Ask-o-logy: Show me the money

Tuesday I discussed in general terms what I asked for, and I laid out a few basics. Here, finally, is the next installment!

So. You're probably wondering the same thing I was wondering: Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar?

More like:

1) How much extra cash did La Roxy gain in this year of daily asking?

Yesterday I reported that there were 150 monetary requests. (Recall that "Money" included any good or service that had a dollar value, as well as cold hard cash I acquired or saved, by asking.)

So I should just count the dollars in the money category and voila! -- right?

Actually, it's not that simple.

First we need to cut out the requests where I asked for a discount, got it, but didn't claim it for whatever reason. There were 8. That amount is $243.

If we add up the rest, the grand total is:

$4,579.39

Not bad! In fact, that's around 20 percent of my yearly income. Imagine if someone with a "real" salary asked daily, on a bigger scale, seeking bigger and harder discounts. I'm all a-tingle at the thought of it.

Unfortunately, though, $4,579.39 is still not a very "helpful" figure. I mean, it includes things like refunds. If I asked a store to return a picture frame I bought but lost the receipt, is that really money "gained"? Or is it money that I'm entitled to? What if they bent a rule for me? What if it was obvious the frames weren't used, but the manager had the final say and it was a mean manager? or a nice one?

2) What if I only counted the money that resulted in an increase in my net worth?

That would mean skipping the transactions that involved refunds and similar compensations. Basically, I need to find out how much cash and goods I either acquired or managed to not spend -- simply by asking.

Let's first split up the Money category into four groups:

"Profit" is any money I earned by asking, where I gave nothing in return. It's also something I wouldn't have otherwise obtained or paid for. That includes my raise, the airfare voucher, and all the extra perks and goodies that came my way.

"Saved" refers to money I didn't spend, but would have without asking. Basically, these are the various discounts I snagged. Less expenses mean more money in my pocket, so they're a different sort of gain.

The next two are trickier.

"Recouped" is the money I spent and then regained by asking for special treatment or an exception. Like the picture frames. It also includes goods I obtained as compensation for an error. For example, when Mr. A and I had bad service at Denny's, I asked for a dessert on the house to make up for it. These aren't exactly gains, but they're still an improvement of the status quo, the norm, etc, through asking.

"Was owed" is not technically a gain. Rather, it's money I was clearly entitled to but still had to ask for. A cashier credited $25 back to my card, because I asked her to double check my receipt. No doubt I should have gotten that money, but if I didn't ask for it, I might have missed out. There were 5 such transactions.


By the way, this chart shows only the requests that resulted in gains. Memo from the Department of the Obvious: Looks like I managed to save most frequently.

But these numbers aren't useful without some context.

3) How profitable was each type of request?


Wow. So even thought I sought Profit less than half as often as I sought Savings, I gained around $500 more in there. A pair of airfare vouchers gained in January, worth around $1,330, is what boosts that amount.

The very low "Recouped" total makes me think that in the future, maybe I could cut those losses and focus on maximizing profits.

And scary how big the "owed" category is. This is money that should have come my way, and if I'd been asleep at the wheel, it might not have. Makes me want to be much more vigilant. Also kinda annoying. Just sayin'.

So to find out how much I've gained this year -- and not just recovered -- by asking, let's add up the first two groups, Profit and Saved. That value is:

$3,204.89

For the rest of the analyses, "Total Sum" will mean $$4,579.39, while "True Gain" will be $3,204.89. I'll usually work with the first figure, but the second is cool to know.

A few remarks:

1) Much of the Profit came from a single transaction, the $1,330 airplane voucher. I realize it "skews the data" (is that how scientists talk? excuse my ignorance), but I'm including it because it was a valid request. If I write it off as a fluke, that undermines the whole idea of the project, which is to find out how much one can gain by asking DAILY. If anything, this propitious aberration shows the value of persistence and seeking opportunities everywhere, all the time.

