Go for it. Bargaining is nothing to be embarrassed about. Still, there are many people who fear that it would make them seem cheap, tacky, or pathetic. It doesn't. As author Suzy Gershman points out, "In some cultures, it's insulting not to bargain."

Play nice. Being assertive will help you. Being charming will help you even more. Being rude won't help you at all. Salespeople want to feel as if they are respected and have some control over the situation. For those same reasons, aim to strike a fair-minded bargain instead of insisting on a price that is so preposterously low that you'll alienate the salesperson.

Be real. People are more likely to bargain with you if they know that you're committed to buying the item or service at the right price. So name a price only if you mean it. At the same time, try not to seem as if you're in love with the item. Otherwise, they'll think they don't have to lower the price that much for you to buy it, says Max Edison, author of www.amazon.com (Paladin Press, $12).