Haggling Abroad

“Why can they not just put a price tag on the sodding thing? They tell us how much it is, and we pay it. What could be easier than that?”

We’ve all said it and, if we haven’t said it, we’ve all thought it at some point during the convoluted dance that is buying goods abroad. Yet, whilst we travel we must all, from time to time, have to take part in this most ancient of traditions. Love it or hate it, it’s an undeniable necessity for those wishing to avoid ‘getting their head shaved’ upon foreign soil.

Initially, during my first trip to Asia, I found haggling to be one of the most awkward and draining experiences known to mankind. Asian street bartering seemed infinitely more awkward than negotiating my first squat toilet (and footage of that would have made for a ‘YouTube’ sensation) and more draining than a particularly memorable bus trip in Laos - 10 hours along a snaking mountain pass with nothing more to perch on than a broken patio chair in what seemed to be an extremely well lubricated aisle. At least I had a seat, I suppose. So, why did haggling initially seem like the mother of all evils? Well, I just didn’t know the rules. Haggling is a practice that, as westerners, we are simply unaccustomed to. It’s the embarrassing auntie of western culture. Only on special occasions is she shamefully wheeled out, and even then just because there is no alternative. In our culture she rarely makes an appearance, generally only used in anger on car forecourts and flea markets.

But when abroad, especially in Asia, we must learn the rules and learn them quickly – for haggling is as much a part of daily life there as the inner-city motorbike mayhem, the truly free range chickens, and the pungent whiff of the mighty Durian.

Haggling didn’t come easy for a long time. I was a slow learner and, initially, I got it all wrong. More often than not I would part company with a vendor having not made the deal. I would leave feeling as if they were trying to exploit me as a ‘stupid tourist’, and, after each failed transaction, with a feeling of growing antipathy toward a nation that I felt just wasn’t playing by the rules.

With time, and with each mistake, I began to realise that these people were playing by the rules, but they just happened to be different to those underpinning my previous set of values. I knew I had to change both my outlook on and my approach to this somewhat alien form of negotiation if I were to become a successful haggler.

So what defines successful haggling? By successful haggling I don’t mean grinding a vendor down to the lowest price possible and leaving them with a miniscule profit. We are, after all, comparatively rich – rich enough to spend a small fortune on flights and subsequently sustain ourselves in a foreign land without having to work a minimum of 10 hour days simply to support ourselves and our dependants – it’s a fact worth remembering before blindly pursuing that illusive ‘best price’. To me, a successful haggle is an enjoyable transaction for all involved, one that leaves the buyer with a memorable keepsake for years to come, and the seller with a dollar or 2 in their sky rocket.

Getting to that stage, however, didn’t happen overnight. I blundered clumsily through many an exchange before I finally managed to crack this particular nut and carry off a decent haggle.

My first step in tackling this bartering brick wall was to analyse what went wrong each time, and why it did so. I began paying attention to the smallest of details during each exchange and became obsessed with the mechanics behind this seemingly complex phenomenon. Conscious study of my own actions and reactions during barter became the norm, and, from the comfort and relative anonymity of numerous market side cafes, I watched with intent the locals as they engaged in this merry dance. I became a people watcher and, from the rim of a coffee cup, I swiftly realised that my western social skills would require a much needed Asian makeover if I were to become proficient in these primordial customs. In the knowledge that only after such a radical re-evaluation would a pleasurable, and ultimately successful, transaction finally occur, it was time to start being a savvy tourist and ditch the anachronistic social rulebook.

Only by dissecting my own disastrous barter technique, discarding most of what I thought previously correct, and learning from the masters could I start to shape the new, effective haggler. Initially it was pretty much ‘local see, monkey do’ – but, despite still feeling external to this whole peculiar affair, I immediately started to see a difference in the way the exchanges went. As confidence grew, I began to edge into a newly established comfort zone. The more confident I felt, the more relaxed I became. With a more relaxed approach I naturally felt more positive and upbeat, and this must have been evident – and it was this positive, infinitely more laid back approach to the whole barter process that made all the difference.

