotiate via email, text or online chat — call. “Phone representatives often have access to bigger discounts or can escalate your request to someone who can offer a better deal,” Kurland says.

Immediately ask the representative to connect you with the customer retention or loyalty department. Their job is to prevent cancellations, and they may be able to offer unique discounts, credits or promotions, he says.

Say that you’re thinking about canceling your service, and don’t settle for the first offer. “The first offer isn’t always the best one,” Kurland says. “Even if they offer one discount, you can ask for another one, or a one-time credit.”

18. Run the numbers before agreeing to bundles and add-ons

Bundling services such as cable TV, internet and cellphone with one provider can be a money saver, but there are caveats. When assessing bundle offers, make sure you’re comparing services on an apples-to-apples basis. For example, if you have a separate cellphone plan that you want to bundle with your cable/internet provider, confirm that you’d be getting the same amount of data. Also, if a company offers you a promotional rate for a bundle, ask what the price will be after it expires, Kurland says.

19. Play up your loyalty

Providers spend a lot of money to acquire new customers. That makes loyalty a valuable negotiation tool. “If I go to Verizon and say, ‘I’ve been a customer for 25 years,’ that can make a difference,” says Latz. But don’t just let reps know how long you’ve been with the company. Tell them how much your bill has risen. If you’ve never missed a payment, highlight that. “Many companies would rather offer a discount than lose you as a customer,” Kurland adds. Also, ask about discounts for older customers and veterans — they may exist, even if they’re not advertised.

20. See if you’re eligible for a lower-income internet plan

Struggling to make ends meet on a fixed income? Many internet providers offer discounted plans for lower-income households. For instance, Spectrum Internet Assist offers internet for $25 per month to qualified households; Cox offers internet for $30 per month to lower-income qualifying customers; and AT&T offers internet for $30 per month to lower-income households. Income eligibility requirements and internet speeds can vary, so read the fine print.

CAR BUYING

First, the not-so-good news: Automobile prices are rising due to tariffs on imported parts and foreign-made vehicles, making many prospective car buyers apprehensive. The good news: There are still ways you can negotiate a deal on a new or used car.

a person stands in front of a life size smartphone with a salesperson and new car on the screen

Doing a little online searching can potentially save you a lot of money when you're in the market for a car.

Sam Island

21. Do this when shopping around

Instead of going to showrooms to see vehicles in person and solicit prices, contact multiple dealerships and ask for their internet sales department, advises Oren Weintraub, founder of Authority Auto, a car-buying consulting service. This team typically handles high-volume sales, so they’re accustomed to working with buyers over the phone and can often provide more competitive pricing.

Specify the model and trim that you want to buy, and make it clear you’re comparing offers. Dealers are highly competitive — pit them against each other to snag a lower price.

Expanding your search beyond local dealerships can pay off, says David Bennett, senior repair manager at AAA. Just driving an extra 30 minutes or an hour could save you up to $1,000, he says.

22. Break down the numbers

Always ask for a written itemized quote. “You want to make sure you have every detail of the deal before you make a decision, because some information might be hidden,” says Weintraub. For example, a dealer could make it seem like they’re offering you a unique discount, when in reality it’s just a manufacturer’s rebate. Or a dealer could inflate a vehicle’s price by charging more than market value for a particular feature.

23. Negotiate one thing at a time

Salespeople like to talk through multiple aspects of the deal, such as the vehicle’s sale price, your down payment and your current car’s trade-in value, at the same time. That can make negotiating more complicated and throw you off your game.

Stay in control by negotiating one item at a time, starting with the vehicle’s sale price. Ask the salesperson for the “out-the-door price,” which includes all taxes, fees, registration and any dealer-added services.

Never negotiate based on the monthly payment. Dealers can manipulate the interest rate and length of the loan to present you with a lower monthly payment, but you’ll end up spending more over the life of the loan.

24. Know your car’s trade-in value

If you’re looking to sell your current vehicle, a dealer could offer you less than what your car is worth, Weintraub cautions. That’s why it’s essential to arm yourself with information about the estimated value of your vehicle using third-party sources like AutoNation, Edmunds and Kelley Blue Book. It’s also good to solicit offers from several used-car buyers, like CarMax, Carvana and TrueCar.

“If you have a trade-in worth $10,000, that’s the true value of the car. A dealer can say the max they will give you is $8,000 for the car, and if the customer accepts it, the dealer made $2,000 on your car just like that,” Weintraub says.

Don’t tip your hand and reveal that you know your car’s trade-in value when you sit down to negotiate. Let the dealer make the first offer. “Never show your cards first,” says Weintraub. “What if CarMax says your car is worth 10 grand and the dealer would give you $11,000?”

25. Compare financing offers

Shopping around is critical on the financing front as well, since auto loan interest rates and terms can vary. According to LendingTree, car buyers who shopped for loans on its auto loan comparison platform in July 2025 saved an average of $2,346 over the life of their loan by opting for the offer with the lowest interest rate versus the highest rate.

Get at least three offers before you haggle with the dealer. And don’t only pay attention to the interest rate — application processing fees, loan origination fees and prepayment penalties matter, too, and are often negotiable.

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Laura Petrecca is a contributing writer for AARP. She has written for USA Today, Real Simple, Digiday’s WorkLife, Kiplinger, AARP, Men’s Health, Worth, Crain’s New York Business and Advertising Age.

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25 Great Ways to Negotiate Better Deals