December 8, 2010

Getting a bargain on a budget is key this holiday season. For this week's segment of Sargent Solutions, CBS19's Tiffani Sargent explores how to spend less during this time of year.

By negotiating, you may be able to bring down the price of an item. The price on the price tag is not always final.

"They can just say, no. It doesn't hurt to ask," explained Wendi Smith, owner of Leftover Luxuries.

Smith helps Charlottesville retailers and the public sell things that they no longer want or need.

She says there are some rules to negotiating prices. "I would definitely do your homework before you go shopping," explained Smith.

Research includes checking websites, newspapers and searching for coupons. You should also have a list of what you are looking for and where you are going.

Many items do not stay on the shelves for long. "Everybody is putting things on sale, they do not want to hold onto the product," added Smith.

Timing is also crucial. Customers should not be afraid to ask if a product will go on sale, they may get a better deal in a couple of days.

At consignment stores, items are marked and dated when they enter the store.

"As a consumer, you can look at the date and say, this has been here for seven months, maybe you want to get rid of it, can I offer you this much?" explained Jose Giron the owner of the Consignment House.

When it comes to appliances and furniture, you can often get a better deal on floor models. If you see any minor flaws, retailers will usually bring the price down.

Giron says being friendly is the most important part of negotiating prices. "Being polite is the main thing, if you're too aggressive sometimes it doesn't work," said Giron.