Haggling Heroes: Conquering the art of the deal


Modern American shoppers may not practice it often, but haggling is in our blood. The art of haggling was embraced in the U.S.A. until the late 1800s, when the concept of the sticker price was introduced. By the 1930s, sticker prices on everyday purchases were well established. In Asia, Africa and Latin America, however, haggling is still embedded in the culture. Many foreign marketplaces resemble farmer's markets, where every price holds an asterisk implying "or best offer."

To be a haggling hero in the U.S., try negotiating for just about everything. According to Consumer Reports, buyers had the highest success rate haggling on hotel rates, followed by cell phone bills, clothing, jewelry, new cars, airfare, and appliances. But don't limit yourself to only products or services you know some-one else has successfully haggled. Try haggling for every purchase, including already-discounted merchandise, cable, electronics, and clothing. Just don't expect success every time.

 
 Most people save haggling for big pur-chases like a car or house. Negotiating the accessories and/or terms of service of a product is considered haggling as well. Most businesses want to keep loyal customers coming back, so use this to your advantage. For example, cell phone companies may offer a discount for long-term customers if you tell them you're considering another service provider. Use this experience to make other purchases the same way. When it comes to discounts, sometimes you just have to ask.

READ MORE:  http://www.brassmagazine.com/article/haggling-heroes-conquering-art-deal

Slash Your Expenses: 10 ways to cut everyday costs

Every month, our paychecks get slowly gobbled up by bills big and small. Here are a few tips on how to save every possible penny.

1.ABOLISH BIG BUNDLES. Do you really need 400 channels and a DVR? Use billshrink.com to compare cable plans and make sure you're getting the best deal.

2.TAKE A HIKE. Get out of a gym membership you never use and look up free or low-cost local recreational centers instead. Get together with friends to shoot hoops or ride bikes.

3.REASSESS RENT. Reduce rent by getting a roommate, negotiating with your landlord when lease renewal comes up, or moving somewhere cheaper.

4.EASE UP ON THE GAS. If you live in an area where bikes, ride shares, or public transportation is viable, ditch your car. Otherwise, look for cheap gas stations, shop around for the cheapest car insurance, and try car-pooling to help ease the burden.

5.DISCOUNT YOUR CELL BILL. Ask for a student or employee discount (some cell companies offer special rates for employees of companies that also use their service). Also make sure to stay within usage limits, and check to see if you could downsize your plan if you're not using all your minutes and data.

6.KEEP AN EYE ON AUTOMATIC PAYMENTS. Make sure your automatic payments are for the correct amount every month by comparing statements to your actual bills.

READ MORE:  http://www.brassmagazine.com/article/slash-your-expenses-10-ways-cut-everyday-costs

Lock, Stock Market, And Three Smokin' Careers In Finance

Take a stroll down Wall Street at dusk and you'll catch a glimpse of the workforce stepping into the night. Against a backdrop of high-rises, briefcases at their sides, they tuck their badges into sharp suit pockets and stride off to private cars, leaving a whiff of prestige and power in their wake. Despite market crashes and bailout backlash, the world of Wall Street continues to lure young hopefuls into its trenches with the promise of lucrative pay and elite status.
Yet Wall Street isn't the only place where money changes hands. From corporate boardrooms to main street retail banks, the financial services industry offers a broad range of career opportunities with salary potential and exciting work.
Investment Banking
"I would say the perception is that investment banking is a very sexy career," says Lawrence Murray, director of the undergraduate business program at the University of North Carolina. It's popular with students for both the glamour of Wall Street and the access to major investors and businesses.
Investment banking firms are financial go-betweens providing a variety of services to companies and individuals. The biggest firms in the world have multiple divisions and areas of specialty, but generally they sell stocks and bonds, serve as underwriters to bring companies to the public market, and help with mergers and acquisitions between companies seeking partnerships or buyouts.
The work: For junior-level employees just out of undergrad, the fast-paced day-to-day typically involves analytical work like credit analysis and preparing pitch books and presentations for prospective clients. Higher up on the food chain, associates oversee projects and develop client relationships.
The perks: "Those types of jobs take a certain type of person," says Lawrence, referring to the late nights and cutthroat environment. But those who can hack it can earn a pretty penny, work in one of the most coveted industries in the world, and get prestigious analytical experience under their belts.

READ MORE:  http://www.brassmagazine.com/article/lock-stock-market-and-three-smokin-careers-finance

Toying With Millions: Weird toy ideas that made bank

I like to imagine that somewhere there's a kid Hula-Hooping and cuddling his Beanie Babies while grinding a stair rail on his Rollerblades and Slinky-ing at the same time. Every generation has a handful of bizarre toy ideas that turn out to be short-lived and wildly popular fads.

When I was a kid, the game of POGs was big. You took these cardboard discs from the lids of passion-orange-guava fruit juice containers, stacked them and slammed them with a heavier disc called a Kini or Slammer. You won any POGs that landed face up. The game originated in Hawaii and eventually reached the mainland U.S., probably as a direct trade for another shipment of Spam. The World POG Federation was founded in 1993 and manufactured several different series of POGs, making them collectible. This cardboard empire was estimated to be worth $500 million in 1995.

READ MORE:  http://www.brassmagazine.com/article/toying-millions-weird-toy-ideas-made-bank

Don't Waste My Time: 10 techniques to maximize your efficiency
There are only so many hours in the day. Use these ideas to help you make the most of them.
Manage financial accounts online. Direct deposit your paycheck and log in to your financial institution's website to check balances and set up automatic payment for bills.
Store everything on the cloud. Most new computers come with cloud computing software. Programs like Dropbox and SugarSync store and share important pics, music, and document files online so you can easily access your files anywhere.
Kill notifications. Disable email notifications and the like to focus on the task or project at hand instead of getting into an email-Twitter-IM spiral of time-wasting.
Track distractions. Figure out where you're wasting time on the computer and block Internet distractions using rescuetime.com, which tracks efficiency trends and application usage.
Shop online when possible. It's as easy as googling a specific item. If it's something local you're after, call ahead to see if they stock the item before wasting gas and a whole afternoon.
READ MORE:  http://www.brassmagazine.com/article/dont-waste-my-time-10-techniques-maximize-your-efficiency