Here’s a truth most Americans never understand: The sticker price is almost always optional.
your salary. Your credit card APR. Your medical bills. Your cable bill. Your insurance premium. The price tag on the new mattress or car or refrigerator. Every single one of those numbers is a starting offer – and almost every one of them is negotiable.
But most people never ask. According to the Pew Research Center, 60% of American job candidates don’t even try to negotiate their starting salary.
And the same passive tendency shows up everywhere in our financial lives – we pay full price for almost everything every time, because we were never taught we don’t have to.
I’ve been writing about money for over 40 years. I will tell you this with absolute certainty: People who create wealth cannot earn more than you. They’re probably paying less for the same things.
Here are seven things you can negotiate – most of them in a 10-minute phone call – that could put thousands of dollars back in your pocket every year.
1. Your starting salary (and your next raise)
This is the single most expensive thing that most people fail to negotiate.
According to the Pew Research Center, 66% of American job candidates who negotiated their starting salary received a higher offer. In several studies for 2024-2025, the average increase from negotiations is about 18.83% – and some negotiators got a 100% bump.
And yet 55% of candidates never even try.
Do the math. A $5,000 pay raise at age 25, with an average 3% annual increase over a 40-year career, equates to approximately $634,000 in lifetime earnings. That’s from a conversation.
If you’re already in the role, ask for a pay raise. As CNBC points out in its 2025 negotiation guide, companies plan budgets assuming that few employees will ask. Those who get it. Those who do not subsidize the company’s bonus pool.
2. Your Credit Card APR
It takes five minutes.
According to the Federal Reserve, the average credit card annual percentage rate for accounts that assess interest was 21.91% in February 2025 – one of the highest levels in decades.
But credit card companies have entire retention departments dedicated to keeping customers. Pick up the phone, call the number on the back of your card and politely ask: “I’ve been a customer for the past ten years and have a strong payment history. Is there any way you can lower my APR?”
Most cardholders who ask politely get a yes. Rate reductions of several percentage points are common – which could save you hundreds in interest per year on a $5,000 balance.
Five minute call. Hundreds of dollars. every year.
3. Your medical bills
What most Americans don’t realize is that medical bills are not fixed prices – they are open offers.
Hospital chargemaster rates have been increased wildly. Insurance pays a fraction of the listed price. And those without insurance (or those paying out of pocket) can almost always get a 20% to 40% discount by asking for the cash-pay or expedited-pay rate.
Also: Many medical bills contain billing errors, so always request an itemized bill and review the codes. The federal No Surprises Act protects you from many out-of-network charges from in-network facilities. And most hospitals have financial assistance or charity care programs that they won’t tell you about unless you ask.
A $5,000 emergency room bill can often turn into a $3,000 bill – sometimes a $1,500 bill – with one phone call and the right questions.
Not quite sure what to say? Like everything else in this article, ask the AI on this page as well. This will give you a script in just a few seconds. Or check out our bill-reducing scripts that actually work using the exact same words.
4. Cable, Internet, Streaming and Phone Bills
They are designed to crawl.
Introductory rate expires. The bill increases every year. By the third year, you’re paying $150/month which used to be $80. And your provider is counting on you not paying attention.
A 10-minute annual call to each provider’s retention department – “I’m reviewing my budget and considering switching to a competitor; can you match this rate?” – Typically a savings of $30 to $50 per provider per month.
Multiply this by cable, Internet, phone, and some streaming services, and you’re easily looking at $1,000 or more per year.
Quit immediately – Most internet financial advice comes from people who weren’t alive during the last recession. I’ve been writing about money for over 40 years. Do you want concrete advice? Sign up for the free Money Talks newsletter. It takes 10 seconds. No sparkles. no spam.
5. Insurance Premium (Auto, Home, Umbrella)
Insurance is one of the most aggressively competitive markets in the country – and one of the easiest places to leave money on the table.
