What if you don't want a slice of the AI hype?

What if all you had to do to get a better deal was to ask?

Bargaining is something that doesn't come naturally for lots of people, but experts say you may be able to negotiate the price of anything from your electricity to your new dining table, if you try.

Here are a few things for which it might be worth giving it a shot.

Your mortgage rate

Banks will often negotiate with customers, particularly if they say they are thinking about moving to a competitor.

"If you're looking at switching your mortgage, give your existing mortgage broker a call and say 'look I'm out of here unless you match the guys down the road'," Consumer NZ chief executive Jon Duffy said.

"Quite often you'll be able to get a deal that's better than the headline advertised deal."

Glen McLeod, head of Link Advisory, said banks generally had two tiers of pricing.

"The first is the advertised or 'carded' rate, which is publicly available on the bank's website. The second consists of special rates that may be available to borrowers with a loan-to-value ratio (LVR) below 80 percent. Many borrowers aren't aware that these lower rates may exist, which is why it's important to ask whether there are any better rates available. Simply asking the question can provide valuable insight into the most competitive options on offer."

He said mortgage advisers received weekly pricing schedules and banks were becoming less flexible about offering any lower, but it was always worth trying.

"Importantly, the conversation is no longer just about securing the lowest interest rate. We're seeing a growing trend where borrowers who are refixing a loan at the end of a fixed-rate term may also be eligible for retention incentives, such as cashback offers or retention payments.

"As a result, the best outcome is often determined by the overall package on offer-not just the interest rate, but also any financial incentives that can improve the client's position and reduce the overall cost of borrowing."

Jeremy Andrews, of Key Mortgages, agreed cash payments were a good option to ask for. You could try to negotiate this from another lender, or your existing bank.

He said banks were offering up to 1 percent cashback in some cases, particularly for people with new or larger loans.

Your income

Although the labour market has been a bit weaker lately, you may still be able to make a case to increase your income. Experts say it usually helps to go into a meeting about a pay rise with a clear idea of what you're achieving in your job and what you're generating for the business. Make your case for why you deserve more money, not just tell your boss you want some.

You can also look at what other roles similar to yours are paying. There are salary surveys available each year from organisations such as Hays and Robert Walters and you may also be able to get an idea from looking at sites such as Seek.

Purchases for your house

If you're considering a purchase such as an appliance, whiteware or a new piece of furniture, you may be able to get a better deal if you can show a competitor is offering a lower price. Take your phone with you when you're shopping and google anything you're considering. Sites such as PriceSpy will show you what price it is selling for elsewhere.

Consumer NZ points out that Briscoes and Rebel Sport will offer a discount of 10 percent on a lower price from a competitor while Bunnings and Mitre 10 offered 15 percent. "JB Hi-Fi, Noel Leeming and The Warehouse will match the cheaper price, but don't offer a further discount."

It said people could also get prices matched at Chemist Warehouse and Bargain Chemist.

Even if a shop doesn't advertise that it has a price match policy, you may be able to get a discount by pointing out that an item is cheaper elsewhere. Duffy said sometimes there would be other inducements that were offered instead. "Get a free toaster with your fridge or something like that."

Power

Shopping around on your power can help you get a better price. Sites like Billy and Powerswitch allow you to compare what's on offer. If you find something that looks like a better deal, you could ask your current provider to match it.

Duffy said that was something people often did on Powerswitch.

"Often people will compare prices, then go back to their existing provider and say, 'well, I can see that there's two different power companies that are offering a cheaper rate than you. Give me your best deal or I'm leaving'. And that feels kind of acceptable in the services space, similarly with broadband.

"By making a comparison, sometimes you can go back to your current provider and say, I'm out of here. And we know that the big broadband providers all have retention teams who you'll get transferred to, and those people are specifically tasked with getting you a deal that will keep you."

Buying a house

One of the areas where a lot of New Zealanders expect to negotiate is in buying a house.

Duffy said most people would not take the first price offered to them. "There's an aggressive negotiation process where buyers and sellers need an intermediary in there to kind of be a referee to get the final price."