THE ART OF NEGOTIATION

Ladies, It’s Time to Start Negotiating New and used car sales are picking up again after a punishing recession and rising along with them is a resource that helps to put women in the driver’s seat when buying a car. Research shows, however, that many women hesitate to go to the dealership by themselves, in fact, 63 percent of female car buyers bring someone with them and 78 percent of the time it’s a man. The reason? Many women aren’t comfortable negotiating. Not surprisingly, women now buy 54 percent of all cars and influence 80 percent of the family car purchases. Further research indicates that when women have a "let’s get this over with" mindset and, when they don’t negotiate, they pay $1,353 more than their male counterpart (source: Women Don't Ask by Linda Babcock). That amount balloons to an estimated $3,000 over the life of an auto loan. Three thousand dollars goes a long way in assisting women in taking better care of themselves and their family. That sum is the equivalent to: * A hefty deposit for an IRA, 529 education fund, or a dream vacation * An emergency fund * 50 pair of shoes, or, 20 designer handbags * 3 months of grocery trips for a family of four, or nine months for a single person * 120 $25.00 Starbucks or Target gift cards There are three things women can do to empower themselves and save money when going to the dealership. First, locate and do business with certified dealers; these are dealers that women rated and gave high scores to. Next, take the Negotiating Test to see what kind of a negotiator you are--and follow the simple steps to maximize your buying power. Third, stay empowered and use your voice and your intuition—just as you would if it were for someone else. Anne Fleming, President Women-Drivers.com