2) At the start of the project, I figured the total amount gained would be much bigger. I had planned on buying a car, but my Nissan is hanging on. And I expected to have graduated by now, or at least negotiated a starting salary for my first full time job. I really hope my car lasts, but I'm definitely expecting to do more salary negotiations in Year Two.

3) I realize I'm super comfortable with haggling and bargaining. The next challenge: finding ways how to make my money grow, not my losses to shrink.

In conclusion, because of renewed efforts and the ever-pending salary negotiation I've been working up to, I'm expecting to see a much bigger total, same time next year.

Next: More money! Followed by Location...

Ask-o-logy: Let the analysis begin!

A few basics

For this an all other ask-o-logy reports, feel free to reblog, email or otherwise disseminate, but please give credit to The Daily Asker and link back here. Thanks!

For the introduction, click here.

To magnify any graphic, click on it.

In one year, from July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009, I asked:

365 days
411 times

For the purposes of these discussions "benefits" and "gains" will be used interchangeably to refer to any monetary gain, offset loss or refund, as well as time, experience, convenience, and/or information, obtained through asking or negotiation.

Other key terms will be defined as they come up.

The first, and most basic, question I had:

1) Does asking pay off?

To answer this, let's look at a few elements first.

Total successes versus failures. Of the 411 requests, 5 were inconclusive. Either the results weren't good or bad, or I'm still waiting to hear back (free stock). 279 were net gains. And in 16 cases, I got what I requested but didn't act on it. For example, I obtained a discount on diamond earrings, but never bought them. I also got a discount on a boat tour in Hawaii, but it was canceled because of bad weather. So in those 14 cases I obtained what I asked for, but failed to claim it for a variety of reasons. I counted those as successes, but those dollar amounts won't go into the tally of total gains.

In all, 295 times people gave me what I wanted. That's 295 times I would not have asked and would have ended up worse off than I did by asking.

And 111 times, people refused.


So roughly speaking, 7 out of 10 times, I improved my situation by asking.

Pas mal!

Next, as a basis for the subsequent interpretations this week, it helps to know what I asked for. For the rest of the charts and analyses, I'm not going to use the 5 inconclusive results. The total I'll be working with is 406, not 411.

2) Did I ask more for monetary and material benefits, or rather for experiences, time, access, privileges, fun or other nontangible benefits?


This pie chart oversimplifies the categories. Here are some explanations:

"Money" refers to any monetary or material request that can be translated into a dollar amount. Sometimes it was obvious: I saved $5 at a farmer's market. Other times I required translating a free or upgraded item into a dollar amount. But, bottom line, requests in the "Money" category were all about saving or earning money.

Next most common was "Convenience or Comfort." These are the requests that aimed to make my life easier. Could you lend me your sweater? Could you stop smoking here? Etc.

"Information or Instruction" is pretty self-explanatory. Reviewing the data, I found that these were sometimes last-minute requests -- a mix of midnight desperation, plus curiosity. Basically, if I hadn't asked anything, I could always hit up a stranger for info at 11:55 p.m. Learning some tips from a pool shark was such an example.

"Access or Permission" contained some of my favorite requests. Some could be cross-listed under "Convenience or Comfort" (e.g. Can I use your bathroom? is hazy). But here I used my gut feelings to sort them out. If the request tested someone's willingness to make me comfortable, I put it in that category. If it was more about breaking a rule, crossing a line, or letting me penetrate where I shouldn't, it was about access. Got it?

"Fun" was any wacky or zany request that I attempted for... pure glee. Try on someone's shoe, provoke an unsuspecting stranger, bite into an onion ring. Many of these could be cross-listed under "Access or Permission," but if they were more exciting than essential, I put them in this group.

Finally, "Time" refers to any request that was primarily or exclusively about saving... you got it... time. Sometimes it was a close call between "Time" and "Convenience or Comfort," but it came down to this: even if saving time was a convenience, if I could differentiate that request from other convenient ones and add a minute or hour to my day, then I counted it under "Time."

