No matter how rich and successful you become, there are some things for which you should never pay full price. You can start building your wealth by getting a better understanding of what’s actually worth your money — and what isn’t. Find out what you can spend less money on, and learn some of the secrets of the super-wealthy.
CARS
Successful people never pay full price for cars, according to Brian Davis, a real estate investor with Spark Rental. “The rich know that everything in life is negotiable,” says Davis. “Every service, every commodity, even many physical products. And the trick to negotiation is finding other things the selling party wants, besides money.”
When you’re in the market for a new car, Davis recommended collecting internet quotes on the models you’re interested in, researching the wholesale prices and being willing to walk away if the salesperson won’t give you the deal you desire.
GYM MEMBERSHIPS
You shouldn’t have to pay a fortune to get in shape or maintain a healthy lifestyle. Thankfully, there are a ton of different ways to get discounts on gym memberships.
Check with your employer or health insurance to see if they offer a special monthly rate or a discount on the enrollment fees. If you’re signing up at the same time as a family member or roommate, you might be able to get a special rate.
See if a gym near you offers a free or discounted trial so you can be sure you’d get your money’s worth. Better yet, try out a program like ClassPass, which lets you pay one fee to try out a variety of fitness studios each month.
TRAVEL
The richer you are, the less you pay for certain luxuries — including travel. Fifty-five percent of credit card holders have rewards credit cards, according to a survey by financial services company Fidelity. Though cashback was the most popular reward, free travel also ranked high on the list. Successful people use their spending power to score everything from free flights to first-class upgrades and access to premier boarding rooms. And when you have a lot of money, you can easily put more on a credit card — and pay it off — to rack up as many points as possible.
REAL ESTATE
Though the average person pays about a 6 percent commission fee to a real estate agent, successful people tend to pay much less — especially when selling their homes. As for buyers, you can always negotiate a better price.
Shoppers in a buyers’ market can score great deals by “asking for the moon,” according to Zillow, an online real estate database. Start by making an initial offer that’s at least 10 percent under the price you’re actually willing to pay and ask for any furniture and appliances you desire. You should also ask the seller to pay all the closing costs and set a closing date that works best for you. Best-case scenario: The seller accepts. And worst-case scenario: The seller counters.
RETAIL GOODS
Wealthy people might enjoy perusing the aisles of popular luxury retailers, but the truth is that they rarely spend money there. Millionaire Corner, a wealth management news site, surveyed 1,200 investors to ask which retailers they actually shopped from. Among the respondents with a net worth of $5 million or more, Home Depot, Lowe’s and Target were the most popular retail stores. Nearly half the respondents said they like to shop at Costco, and a third shop at Walmart.
Plus, these days, coupons for everything from clothing and electronics to diapers and makeup are available at the click of your finger. Some popular online coupon sites include Coupons.com, RetailMeNot, SlickDeals, DealNews and CouponSherpa.
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