Are you an expert haggler?

Did you ever successfully persuade a doctor, mechanic, contractor, or store clerk to lower their prices? If you consider yourself a savvy negotiator, Consumer Reports wants to hear from you. 

If you thought haggling was a no-no outside of car dealerships and flea markets, you could be missing out on opportunities for big savings every day. From medical bills and real estate commissions to television sets and clothing, many businesses are open to negotiating prices. 

All it takes is a bit of moxie, the right approach, and the gift of gab. 

For an upcoming story on the secrets of successful hagglers, we’re interested in hearing about the goods and services you’ve bargained for. If you’ve got a particularly interesting anecdote, it might end up in Consumer Reports. 

So speak up, and share you best bargaining stories. (You can send us your stories via the Comments form below. Please be sure to include a current email address so we can contact you. Your email address will not appear with your comment on this blog, and we won't share it with anyone outside of Consumer Reports. For more on our policies regarding your personal information, please see our User Agreement.)

Oh, and if you're not an expert haggler, don't worry. Here are some tips on negotiating, from Consumer Reports Money Adviser.

Shoppers still love their coupons

Coupons may seem like an outdated concept to some people but for others they're a vital part of the shopping experience. The Baltimore Sun reports that shoppers are still happily clipping coupons; a survey from the National Retail Federation found that while only one in five people is a coupon user, those that do use coupons are devoted to them, hunting them down in direct mail campaigns, in newspapers and on websites. Whenever stores or manufacturers have tried to eliminate coupons, the results have been negative.

Part of the reason for the slowdown in coupon usage is the decline in Sunday newspaper circulation, since that's where most coupons appear. Also, some manufacturers have shortened expiration dates or have begun to rely on "buy one, get one free" offers.

Can coupon usage be phased out? It doesn't look like it will happen any time soon. They remain important to retailers and manufacturers that hope to influence shoppers to try new brands and products. Also, stores hope that shoppers who arrive with discount coupons in hand will shop more.

For a tale of coupon success, check out the story of CR employee Anne Galletta, a dedicated outlet mall shopper who also uses coupons to increase her haul.