Every year, purchase your auto and home policies. Sites like Insurify Lets you compare real-time quotes side by side and without spam. It’s fast, secure, and has a 4.7 star rating on Trustpilot.
Then call your current insurer with the lowest quote and say: “I’ve been with you for the last ten years. What’s a competitor offering? Can you match it or beat it?”
If they say no, you switch. If they say yes, you have saved hundreds of people. Either way, you win. According to Consumer Reports, drivers who switch carriers save an average of $461 per year.
Our list of 5 bills to stop paying full price for walks you through the exact playbook for insurance and other recurring expenses.
6. Big-Ticket Purchases (Cars, Furniture, Appliances, Even Some Retail)
The sticker price on a new car is the highest price the dealer expects you to pay. The manufacturer’s suggested retail price on the mattress is almost double the price they accept. Furniture stores regularly offer discounts of 30% to 50%.
The phrase “Is this the best thing you can do?” – After a pause he said politely – This has saved Americans countless billions of dollars.
For cars, negotiate three separate transactions: the vehicle price, your trade-in value, and financing terms. Dealers like to bundle these into one of these to hide a bad deal.
For furniture and appliances, ask about floor models, scratch-and-dent inventory, and month-end sales targets. As late as the last day of the sales month, sellers will accept a lower amount to meet their quota.
For retail (yes, even brand-name stores), price-match policies are widespread but almost never advertised. Mention a competitor’s low price and ask if they will match it. Most will.
7. Your Rent – Yes, Really
This surprises people, but landlords also negotiate – especially in soft markets and especially with reliable, on-time tenants.
I have been both a landlord and a tenant. As a landlord, I will happily give discounts to tenants who take care of small problems so I don’t have to. As a tenant, I have offered to pay up to a year in advance to get a 10% to 20% discount on rent.
When your lease comes up for renewal, don’t sign a new offer. Research what comparable units are renting for in your area. If you find lower prices nearby, politely mention them.
Even small wins matter: A $50 discount per month on your rent for next year is a $600 savings. A $100 discount per month is $1,200. The landlord’s option is to find a new tenant, repaint, advertise and risk several weeks of vacancy – all of which costs them far more than your discount.
You don’t need to threaten to leave. You just need to ask.
how to negotiate
The conversation is not aggressive or confrontational. It’s just business. Here’s the simple playbook that works for almost any scenario:
- Know your number when you walk in. Know what outcome you want before making any calls. “Lower my APR” is too vague. “Lower my APR by at least 5 points” is actionable.
- Be polite but specific. Companies say ‘no’ when asked vaguely. They say yes to specific, reasonable people, supported by data.
- Use leverage. Competitive offers, long customer history, accurate payment records, market data – it all works. Bring evidence.
- Ask for the retention or supervisor department. The first person to respond is rarely empowered to give you the best deal. The retention department exists specifically to keep you. ask for it.
- Be prepared to walk away. The most powerful thing to say in any conversation is “no thanks.” If you can’t or won’t go away, your leverage is zero.
- Get it in writing. Verbal promises vanish. Always confirm the new terms by email or in your account before hanging up.
- Try again in 12 months. Most negotiations need to be conducted annually. Calendar it.
For more on this approach, see our Golden Rules of Negotiation that lay out the complete system. And our 9 Smart Ways to Reduce Monthly Bills by $500 covers strategies for almost every category of recurring expense.
ground level
There are two types of people in this country.
There are people who pay the sticker price. And there are those who demand a better deal.
Those who ask – for their pay, bills, loans, insurance and major purchases – keep thousands of dollars more per year than those who don’t ask. Combine this with working life, and the difference is measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars.
You don’t need to be aggressive. You don’t need to be a born salesperson. You just have to be the person who picks up the phone and asks the question.
The worst answer you’ll ever get is “no.” This will make your condition no worse than it was before you asked. The best answer puts thousands of dollars back in your pocket.
This is the game. Start asking. Ask everywhere. Ask for everything. And see what happens.