I now had a foundation to build upon. Although I now find haggling a comfortable – and generally enjoyable- experience, I am still learning, still polishing those skills. Through trial and error, albeit now on a much smaller scale, I’m still discovering what works for me and what doesn’t. Just like so many other aspects of traveling, it’s a constant learning experience - and one that should not be avoided, but approached mindfully and respectfully.

How to Avoid Getting Overcharged Abroad - Part 1

 

It’s a fact of life that in some countries overcharging visitors is commonplace. Dual pricing is sometimes the norm though, and is just something we have to take on the chin - but let’s face it, it’s normally such a small difference that it’s hardly worth worrying about anyway. If we make it an issue then the chances are it’ll only detract from our own experience - so why get het up about it?

But as we know, there are occasions where some folk try to take the piss. They either try to overcharge by a bit too much, or simply try to scam or hustle us. This post is the first in a series of backpacking tips focussing on such occasions. These tips on how to avoid getting overcharged concentrate purely on the steps we can take, and things we can do ourselves, to avoid getting grossly overcharged or hustled in the first place. It’s more about prevention than cure.

Let’s kick off this round with quite a heavyweight: Appearance

Although you can’t always judge a book by its cover, it’s surprising just how much you can learn about someone simply by looking at them - and even if you are different from how you look, your appearance may suggest otherwise.

It goes without saying that flaunting ‘expensive’ items such as jewellery, electronic gadgets, and new clothes or pristine travel gear will make you look relatively wealthy - and its usually this kind of outward appearance that can encourage some serious overcharging or an out-and-out hustle. So, what can we do to get around this?

Use a Bit of ‘Tourist Camouflage’ - If you have a camera, iPod or laptop or whatever, avoid carrying it in its travel case and use a tatty old bag instead. If you don’t feel happy about putting an expensive camera in dusty old bag then keep it in its travel case and put that in an old bag – in doing so you may also become less of a beacon for petty criminals.

Be Bad to your New Backpack - Although you may feel the inherent urge to look after it, leave it face down on crabby floors etc (and maybe even wipe it around a bit!) as a little bit of dirt goes a long way toward making it look like it’s been used for a while and as such should draw less attention. You don’t have to go nuts with it, but – like smoking – doing so will speed up the old ageing process!

Avoid the Full Wardrobe Change - As tempting as it is to stock up on masses of cheap new clothes when you first get to somewhere like, say, Khao San Road Backpacker Central, think twice before you buy a full designer/ethnic wardrobe. Not only will a whole new get up give the impression that you’re not scared to part with your money but, once you get out of the area where all the hookey stuff is widely accepted to be sold, people may see your Timberland boots, Diesel jeans and Von Chav (sorry, Von Dutch) T-shirt and mistake them for the real thing – which will only serve to make you look richer!

But tips to avoid getting overcharged go beyond basic appearance. There are other signs - signs that we may not even be aware of - that could open up a backpacker to overcharging. For instance, if a backpacker is new to a country then the chances are that they may not know the normal prices of things yet or of the scams in that area - and if people know this then some may try and take advantage. The secret here is to not broadcast our newly arrived status, and there are a few ways in which a backpacker can do this:-

Flight tags - After flying into a new country, ripping the baggage tags from your backpack before you get into town can help no end. Now as you wander through town with your backpack on looking for accommodation it’s more difficult to tell whether you’ve been in the country 5 minutes or 5 weeks. Combine this with the other tips and, to the onlooker, you could have just as easily arrived from a nearby town as you could’ve from the other side of the world.

Cook slowly – Nothing says ‘I’m new here’ more than a big, bright red, sunburnt head. If a sunburnt backpacker has just overpaid for something and the vendor utters something in a foreign tongue, its likely they’ve just said something along the lines of “Thanks beacon-head! Do come again!” So, remember the sunscreen – especially when you first get to a hot country – and be a bit of a sun dodger until you’ve built up at least a decent primer and undercoat.

Leave the past behind – Picture this: You’ve just flown out at the start of your big backpacking trip and on the first night you go out for a few beers. And, if you’re a smoker, you may fancy a cigarette too – and although pulling out of a fresh pack of duty free Golden Virginia may forge what seems to be deep, lifelong friendship with fellow backpackers around you, it also tells everyone else– including the waiter who has yet to charge you for the beer – that you’re a new arrival. Obviously, if you’re not a smoker this won’t be the case but there are plenty of other things alien to your current environment that could announce much the same thing.

