A Handy Hint for Haggling

For some travelers, haggling is a fine art, honed over years of delicate negotiations and represented by a cabinet full of souvenirs purchased for a song. But for the rest of us — well, sometimes the rest of us could use a little haggling help.

If you often find yourself spending more than you intended, either because you’re afraid to offend a merchant or because you simply covet that hand-carved Buddha statue too much to let it go, you might want to try the following clever trick, taken from our Shopping Abroad: A Traveler’s Guide:

“If you’re paying in cash, set aside the money that you’re prepared to spend and keep it in your wallet; move the rest of your bills elsewhere. This serves two purposes. You can give the merchant visual evidence that this amount is the most you can possibly pay (‘See? This is all I have!’), and it also helps prevent you from going over your own self-imposed price limit.”

First, of course, you need to decide what amount you’re willing to spend. Shop around for a few days before committing to buy; this will give you a sense of the average going rate for the item you’re looking to purchase. Then take a hard look at your budget and set your limit. The final piece of the puzzle: Always be willing to walk away.

What’s your best haggling trick?