Discount Nation

Several months ago I heard "tips" being offered in a National Public Radio (NPR) commentary for surviving the recession. The big tip of the day was that there's not only nothing wrong with asking a vendor for a price adjustment, it's actually good business for you to ask for and expect a discount.
This piece of advice rubbed me the wrong way.

Like most people, I love a good bargain. I love feeling I got something I value for a price I feel is a really terrific deal. However, for the most part, I don't like haggling over pricing but I'll do it--readily--when I don't feel there's equal value in my purchase. For me, it's all about the fairness of the value, not the art of the deal.

And that's why I was irritated by the NPR report. Though most people are well-intentioned, when it comes to parting with their money too many people become possessed by some demon that is anything but altruistic. The fact is that many people absolutely love haggling because they get a high from...