Shiny boots of leather – There are other things can make a backpacker stand apart and be perceived as a more lucrative target for overcharging, too. Some signs are not only indicative of being new to a country, but also that they may be just starting out on a trip – things such as recent western style haircuts, new boots, or a pristine guidebooks (or any other non-tatty ones) may also relay more than they wish to let on.

When on their own, some of these points may seem extremely minor – and they are – but when combined they can be pretty effective at reducing the chances of being ridiculously overcharged and/or attracting unwanted attention: the added bonus is that they can make you less of a target for parasites - such as the scammers and touts – whose sole purpose it seems is to part you from your dollars. I know from talking to many of these guys over the years that they look for these kind of signs, and in some places, such as Morocco, they’ve almost turned it into an art form.

I’ve found that this awareness quickly becomes second nature and the marginal effort involved is far outweighed by reward. It keeps your road fund healthy but more importantly it can mean the difference between a tremendous experience and a miserable memory.

But don’t get too paranoid or obsessive about all this. In general getting ripped off isn’t an everyday event and it’s easy to become overcautious and untrusting (which can be just as bad as being oblivious to it all!) Not everyone is out to scam you – far from it - but at least the few who might try may well think twice if you don’t come across as potential tout-fodder.

How to Avoid Getting Overcharged Abroad – Part 2

The previous post in this series dealt with outward appearance and how it can influence a sale price, and also touched upon the other ways in which it can affect us whilst backpacking such as by drawing unwanted attention from touts and hustlers.

This next post gets down to the nitty-gritty and focuses on tips that may help when it comes to actually making a purchase. I feel they’re worthy of a separate post as they can clearly influence the initial stated price of something and consequently affect our remaining road fund.

As Wade from the backpacking blog Song of the Open Road says: a traveller who saves a dollar today, has a dollar to travel another day.

So, what can we do to avoid getting overcharged when actually buying things?

Tip 1: Learn the lingo – A valuable point mentioned in a previous comment by Stuart from Travelfish is that learning even just a few words in a local language can go a long way. Basics such as please and thank you, numbers, words for local transport and simple questions to find out how much something is or how long a ride takes etc will not only make life a lot easier, but will all also help establish some personal credibility, show a certain level of local understanding, and may also relay a willingness to learn about and adapt to your current surroundings. In short it shows you’re prepared to show some respect and make an effort to get along and fit in.

Tip 2: Be observant – Before you buy something, be it anything from street food to a bus ticket, where possible look to see what others pay for the same item. If you know how much something should be, and a vendor knows you know, then they may be less likely to hike the price up.

Tip 3: Don’t ask the price before you buy – That’s all very well, but then how will I know how much something costs? Seeing what other people pay will help, but failing that you’ll quickly establish a rough rule of thumb for costs in certain countries/areas anyway. For instance, once you’ve bought a few bottles of water in a country you’ll soon establish the average price.

But what if you’ve just you’ve just crossed the border to a new country and now don’t know the new price? Well, comparing prices for other items already bought in your new location to those bought in the previous country can help. Ask yourself: are they a similar price, a bit more, or a bit less? Generally speaking, you can pretty much export what you’ve already learned by previous comparisons to other everyday items with roughly the same adjustment. Forgive me if some of this sounds a little too basic but I want to try and cover everything here.

Nb – Working out a pricing rule of thumb for can also work for transport. If you’re going to be spending a reasonable time in any one country it may be worth making a mental note of how long a journey takes and/or the distance covered and how much it costs. After a few journeys, for each form of transport you may be able to slowly develop a rough rule of thumb. For example, journeys may average out at $1/hour for, say, a local bus or $1 per 10km using a mototaxi. Obviously this’ll vary from country to country and possibly between different operators, but after enough journeys you’ll figure it out.

