A serious buyer with cash to use up can really call the shots these days on everything from electronics to housing to a root canal. Really.

In fact, 90 of customers who negotiated with a salesperson on everything from the price of furniture to medical care got a price break on at least one buy over a three year period, as indicated by a 2007 Consumer Reports survey. The most successful of the lot stated saving $50 or more.

Another recent study the magazine conducted found that more than 70 of people selling their home who negotiated the standard 6 seller’s fee got their real estate broker to accept between 3 and 4.

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Even medical costs are just game, as indicated by SmartMoney. The magazine reports that many doctors are wanting to lower fees by 20 to 50 for patients whose insurance offers only fractional coverage, also as for those with no insurance at all. Paying cash up front is one way to cut your costs. SmartMoney’s example: “Say your insurer covers 80 of a $650 root canal or $520. Negotiate a $450 cash fee before filing the assert, and you have cut your out of pocket costs by $40. An uninsured buyer could save $200.”

In other words, it really does pay to ask.

Prepare to Make Your Case

Unless it comes naturally to you, haggling is a approach best saved for big ticket purchases. That way, you have time to do your research a must and will save many serious coin for your efforts. Here are some rules of thumb for negotiating a better price on just about anything.

Shop before you shop: You will not know if you are to get a real bargain or a dud deal unless you have many pricing history for comparison. Go online and learn what the going rate is for the item you want. Then you may be able to use your retail recon to make merchants play good cop/bad cop. Flash your cash and a competitor’s lower advertised price you’ll need physical evidence, and many stores will match the price. Do not get too cocky, though. Most will honor coupons or sale prices only if they have the exact item in stock.

Know when to ask: Take your cue from the car business, where wheeling and dealing is most prevalent right before sales milestones, like the end of the quarter, end of the season particularly for seasonal things like patio furniture and Christmas ornaments, and end of the fiscal year. To get more granular, you will get better results by visiting the store when foot traffic is at its lowest throughout the center of a weekday, as an example.

Know whom to speak to: Many stores have price match policies which is why you want to come armed with a competitors’ deals if possible. Best purchase, for example, will match a local competitor’s price on the spot if the item is the same make and model. Same with Staples. Sears Holdings’ Sears stores will match the price on some items and give you an extra 10 discount. The catch with most of these offers is that the “competitor” must be local many merchants won’t match the price of an item found on the Internet.

Move up the chain of command: Many merchants leave discounting up to the employees’ discretion, usually at stores in which employees earn a commission. If the 1st person you talk to will not budge, ask politely! if there’s someone else, possibly a department or store manager, who can be able to make the call. Do not bound your line of inquiring to big multi location retail chains. Mom and pop stores are frequently wanting to meet or beat a big box retailer’s advertised price or supply free add ons when presented with firm evidence and a prepared buyer.

Show that you mean business, but generally be nice: A polite way to ask for a discount is to for example, “Is this the best price available?” If, after all else, the answer is “yes,” you have to want to walk away or at least act like it. But do not storm away in a huff or start your negotiation from an adversarial position. As an example, instead of saying “This is way overpriced!” say “I really like this item, but this is more than I Planned To use up.” keep in mind you and the merchant both have something to get in this transaction.

Phone a friend: If you need time to waffle and stall the sale in hopes of to get the best price possible tell the salesperson that you want to get a second opinion from your spouse/partner/buddy/mother in law. The idea of seeing a near sale walking out the door may inspire the salesperson to trot out the complete best price possible.

Fool.Com Consumer finance columnist and confessed shopaholic Dayana Yochim Is lobbying for “shopping” to be recognized as an official Olympic sport. She could like to appoint herself as team captain. She does not own any of the stocks mentioned here. Best purchase is an Inside Value and Stock Advisor pick, and the Fool owns shares, too. Staples is another Stock Advisor selection, and Sears Holdings is an Inside Value recommendation. The Fool’s Disclosure policy Shops the discount aisles till it drops.