“Just pay me what you will.” Said the local who helped me find my agricultural lot this week.
I was thinking a decent finders fee in the States would be at least a few hundred if not a few thousand dollars, so I was going to offer him a few hundred.
Then I caught myself!
Don’t think like that when you move to another country, I told myself.
Always always always pay the minumum amount accepted by the other person or ‘best price’ even if you think it’s TOO embarrasing low.
Why?
Because if you don’t you’re setting yourself up for that person in the future to overcharge you cause he’ll think “well, I’m going to milk it, he can pay it”.
That’s how a lot of people down here think. Rich Ecuadorians know it.
Always play “I’m broke” even if you’re not or you set yourself up to be a target in the future.
Never overpay!
To avoid being “gringoed” insist on them giving YOU the price.
Especially, when you don’t know how much the service or property should cost. And often being in a new land, you won’t know.
Afterall, how much is it to fix a sink in Manta, Ecuador?
“No freaking idea” would be your probable response.
But, hey, they provided the service.
So get THEM to give you their price first even if they insist you give your price first, then, you can negotiate from there to get the BEST PRICE POSSIBLE.
He said, give me a hundred dollars, shocked at the low price I reached into my pocket.
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