Tip 4: Ask the price before you buy – But didn’t you just say don’t ask?!? If it’s for something you would normally be expected to pay for afterwards – like a taxi ride, or a meal, or a few beers – then try and establish the cost beforehand. I may sound overly analytical here by saying transactions can be likened to a contracts - i.e. You hand something over and get something in return – but by eating the meal or taking the cab or whatever you’ve pretty much agreed to that contract and may well feel morally obliged to uphold your side of the bargain. If you’ve taken something that you can’t give back but haven’t thought to ask how much it would be first then it’s pretty hard to bark about the price afterwards. If you ask first then you still have the opportunity to turn it down – consequently, a seller will know this too and as such may not feel as confident about giving an overly inflated price that’ll risk blowing the deal.

Tip 5: Pay confidently – If you haven’t established the exact price but are still able to estimate the cost reasonably accurately, try to pay using a note just above that value and wait confidently for your change – it should go some way to giving the message that you know the price (as long as you are in the right ball park) and don’t need to ask. Confidence is the key to this one. If you’re really not sure of the price and end up getting it wrong then it may have the opposite effect as you’ve just declared that you haven’t got a clue how much the thing costs! It’s a tricky one this, and you’ve got to be pretty sure that you can estimate the price correctly before launching into it.

Paying with a huge ‘cover all costs’ bill can offer the impression that you have a fair bit of cash - consequently, this may affect the price and - depending on the country – may also present difficulties in breaking it. In addition, and I don’t mean to sound too untrusting here as its not that common an occurrence, but bigger bills also allow greater scope for short changing. The tip here is to always try to carry a bunch of smaller bills wherever you go so you won’t be forced to pay for low cost things with big bank notes.

Note on breaking bills:-
Breaking notes can sometimes be easier said than done. From the first moment you consider that your small change is dwindling it may be worth starting to look out for potential opportunities to break bigger notes. You can try banks, but this can mean long waits that sometimes end in a refusal, so also keep an eye out for other places that you know are good for the cash and will change it no questions asked (like a department store/chainstore in larger cities) and also have something cheap to purchase (which ideally will be something you would normally buy anyway).

In some countries opportunities like this may be a little harder to come by, but by planning ahead and addressing the potential problem sooner rather than later should give you more time to find a likely place and stop it from becoming a hindrance – or even a real headache if no-one can change it.

That just about wraps this post up. If you know of more tips that you feel should be added, please feel free to share them with us all! Thanks

How to Avoid Getting Overcharged Abroad – Part 3

In the first post in the series we talked about how outward appearance can affect someone’s perception of a backpacker (and consequently how much they think they can get away with charging them) and in the second post about, how when buying things, a traveler’s actions have the potential to change the outcome of any given transaction.

This next post is more of a general one dealing with other things we can do to lessen the chance of paying over the top for stuff.

Avoid touristy areas - Not only will prices will be higher in established backpacker hangouts but people working full time in these haunts are bound to have had at least one experience of a tourist flashing a bit too much cash about. All it takes is a backpacker to pull out a big wad of bills whilst looking for small change or try to buy a baguette with a $100 bill, for instance, for a vendor to start assuming that any similar looking backpacker is made of money. Even if these stunts are few and far between, if someone only earns a few bucks a day then it’s bound to stick in their memory - and within a small circle of traders, good news travels fast.

Be confident – A backpacker that appears overly vague, lost, or bewildered may encourage someone who’s partial to taking a chance with the odd tourist to do so with you. If you appear particularly unsure of your surroundings then there’s more chance that some may feel that they can get away with charging more and not run as greater risk of being rumbled. Not only might someone try and charge you more as a direct result, it can also highlight you as being ‘someone in need of help’ and draw unwanted attention from hustlers and touts that may assume you’re an easy target.

Avoid interactions when under the influence – Again, if you’re drunk or mega-stoned - you’re easy pickings. Either plan ahead or wait for the effects to wear off before you go on a shopping spree - no matter how bad you got the munchies…

Be friendly – Appealing to someone’s better nature may make them warm to you and not be as harsh with any overcharging. A smile goes a long way, in fact anything that lightens the mood does.

