Summer Breaks

[Chickenhauler]

I think that was pretty rotten of that family to do that.

Maybe moron wasn't a nice word to use, but really, parents push and use us to no end. I am sure they don't treat their employers the way many treat us. Since where are service fees negotiable.

Since the first service provider was hired to do a job.

All service fees are negotiable....it's called a free market. Granted, the service provider can say "NO", but then there is the chance that the person requiring the service will get someone who is more flexible in their rates to perform the task.

I had to have two HUGE oaks removed last summer that were too close to the house for my comfort level and saw skills (less than 10 ft). I got 7 estimates, and the guy that was the cheapest, I asked him what kind of CASH discount he offered. He took $100 off the top without even blinking.

EVERYTHING is negotiable.

LOL, you crack me up! Some places in MN near the cities are expensive! I'm in North Dakota and have family throughout South Dakota and Minnesota as well. SD had some home daycares at only $2.50/hour and $2.00/hour if you had two or more children. A small town near St. Cloud, MN has a center that is $135/week with a $10/week discount per child. In ND a lot of home daycares are about $100-$125/week. These are all full time rates of people I know.

Economies of scale.

My sister lives in Champlin, and houses in that area start at $250k+. If you're running a daycare there, you gotta get the big bucks to pay the big bills.

I have more house (and a nicer one) more land, and actually have buildings on the property, and paid about half as much for my home as she did. Daycare in our area is much cheaper due to the fact that cost of living is a lot cheaper.

Heck, my garbage bill is less than half of what hers is. And there's less customers, and a larger distance between them where I live. AND they gotta haul the trash farther to get a landfill. Figure that one out.

[mac60]

Everything is not negotiable. The medical center office physician visit fee is not negotiable,the hair stylist is not negotiable, I am not negotiable, my price is my price, I wouldn't have a very good business going if I allowed all my clients to "negotiate fees". We had an electrician here, his fee was not negotiable.

[Chickenhauler]

Everything is not negotiable. The medical center office physician visit fee is not negotiable,the hair stylist is not negotiable, I am not negotiable, my price is my price, I wouldn't have a very good business going if I allowed all my clients to "negotiate fees". We had an electrician here, his fee was not negotiable.

Or so you think.

Did you ask? You'd be amazed at what paying in cash does for the rate if you only ask.


While YOU may not be negotiable, your competition very likely is. And if they match you on service and beat you on price, you will go the way of Pamida.

[Former Teacher]

Everything is not negotiable. The medical center office physician visit fee is not negotiable,the hair stylist is not negotiable, I am not negotiable, my price is my price, I wouldn't have a very good business going if I allowed all my clients to "negotiate fees". We had an electrician here, his fee was not negotiable.

I am sorry Mac but I have to agree with Chickenhauler. My former center was/is a licensed center for 55 children. Everyone pays the same rate with the exception of infants and toddlers (they were higher). There was a family with 2 daughters that we had for 7 years. We raised those girls since birth. They were planning on moving to a new center because they couldn't afford ours. (Which that was BS because the parents were BOTH pharmacists, but anyway!) The owner/director wanted SO much to keep these girls that she was willing to match whatever price this new DC was going to be. Well when the mother told them it was going to be $40 for both a month (it was some church sponsored program), the owner/director backed down.

Not to be oft topic but I once had to go for a imaging scan of my female parts. Because I had no insurance at that time, I paid everything out of pocket. Well I went to pay for the scan and I used a credit card I received some kind of discount because of it being out of pocket. PLUS I received an EXTRA 5% discount because I used Discover.

So money does talk

[Janet]

That stinks!

Sadly there is a big difference between what is ethically right and what is legally right. I hate that some parents will jerk providers around and keep them holding a spot until they find cheaper care. It's especially bad when the child has been in your care for a long time. I think it's low, but I know that unless there is a contract in place, and maybe even if there is a contractual agreement, parents are free to go with the cheapest care without giving a heads up at all. Mac, I'm sorry that happened to you

[mac60]

Chickenhauler, I wish you would leave me alone. You would argue with me that Obama isn't our president.

[mac60]

Former Teacher, maybe they got a rate of $40, but seriously, there is no way the center was making a cent off that family, I would think it was costing the center money to keep them.

As far as prices in the service industry being negotiable, when you get your hair cut, you pay the price that is on the price chart. You don't stand there and say....hey I only want to pay $10 for your service. Here they would laugh at you. While you can call around and go to the cheapest hair cut place in town, that is not the same as being negotiable in my opinion. We just had to have some electrical work done on our dryer. The bill was $45 service call plus parts. I really don't think he is going to lower my bill because I knock on his door and ask if I can pay cash. The bill is the bill. He has to cover his expenses too, just like we as providers do.