A simpler way of breaking it down, which will be useful in future analyses:

3) Did I seek monetary/material or other benefits?

I asked much more frequently for "Other" (non-monetary) benefits: 256 times. That is, for every monetary request, there were about 2 non-monetary ones.

4) Within these categories, where was I more successful?

In other words, was I more likely to meet my goal when I asked for monetary/material benefits or rather for access, experiences, information, etc. I bet you have a hunch, you savvy reader. But let's double check!

Out of 150 "Money" requests, 92 were approved. Out of 256 "Other" requests (all that were not "Money"), 203 were approved. Asking for non-financial benefits was much more likely to be met with approval:


Apparently, not only did I ask for "Other" benefits more often, but I was also more successful there. Is this causal or coincidental? I'm not a statistician, but if you have any ideas, please email me or drop a comment, below!

5) Now, looking again at the specific categories outlined above, which type of request was most likely to be successful?

To determine this, let's break down "Money" and "Other" into the more precise categories to see successful I was in individual area.

I measured how many times my requests was approved in each category, versus how many times I asked. Here's how it stacks up:


Or if you prefer, in the next graph I've indicated clear cut success rates: number of successful askings divided by number of askings, per category.


My favorite finding here: Fun. Out of 32 attempts, only 5 people didn't play along.

You rock, Humanity!

One speculation about why it was so easy to get Information or Instruction (90% success rate): I was aiming low. This category included requests for directions and questions to experts who were happy to teach or share their insights. I imagine that if I'd been asking for more "valuable" or at least elusive information, this percentage would have dropped significantly.

Another point: Overall, it was a lot easier to get my way when I asked to alleviate a basic need.

So whether it's due to the hard times, our culture or just human nature, my year of asking shows that people are much less likely to part with their cash than they are willing to be warm and cuddly. (However, this may also be because I asked more strangers monetary/material questions, and more friends and family comfort questions. Details on complicating factors like how my approach, and who I asked, could have shaped the results, coming in the next few days.)

As for actual payoffs... check back in a future posting!

Tomorrow: How the "Money" category breaks down, and asking by location.

Ask-o-logy: Introduction

For exactly one year, I asked for something -- a discount, a favor, a privilege, a perk -- and kept log of the results in an excel spreadsheet.

I read the results twice over the course of the year: once in the spring, to calculate how much money I'd gained at that point, and then at the conclusion of the project, when I did this more detailed analysis. I did not keep track as I went along because I didn't want knowledge of certain factors (like which approach is or seems most successful, or which industry is or seems more giving) to shape my attempts. I wanted a full year of regular, uneducated asking.

Over the next days I will post slices of data and offer possible interpretations. Here's the tentative game plan:

Today: Introduction & A few basics: Does asking pay off?
Wednesday: Maine or Milan? On location
Thursday: Disservice with a smile: On attitudes
Friday: Don't ask a librarian: On industry and context
Next Monday: Ask who? The gender divide
Next Tuesday: Ask for who? The altruism divide
Next Wednesday: Analysis and final remarks

Finally, a caveat about methodology and qualifications:

This isn't a controlled experiment. I'm self reporting, and the findings are not even close to reliable.

So take everything with a big grain of salt.

Also, I'm a comp lit grad student!! Until last week, I'd never used an excel function before in my life.

That's where Mr. A comes in. I am sworn to secrecy about his professional formation. Let's just say he has a PhD, and he's not a afraid to use it.

Onward! To the data!

How do you explain grad school to an 8-year-old?

Saturday, July 4.

I was at the beach, sleep-reading (there really should be a word for half-trying to read while drifting off to sleep under the sun, lulled by the sound of the waves... somnolection? any suggestions?), when a little girl interrupted.

"Excuse me. Can I borrow your cell phone?"

