Top Banner

Group Savings

Posted on July 15, 2009

0 Comments | Post a Comment |

Let me ask you some questions:

Do you have friends?

Do you have five or more friends?

Do you hang with those five or more friends at different places (bowling, movies, restaurants, clubs) around the city?

Do you all pay individually to hang out at those places?

If so, why the heck have you not been ‘bucking the norm’ and asking for the group discount at your hangout spots?

Here are some great tips from Smart Money and Money Crashers on how to save money when you are out with your friends.

Ask for a manager. Generally, they have the most leeway to offer discounts and can tell you if there’s a group discount policy already in place.

Plan ahead. Don’t expect to walk into a hair salon with nine others and negotiate a group discount on the spot. Allow a few days to come to the deal, and give the business time to prepare. (For example, that salon might need to find time to handle a party of 10, and a retailer arranging a bulk purchase may need to special-order the products.)

Bring in new customers. Businesses may be more likely to work with you if most members of your group aren’t already customers, says Robin Walker, a Chicago-based image consultant who routinely arranges group discounts for her clients. “A business doesn’t want to give their existing customers a discount,” she says. “It cannibalizes their client base.”

Think beyond cash. Not every group deal amounts to a discount. A restaurant manager might not give you 10% off for bringing in a party, but they may throw in two free trays of appetizers.

Use Social Media to Find Group Members Facebook and Twitter would be great places to search for people or friends/followers in your area and contact them to see if they are interested in getting a group discount. Theme parks and water parks are always running group discounts. Start a Facebook group and invite a bunch of people in your city. Everybody wants to save a little green.

So grab some friends and save some money!

If you know some ways to save money while having fun with your friends, feel free to comment and let us know about them.