MOLI VIEW™

Don't throw your money away. The best way to save is to refrain from spending it in the first place. You know, "a penny saved is a penny earned" and all that.

There's been a bit of publicity lately on the idea of haggling with sales people when purchasing computers, electronic equipment and big-ticket items. But that's old news to me. I may not be a typical customer, but when spending a fair amount of money, I often ask for a throw-in: a case, batteries, an accessory — or a better price.

Repeat after me: "Is that the best you can do?" Often (but not always) they'll knock something off or throw something in.

A couple of months ago, when I noticed that one of my tires wasn't holding air, I went to the tire shop and soon learned that I'd need a new set of tires. I hadn't planned on buying four tires that day, but when the manager showed me the tread wear, I didn't hesitate. After discussing options and recommendations, I chose a tire, then got to work. "As you can see (from checking his computer), I'm a regular customer, so I won't pay the same price as someone walking in off the street," I announced. Shooting me a tight smile, he began tapping away on his computer.

After a few minutes and several back-and-forths, we had a deal. I'd be paying for 3 tires and getting one free, plus free road hazard coverage, balancing, and front-end alignment. I was pleased and when my wife's vehicle needed tires a few weeks later, she went to see my buddy, and told him that I'd promised her that he's take good care of her — or else. He did.

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