My first, decidedly non-parental instinct was suspicion. Was it a prank? Would she run away with my smartphone as part of a dare?

Then I realized she might actually have a valid request.

"What's the matter?"

"I'm lost, and I want to call my parents to try to find them."

"Of course! What's the number?"

I called, but no one answered. I left a message.

"Don't worry," I tried. "They probably can't hear the phone ring, but they'll call the minute they get the message. We'll try again soon."

Didn't seem to be helping. She stared into the sand, silent.

"Kids get lost all the time at the beach. I'll make sure you'll find your family..."

"My parents are going to be worried," she answered.

I assured her that as soon as my boyfriend was back from his bike ride, she and I could take a walk to find her parents. I just couldn't leave everything all alone in the sand, though, so I asked her to hang around for a few minutes. Mr. A was on his way back.

She agreed.

To pass the time, and to make her more comfortable, I suggested we build a sand castle. While we (mostly she) assembled a small heart shaped hill, I tried to make small talk.

That's how I got to know Gigi, a really cool third-grader-to-be.

She gave me the scoop on slumber parties: the in thing this season is green nail polish with sparkles.

She told me her favorite subject in school is art, and she proceeded to draw a picture in the sand of a xylophone, whose name she couldn't remember. But she knew it's a sort of piano sort of drum thingie. That's what she plays in the school orchestra, she said, and demonstrated in the air.

After about 10 minutes, I tried calling again, but no answer.

Then I asked her about her family, if she has brothers or sisters.

I asked her about cell phones. Does she have one? (I thought all kids today get cell phones when they turn 2. Where was hers?)

"My dad won't let me have one."

"Really? How come? Does he think it's bad for kids, or did you talk too much and he took it away?"

"No. I lost my old ones." Here she paused, embarrassed, and lowered her voice to a near whisper. "I've had five."

"Sorry, I can't hear you. What did you say?"

"I've had five," she repeated.

"Five?!"

"Five, no, six. I lost them all."

"How did you do that?"

"I just forgot where I put 'em."

I asked her about the internet: Does she use Facebook or MySpace?

"I have a MySpace, but I only used it once. My sister Facebooks."

Eventually, she asked me one question:

"Do you have a job?"

I wondered how to phrase my chosen career path. "I started my postgraduate education in 2002. I think you were learning to differentiate between peepee and poopoo around then. Since then, I have been reading lots of books and journal articles, and typing many, many pages, in hopes that one day I will earning a degree that certifies I have attained the highest level of study in one field. Which basically means that I now know a little more after than I did when I was starting out. Basically I'm a professional student. Also, unemployed. Real life is scary. Learn a trade, kid."

I figured this was not the time to explain grad school to a frightened 8-year-old.

Instead, I told her I'm a writer.

"I write stuff, and post it on the internet. Like, if I have an idea, or want to find out the answer to a question, I will do some research and then tell a bunch of people about what I found."

She nodded.

Mr. A came back and sat with our stuff while I took Gigi for a walk to find her family.

"What color is their umbrella?" I asked.

"Blue with white trim."

Less than a minute after we started walking, she pointed to a group of people.

"That's my aunt!" she exclaimed and bounded over. They were about 50 feet from where we'd been sitting.

I made sure the aunt noticed her, then waved goodbye, but she never looked back.

Gained: Interaction with a member of generation Z.

2 for 1 cheesecake?

Friday, July 3

My mom treated me to a healthy, organic and generally motherly lunch at a place she heard about on the radio, called Tender Greens. The food was unremarkable, but the cheesecake -- a fluffy wedge drenched in blackberry jam -- was to die for.

Mr. A was getting back from a business trip Friday night, and he loves cheesecake. At $5 a pop, two slices were out of the question, but I had one thing going for me: the servers hand cut each piece from the whole cake.

Not precut = more leeway = more cash maximization potential.