Don’t allow yourself to be intimidated – this goes for everyone really, but especially with hustlers. At some point though you may still have to deal with the odd chancer, and when you do, you may find that if they can’t make any headway using wit, guile or honeyed words then they may adopt a different approach – one of which may be apply a bit of pressure. If this prompts a reaction then they’ve found a chink in your armour and will then hassle you endlessly as they now think that you’ll end up parting with your money for any one of a whole host of reasons - either just to get rid of them because they are annoying you, or because they make you feel uncomfortable, or because they make you feel guilty (ie with a story about needing money to help pay for a sick relative’s medicine, or food for their family and stuff).

But if you think they are a hustler or simply not playing fair then don’t get sucked in by it.
If you do want to try and help others then either donate to, or work for, a charity organisation – at least then you know for sure that your good intentions end up on a child’s dinner plate instead of in some parasite’s crack-pipe.

Be cool - Whatever happens, try to stay cool and relaxed and deal with any situation as calmly as possible. Don’t lose your head – certainly don’t become aggressive or look agitated - as it plays right into someone else’s hands, muddles your own thinking and brings you one step closer to parting with a chunk of your cash.

Packing Tips - Money & Docs

Here’s what we need:-

(i) Clothes
(ii) Documentation and Money
(iii) Miscellaneous Items

Within each section you will find a rough run down of necessary items with associated tips - tips gathered not through research but from years on the road.

Ok, we’ve covered clothes, so let’s get on to (ii) Documentation and Money:-

Passport – Self explanatory, although there are still a few factors to consider. Many countries require you to have at least 6 months remaining on your passport before they will allow entry, so ensure that your passport remains valid well beyond the perceived length of time that assume your travels will take.
Secondly, ensure that you have sufficient empty pages remaining in your passport for stamps and visas. Rest assured, once you hit the road your passport will fill up quickly. Visas can take several forms. Some may be a simple stamp on a page, but others can be sticky affairs that take up a whole page. If you realise during your time away that you probably have more trip left than blank passport pages, you may have to start paying closer attention where immigration stamps are being put into your passport.
If push comes to shove and you are tight for space, respectfully encourage officials to fill in the gaps on already used pages – thus leaving whole blank pages for the space munching, sticky visas.

Credit and Debit cards – Take at least two forms of plastic, but preferably three. They can be a lifeline. By carrying a mixture of credit and debit cards, each associated with different bank accounts, you will better your odds of being able to withdraw money in the majority of countries that you wish to visit. If all cards originate from the same account then all it needs is for your bank to freeze your transactions and you could be in a tight spot.
You may want to halt further transactions on an account if a card gets lost or stolen, but banks may also freeze accounts without this happening. For example, if they see lots of withdrawals from overseas it may raise a flag, or even worse, if someone attempts to clone a card you have used then, for your security, it is likely they will freeze your account. Banks will generally air on the side of caution, so you must also.

With several accounts active, you can still use your other plastic while sorting out the problem, which can sometimes be a lengthy or expensive process from abroad. In addition, with three carefully selected cards it is possible to cover most of the major networks – Cirrus, Plus, Visa, and MasterCard. Remember that a major player in one country may not be in another.Obtaining online accounts prior to leaving can also assist in keeping track of what’s happening with your new fistful of accounts. I highly recommend it, but only use it from internet cafes when totally necessary, thus reducing the risk of security issues. In addition, always restart the PC when you are done using online accounts. The internet cafes may sometimes get the hump about this, but we are talking about you’re money and security at the end of the day.

Cold, Hard Cash – The US dollar is king. Take some as a back up in case of emergency – and no, a bargain carpet in an Istanbul Bazaar does not qualify as an emergency! $200 should be more than sufficient. Keep it in small bills as some places may not be able to change larger ones, or simply may not accept them for risk of winning a dud. In most circumstances, $5, $10, and $20s should be fine.
One more note on Fancy Yankee Dollars – inspect them carefully. If they are torn or defaced then ask to exchange them for others, the bigger the denomination, the more important it is that you do this. You may feel like a prince with a hundred bucks in your pocket, but you’ll be eating like a pauper - or not at all - if no one is willing to accept it! Also check the serial number. This is not important on small bills, but on $20 bills and upwards it becomes more so. Due to the slightly higher possibility of them being counterfeit or ‘Black Money’, 1996 and older series bills (particularly $100s) can be difficult to get rid of. I found this especially true in Indonesia and Cambodia. Even if you can find places to break or change these, the money men may give you a poorer exchange rate for this very reason. Tssk, any excuse…

USD Travellers Cheques – Not everyone’s cup of tea, but a highly underrated method of obtaining cash. My advice is to carry a few, even if you only have them as a back up. They are an extremely low risk form of virtual cash. What if they get stolen? Hey, replace them. Easy.

