Bartering Tip of the Day

If you're in a third-world country where the bartering system is still intact, or if you buy your car from Paul Miller Mazda, there are a few things you need to remember. First, the very nature of bartering implies stress to non-confrontational people like myself. The seller wants to "close" the deal, and you don't want to get ripped off. But, it's easy to, in the stress and anxiety of it all, settle for something that's actually higher than you intended! This is complicated even further with the use of foreign moneys. So, here's the scenario. You want a Dominican-manufactured hand-made journal. First thing, you need to figure out what you'd like to pay in US dollars. (Because there are prices on these things, but you can always pay less than half of the marked price.) Let's say you're willing to spend $3. Before you approach the vendor, calculate that into pesos. (3x28 is a little less than 100 pesos). Begin bartering. If you don't have a peso amount in mind, you'll end up thinking 600 pesos is "a couple of dollars" and then come to find out it's like $18!