I walked up to the counter, asked for a slice to go, and added this plug. "Can I get an extra big slice? My boyfriend is going do ADORE your cheesecake! I just had a slice, and I think it's the best cheesecake I've ever had!!"

She carved out a quarter of the cake and dumped it into a to-go box. WOW. Thanks!!

Gained: Two portions for the price of one. Saved $5.

Help me avoid interest and penalties?

I have a new strategy, and a new goal, which I'll unveil Monday, along with the first set of data.

In the meantime, here are three recent requests, as I shift gears for Year Two...

Wednesday, July 1: Didn't ask a thing! BREAK!!

Thursday, July 2: My undergraduate student loans go into automatic repayment once I graduate. Since I've been a student for so long, the computer decided to list me as finished. Thanks for the hint!

Within a week of my said graduation date, I got a letter from my undergrad loan company, followed soon by another, stating that I owe heaps of money for June and July and if I don't act now, I'll go into default.

DEFAULT!!!!?????????

I had some asking to do, stat!!

I called my grad school's registrar and requested that they sort this out. The clerk said she will write a letter on my behalf to the lender, explaining that it was a computer glitch and I'm still registered.

Next, I called the lender to say a letter is on its way. Will I be penalized in any way because of this miscommunication? Wil I be charged interest, have a black mark on my record, or worse?

That clerk said no.

Gained: Took care of business and smoothed over a technical snafoo.

Next days, coming up next...

88 things I discovered

Findings from the hard data coming next. But first...

88 things I discovered in 365 days of asking

Feel free to send, email or reproduce this list. Just give credit to The Daily Asker and include a link to my blog.

And feel free to contribute your own insights to the list by adding comments below.

1. You seriously have nothing to lose by asking.

2. Actually, you have way more to lose by not asking.

3. Persisting pays off in direct and indirect ways.

4. Forming a habit of asking leads to unimagined opportunities and benefits.

5. You get more when you have high expectations.

6. People are amazingly generous.

7. People are playful and up for adventure.

8. Even prices printed in black ink are not set in stone.

9. Every price is its own form of request: "Will you pay X for Y?" Most people either pay up or walk away. The third, rarer, choice is negotiating.

10. Even if getting rejected seems scary or embarrassing, the worst sting lasts 3 seconds max -- and you grow stronger every time.

11. Asking others encourages you to ask yourself first: what do I want? what do I need?

12. Department stores are a challenge -- I never got a discount there, despite media buzz that they're cutting deals left and right; maybe I needed to buy bigger ticket items, or maybe I approached the wrong individuals. Oh well! There's always Year Two.

13. Craigslisters always rewarded my asking.

14. Small requests lead to bigger and better and bolder ones.

15. Being generous is lovely. Just not when you're giving your time or talents at an underpaid job.

16. Asking for a fair salary when the other party acts reluctant is tough.

17. Asking for a fair salary when you don't have a job is also really tough.

18. But both are so worth it. So research, practice and remember you are awesome.

19. If you can afford to do so, asking and failing is better than working a job where you're not paid enough, not respected or not meeting your potential. Tough times, bad economy, no work, but something to keep in mind for when things pick up and/or you do have some leeway.

20. Plan who you'll ask. Manager or employee? Marketing or finance department? What's your inroad to success?

21. Plan how you'll ask. Helpless or assertive? Persuasive or demanding? Flirty or professional? Switch midway if that's what it takes. This part of negotiating isn't an art or a science, it's human nature. Trust your gut.

22. Asking is not hard for all women. Some women are amazing askers!

23. According to my readers, asking is also hard for some men, immigrants, foreigner visitors, minorities.

24. It's easier to ask when you feel you have nothing to lose. That's obvious. But keeping that in mind, aim to translate that confidence into transactions where the outcome does matter.

25. No one but you cares if you ask and fail. In the wise words of one reader, "No one is watching you." Not the waiter, not the cashier, not the bouncer. Maybe the other insecure ninnies in line, and who cares about them? So don't let shyness hold you back.

