When I was in college, I worked for several retail stores. There was always some promotion/sale going on to draw n customers. This didn’t happen often, but every now and again I would have someone pick out what they wanted and come to me asking if I could knock a little more off the price. Surprisingly enough, at least half of the stores I worked for would oblige. Sometimes I’d have to get my manager’s approval at some places, while at others I always had some wiggle room, especially with suits. Sometimes the answer was no, but a surprising amount of the time I could say yes.

What this taught me is that it never hurts to ask. If they say no, I have lost nothing. Yesterday, I wrote about being proactive with late payments. Never be afraid to ask for help, a little more off on a price, or a break. The worst thing that can happen is they say no and your situation hasn’t changed. If they say yes, well then you are taking a step forward!

So, next time just ask.

-rebel