Medical bills are totally different, there are programs in place for people without insurance, people who are lazy and choose not to work, people with low incomes. These programs are paid for by the taxpayers. There are even programs for the Amish people community when it comes to medical bills and hospitalization.

Anyone can call around and ask what a price is for a service. And yes, you could ask if they would take xx amount. But, overall, a price is a price. Try going to Walmart and asking them to take *** dollars off a product, or any other store. Won't happen.

[misol]

Everything is not negotiable. The medical center office physician visit fee is not negotiable,the hair stylist is not negotiable, I am not negotiable, my price is my price, I wouldn't have a very good business going if I allowed all my clients to "negotiate fees". We had an electrician here, his fee was not negotiable.

It's all in the asking. If you ask the right way, many businesses are willing to give a discounts just to keep you as a customer. I have negotiated both of the things you've mentioned. Most medical offices have lower "rates" they charge if you are a self-pay patient or otherwise don't have insurance. I got the low rate. My hairstrylist raised her rates and just by asking I still got the old rate as a "loyalty discount". I

I am all about negotiating but I think it definitely needs to take place BEFORE goods or services are rendered. You may get a discount or you may not but it never hurts to ask

[misol]

Former Teacher, maybe they got a rate of $40, but seriously, there is no way the center was making a cent off that family, I would think it was costing the center money to keep them.

As far as prices in the service industry being negotiable, when you get your hair cut, you pay the price that is on the price chart. You don't stand there and say....hey I only want to pay $10 for your service. Here they would laugh at you. While you can call around and go to the cheapest hair cut place in town, that is not the same as being negotiable in my opinion. We just had to have some electrical work done on our dryer. The bill was $45 service call plus parts. I really don't think he is going to lower my bill because I knock on his door and ask if I can pay cash. The bill is the bill. He has to cover his expenses too, just like we as providers do.

Medical bills are totally different, there are programs in place for people without insurance, people who are lazy and choose not to work, people with low incomes. These programs are paid for by the taxpayers. There are even programs for the Amish people community when it comes to medical bills and hospitalization.

Anyone can call around and ask what a price is for a service. And yes, you could ask if they would take xx amount. But, overall, a price is a price. Try going to Walmart and asking them to take *** dollars off a product, or any other store. Won't happen.

Mac60 I am not trying to come down on you but I want to make sure that you (and others) are not paying more than you have to for certain goods or services. It has been my experience that more things are negotiable than not. In my previous post I was mainly referring to private businesses, but I HAVE negotiated and gotten discounts at Walmart (for slightly damaged or out of season merchandise) , our major grocery stores (for foods nearing the expiration date), and other major chain businesses like Best Buy for example. Many businesses have a cushion built in just for this purpose.

Don't get me wrong - I don't ALWAYS get a discount whenever I ask. I would guess that I am successful about 60% of the time. Some people have a knack for saying just the right words to get the discount. I am working on becoming one of those folks Watching a negotiator in action leaves me in awe sometimes. It takes skill. I used to be reluctant to negotiate things because it felt like I was groveling. I would think that people within sight and sound might would view me as poor, or cheap, or "trying to get over". Needless to say I have matured a lot since then and could care less what people that I don't know think! In this economy I need to save every hard-earned dime that I can.

[nbtan]

My grandmother owned my daycare before I took it over...I learned a lot from her. At one point, there was a little girl who came full time--five days a week. Her mom was a school teacher. So, when summer came, she asked my grandmother if it was okay to take her out during the summer and bring her back when school started back in the fall. Granny, being the kind woman she is, said yes, because we have school age kids who can fill her spot in the summer. The end of that summer, we tried calling the family to find out when she would start back with us. To make a long story short, we still haven't heard back from the family. That was 3 years ago. So, now that I have taken over the daycare, I REQUIRE at least 1-2 days enrollment in the summer if the family plans to bring them back in the fall. If they don't enroll 1-2 days, I fill their spot for the fall. I see this family now, and it still makes me so mad that people can be so disrespectful. I hope things work out for you, and I'm so sorry! (And yes, I would say 'moron' is a perfect word for these people)

I only take 1-2 "teacher' kids (ie kids who are allowed to be off in the summer). That being said they still have to pay for 2 days per week

[Former Teacher]

Former Teacher, maybe they got a rate of $40, but seriously, there is no way the center was making a cent off that family, I would think it was costing the center money to keep them.