Not only are they widely accepted, in some places you may even find that cashing Travellers Cheques works out cheaper than withdrawing money or, thanks to hefty surcharges, paying with plastic. In other places it may be the only viable option of getting cash at all. I can’t rate them highly enough.

One word of advice however, keep them dry and in good condition. If badly crumpled or otherwise damaged (i.e. having been washed by their own daft owner), most banks won’t touch them with a shitty stick…Trust me on that one.Remember to also take the receipt for the cheques with you as evidence of purchase in case of loss/theft…or damage!

Birth Certificate – Just one more form of identification if necessary.

International Drivers License – Who knows where your adventure will take you? If drivers ensure that they apply for an IDP before they leave then all doors remain open. It’s also a good form of recognised ID in some countries for those concerned about carrying their passport everywhere.

Vaccination Card/Booklet – Carrying this is one less reason to be turned around at immigration, and can be a necessity when transiting through certain countries. Ensure all recent vaccinations have been recorded, both to serve as a reminder to you when they expire and to present to officials when necessary. Nothing has the potential to screw up certain travel plans like an expired Yellow Fever Certificate.

Coded Data Sheet – Before I set off I make up a data sheet of information that I may be required to use whilst on the road (how very organised…) I included:-

Traveller Cheque Serial Numbers (which I cross off as I use – so I know which ones to claim for immediately if I lose them).
Bank Account/Internet Account Details (all coded with an easy to remember key incase they fall into someone else’s hands).
Lost and Stolen phone numbers for my banks and Travellers Cheque issuers.
Emergency contact details for my country’s Embassy for countries I plan to visit.Travel Insurance policy number and insurer’s email/phone number.

This crib sheet is really for piece of mind; above all, it allows me to think that if and when I get in the shit, I will get back out of it a little more easily and quickly.

Equipping yourself with necessary cash and documentation is just half the story. It’s essential to then duplicate and distribute these possessions effectively. A suggestion is to photocopy your main passport page, Traveller Cheque purchase receipts, Birth Certificate, Driving Permit, and important Vaccination records, and put them in an A5 Ziploc bag for protection. Also put 1 Credit/Debit card, the Coded Data Sheet, half your emergency Dollars, and half your Travellers cheques in this bag.

Stash this in your rucksack. I suggest in an obscure, homemade Velcro pocket somewhere on the inside of your pack (if your pack goes missing then the bag might not be found).

The other A5 Ziploc bag can then hold your original documentation and the other half of the cash etc. These are your crown jewels, and as such should generally go where you go, or be left somewhere deemed secure if not.

If you opt to carry 3 pieces of plastic then the remaining card can be separated from the others. Two good options are to sew it into your backpack and forget about it, or keep it in a hidden pocket in your clothing. Personally, I have a small, credit card sized Velcro pocket sewn into the bottom of the leg of whatever pair of trousers/jeans I travel with. I keep a card and $100 in it, just incase I’m unlucky enough to lose everything between a bus station and accommodation, for example.

One word of caution though. I once tried to take my trousers off while rather inebriated (using the famed ‘tread on the bottom of one leg while pulling the other one out of it, so I can use both hands to hold myself upright’ routine) and managed to tread on, and subsequently break, my precious plastic. So it’s not completely ‘foolproof’ as this fool proved.

Also consider creating a ‘Cyber Wallet’ or ‘E-pouch’ (I just made those phrases up. Cool huh?) Scan (or digitally photograph) at least your passport, Vaccination and Birth Certificates. Electronically attach the image/images to your Coded Data Sheet, and send it to your email account. Hey presto, an online version of the main contents of your Ziploc bags. If you lose everything, you will still have these.