26. Don't worry about exploiting the other side by asking. He or she can decline.

27. But remember there are cases where you have more power, status or income, and the other side feels compelled to comply.

28. A good test for how reasonable and fair your request is to ask yourself first, How would I react if the roles were reversed? Would I feel obligated to comply because I'm desperate? Assuming you're not Jeffrey Dahmer, that is.

29. Use empathy to identify with the other side -- and use that to your advantage.

30. What struck me as a big request or favor was quite likely inconsequential or even entertaining to who I asked.

31. On the other hand, in more complicated situations don't assume you know the other side's motives or intentions. Try to find out, but never assume.

32. Libraries are hard places to ask. Especially at my grad school!!!

33. Asking someone to stop doing something is less often successful than asking someone to start.

34. Surround yourself with good people -- people who reward asking, questioning, venturing, seeking. Open minded and ambitious people.

35. Sounding apologetic is the easiest way to ensure failure. Act like you own the place, or like you're best friends with the person you're asking!

36. You get more by courtesy and flattery than by demanding or complaining.

37. People rarely ask back. That means they are missing their own opportunities. So if you get asked, and want to maximize your position, try asking back. ("Can I have this for 10 percent off" "How about 5 percent?" That type of reply was very rare.)

38. Study and mimic the manners and methods of effective askers and negotiators.

39. Mine experienced askers and negotiators for info, advice, techniques.

40. Speaking of mimicking, one strategy during a negotiation is to copy the other side's lingo. "That rate is too high." "Well, I'm afraid it's too low."

41. Another strategy for getting a low price on services, travel, etc is pitting competitors against one another and asking for the best bid.

42. Another strategy is to advocate for your goal as an optimized solution for both parties. This is one rational, cerebral version of persuasion.

43. Emotional and pleading persuasion is also effective under the right circumstances.

44. Sometimes you should simply tell, not ask. "I'm taking my lunch break," not "Can I take my lunch break?" Don't give someone the opportunity to say no.

45. If you doubt yourself while asking, you'll probably fail. The other party can sense you don't believe the query is worthwhile and it becomes much easier to say no.

46. People ask a lot more frequently than they realize -- so it's not a big stretch to make it a routine or ask more adventurously.

47. It's easier to ask on behalf of other people, harder to ask for yourself. Hmm... maybe having a partner in crime is a good approach. You ask for him/her, and vice versa. Something to test out in Year Two...

48. Some of the best requests and results were impromptu -- which suggests that asking just for the hell of it has its own big merit.

49. One more strategy is letting the "askee" come up with a solution. You ask vaguely, "How can I work around this fee?" and he will offer the very solution you wanted. But it's his initiative, not your demand. Makes him more eager to want to help.

50. Also helps to put yourself on a team with the person you're asking. "What are we going to do about this?" as opposed to "How will you fix my problem?"

51. Anyone can ask. You don't need to be a consumer advocate or reporter or public official to get what you want. I never said I was a blogger, never said anything about any publicity producing powers I may have, and people still agreed, gave, complied.

52. The internet is full of resources for finding people at the top and planting your request strategically. A few favorites: The Consumerist's tips, cached email addresses (by messing around on Google), and directories like cogmap.

53. In a year of asking, NO ONE was cruel when turning me down. No one said "How dare you ask! Loser! Mooch! Greedy bitch!" People acted surprised, at most snooty, but no one insulted me or my ancestors. So at the very worst, whether I was rejected by someone kind or condescending, I ended up exactly where I had been before asking.

54. On the other hand, what's wrong with being unpopular? I have stood up for myself more this year, stood up for more others, and demanded respect in ways I never imagined I would or could, until now.

55. Being a good asker might make you sensitive to when other people could be asking, but aren't. This can be valuable information, both for self centered and altruistic purposes.

