Haggling 101

Let me start this off by saying that I love my wife very much.  She is a constant source of joy in my life, and at times a source of sheer insanity.  Since we have been in Turkey we have left the world of fixed prices and entered the world of haggling.  To some this is considered to be a pastime that provides endless amounts of entertainment (me) and to others it is considered a bottomless pit of frustration, a form of trade that the civilized world should have abandoned eons ago (Teresa). 

Nonetheless, when in Constantinople… 

After reviewing the guidebooks, searching the internet, and watching Monty Python’s “Life of Brian” beard haggle skit on You Tube we developed a few rules which follow:

1.       Check a few vendors before buying

2.        Under no circumstance accept the first offer

3.       Start the counter bid at about half the initial price

4.       Get to the price you’re willing to pay

5.       WALK AWAY and let them pull you back

So it was finally go time for Teresa’s haggle.  We sat in our corner going over the rules and how we were going to approach the battle, then in she went.  The item a metal thimble initially offered at 3 lira (a buck fifty) which was a nice small item to start with.  We had scouted this the other day and I almost got it for about 1.5 lira but all I had in coin was 1 lira.

Ding, Ding, Ding…round one proceeds as follows:

Teresa: How much?

Vendor:  3 lira,  but if you get more I give you better deal.

Teresa: How much for 2?

Vendor:  5 lira

Teresa: OK

…OK!!!!!

She was knocked out in the opening seconds of the first round with one punch.  This was not the “Thrilla in Manilla” I was hoping for.  

She knew what had happened as she walked over to me.

Teresa: Don’t start, I like my thimbles

Jeff: First offer??

Teresa: DON’T!!!!

In her defense they were nice thimbles, and they were worth 5 lira to Teresa which at least adheres to rule 4 from above…and it wasn’t a $1000 Turkish rug.