loading...

If you don't ask you won't get, right?  Well according to deal expert Laura Oliver there are phone calls you could make right now to save you money, or at the very least get you a nice upgrade!  Here are the 8 calls she suggests you make to get started:

Negotiate a Lower Credit Card APR

For people with average-to-good credit, the annual percentage rates associated with a credit card aren't necessarily set in stone.

"Call your credit card company and say "Card X just sent me an offer for a card with 0% APR for a year and then a fixed rate of only 12%, which is much lower than the rate I'm currently paying you," says Derrick Kinney, a financial adviser who specializes in helping families.

He says you should ask your current issuer if they can match the competing rate and, if not, it makes financial switch to transfer your current balance to take advantage of their competitor's better offer.

"The fear of losing your business will usually make them match the offer," Kinney says.

Call Your Cable Provider

Similarly, Oliver suggests calling up your cable company to ask if they'll match a lower rate being offered by a local competitor.

"These providers are having a hard time in the recession," she says, and they are not alone.

She says this tactic can be used on any provider, such as a home phone company or newspaper subscription service, which are known to offer 90-day trial services that don't immediately lock you into a contract.

Those who live areas with more than one cable provider should check out this step-by-step guide to bargain for better cable.

Get a Nicer Rental Car

Oliver suggests booking the cheapest rental car a company has to offer online and then calling up the bricks-and-mortar store where you will pick it up to see if they'll give you an upgrade.

"Sometimes, [store clerks] will give upgrades on the vehicle or offer a special discount that's not featured on the website because it's reserved for walk-ins," she says.

Inquire About Hotel Deals

Similarly, Oliver says that travelers can call a hotel's front desk a day or two before checking in to see if there are any rooms you can upgrade to for free. She says this is especially effective when you book directly through the hotel's website.

Talk to Your Retailer About a Refund

Just a day after MainStreet Staff Reporter Seth Fiegerman purchased a jacket from Banana Republic, fellow staff writer Matt Brownell found out the retailer was offering 30% off on all merchandise sold on its website. Fiegerman was able to get the store to retroactively apply the deal to his purchase simply by calling the retailer's customer service hotline and asking them to.

So anyone who thinks they've just missed out on a deal might be able to get in on the savings with one simple phone call.

See all the rest via Yahoo! Finance - Financially Fit.

More From B105