56. It costs approximately $983 to cater a wedding for approximately 75 people, with organic food, not counting the roast suckling pig. Just food costs, that is. Labor and service are extra.

57. When stomping on an assailant's foot, use your heel, not the ball of the foot.

58. When breaking during a game of pool, lean in and follow through. Don't just snap the cue, thrust it.

59. Don't trust Italian elevators.

60. Berenger's Private Reserve Chardonnay, 2007, tastes like chicken soup, with an afterwhiff of creme brulee.

61. Cwm is a small Welsh valley. That, and pa and mo and el and yean and toea are Scrabble-approved words.

62. My new favorite cheese: Tome à l'ancienne. Quote from Day 298: "Made in Provence, by farmers, in their kitchens. Totally unpasteurized. Totally exquisite. A gooey disk of bliss."

63. A gas station in Maine serves the best cheesesteak sandwiches on the planet.

64. Ikea's return policy sucks.

65. Excel is my friend.

66. Rules are, quite often, askings of their own. Credit card minimum? Exit only? No return without a receipt? Ask, persuade, and very likely you'll end up on the insider's club.

67. Asking is an easy way to make your life a lot easier. Delegate, ask for a raincheck, request an extension, an exception, a shortcut. Optimize, prioritize. In any case, nothing to lose by trying.

68. One approach to simplifying through asking is to group together frequent tasks or multiple frequent purchases and try to get a discount or favor. Buy coffee every day? Ask for a monthly discount. Have a regular dry cleaning errand? Ask for a bulk rate and go more rarely. Save time and money.

69. The savings from mini-requests add up over time. Bargaining every weekend at the farmer's market will pay off financially, and it's good training.

70. Know your BAFTA before setting out in any negotiation.

71. Not everyone gives expecting something in return. It's okay to take, without immediately saying, "How can I repay you?" Maybe you'll pay back later, or simply pay it forward...

72. With some people, you never have to ask -- they give of their own accord. Remember those people. Remember to thank them. And be just as generous with them and others.

73. Speaking of those people, my family and friends are awesome. This is not really a discovery -- just a reminder. Thank you, everyone!!

74. Get over the guilt of asking.

75. There's a big gap between greediness and staking your fair claim. Study it, reflect on it, and be sure to stay on the right side. If it's a gray zone, get advice.

76. To quote one of my readers quoting Spike Lee, do the right thing. Only ask in a setting where you'd like to be asked -- not when the other party is desperate for your services, or where your gain would impoverish or hurt someone else.

77. It's okay to stumble and try again. I sometimes saved money by calling or coming back and renegotiating. Not ideal, not exactly elegant, but it worked out okay.

78. Walking away from a negotiation if you don't get your optimal result is awesome. It works. And, makes you feel like a badass!!

79. Don't be afraid to be enthusiastic when negotiating or asking. If you're aloof, playing it cool, the other party might think you're not impressed and lower the price. But he or she might also assume you're not interested and not invest the energy (or discount) to persuade you.

80. Show the other party what's in it for them -- maybe you'll be a more frequent customer, or refer people, or (a more subtle approach) flatter them into teaching you their skill or showing your their secret. Make it about the giver, not the asker.

81. Use your cell phone or laptop aggressively. Check for coupon codes, online discounts and the like, and apply them on the phone, online or at the cash register.

82. When it doubt, at any transaction, give asking a try. "Do you have any special promotions today?" saved me a bunch, over the year. $2 here and there add up.

83. Frequent asking increases chances of a potential whammy, like my airfare vouchers.

84. Asking for career advice, contacts and networking works the same way: give it a try, make it a habit, and see the dividends add up over time.

85. If you're flexible, you can save money (in the U.S., at least) by shopping late in the day -- farmers markets, estate sales and the like are eager to unload their stuff, so you have more bargaining power.

86. Asking is exhilarating.

87. Asking is contagious.

88. Asking is addictive.