As far as prices in the service industry being negotiable, when you get your hair cut, you pay the price that is on the price chart. You don't stand there and say....hey I only want to pay $10 for your service. Here they would laugh at you. While you can call around and go to the cheapest hair cut place in town, that is not the same as being negotiable in my opinion. We just had to have some electrical work done on our dryer. The bill was $45 service call plus parts. I really don't think he is going to lower my bill because I knock on his door and ask if I can pay cash. The bill is the bill. He has to cover his expenses too, just like we as providers do.

Medical bills are totally different, there are programs in place for people without insurance, people who are lazy and choose not to work, people with low incomes. These programs are paid for by the taxpayers. There are even programs for the Amish people community when it comes to medical bills and hospitalization.

Anyone can call around and ask what a price is for a service. And yes, you could ask if they would take xx amount. But, overall, a price is a price. Try going to Walmart and asking them to take *** dollars off a product, or any other store. Won't happen.

I still think everything is negotiable, providing you talk to the owner/person in charge. No not at a retail store. Perhaps maybe a small business owner or something like that.

As my mother always says: it's not WHAT you know...it's WHO you know!

[Chickenhauler]

Chickenhauler, I wish you would leave me alone. You would argue with me that Obama isn't our president.

I really wish you'd stop this victim mentality complex stuff.

As far as prices in the service industry being negotiable, when you get your hair cut, you pay the price that is on the price chart. You don't stand there and say....hey I only want to pay $10 for your service. Here they would laugh at you. While you can call around and go to the cheapest hair cut place in town, that is not the same as being negotiable in my opinion

Actually, we have a group home for retarded adults in our town. They have an agreed to, set discounted price with the barbershop in town that is MUCH cheaper than anyone else pays.

Granted, they are doing business in volume (a dozen or so) and everyone gets the same Kool-Whip Bowl haircut whether they are male or female, but they did negotiate a cheaper rate.

. We just had to have some electrical work done on our dryer. The bill was $45 service call plus parts. I really don't think he is going to lower my bill because I knock on his door and ask if I can pay cash. The bill is the bill. He has to cover his expenses too, just like we as providers do.

In other words, you never asked.

Let me tell you how "CASH" works on the service industry....you pay cash, and if he's the owner of the business, that rcpt goes right in the trash, and your cash goes right in his wallet.

Honestly, if you got someone to even show up for $45 and do anything, you got a deal.

Anyone can call around and ask what a price is for a service. And yes, you could ask if they would take xx amount. But, overall, a price is a price. Try going to Walmart and asking them to take *** dollars off a product, or any other store. Won't happen.

I do it all the time when buying parts for my business. I'll look them right in the eye and say "Is that your best price?....C'mon, you can do better than that.....". And you know what? 9 times out of 10, they do.

And at Wal-mart, all you gotta do is show them Target's ad (or vice versa) on the same item, and they not only match, but BEAT that price.

Gotta learn how to haggle. In this country, negotiating and haggling is a lost art form/skill. Travel overseas (or even to Mexico) and if you don't haggle, the proprietors get mad at you. They view non-haggling as an insult. As in, it's not worth your time, and you're doing them a favor by throwing them a few bones.

[Unregistered]

Let me tell you how "CASH" works on the service industry....you pay cash, and if he's the owner of the business, that rcpt goes right in the trash, and your cash goes right in his wallet.

Honestly, if you got someone to even show up for $45 and do anything, you got a deal.



I do it all the time when buying parts for my business. I'll look them right in the eye and say "Is that your best price?....C'mon, you can do better than that.....". And you know what? 9 times out of 10, they do.

And at Wal-mart, all you gotta do is show them Target's ad (or vice versa) on the same item, and they not only match, but BEAT that price.

Gotta learn how to haggle. In this country, negotiating and haggling is a lost art form/skill. Travel overseas (or even to Mexico) and if you don't haggle, the proprietors get mad at you. They view non-haggling as an insult. As in, it's not worth your time, and you're doing them a favor by throwing them a few bones.

Definitely true. Just in the last two weeks I've received two discounts like these. I got a discount from the guy who comes to clean out my basement drain. I didn't even ask him, I just asked if he minded if I paid in cash and he gave me a $10 discount. Plus I got $150 off from Best Buy when I bought an LCD TV with a stand, just because I had shopped around and knew the other stores prices and asked them to not just match, but beat them. Neither one seemed to have any problem with it, and I do it regularly.