MoneyFlex

By Alicia Tyler on May 27, 2025
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

By Alicia Tyler on May 27, 2025
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

From rent to hair styling, phone to internet plans, these expenses are surprisingly negotiable. How every young Canadian can learn to haggle and get more for their money.

Adulting in Canada can feel like navigating a minefield of expenses. Rent in Toronto? Take all my money. Groceries? You practically need a side hustle. So, when someone puts a price tag on something, our instinct is to just… pay it. But what if swallowing your sticker shock isn’t the only way. I sat down with negotiation consultant, author, speaker and MBA instructor Fotini Iconomopoulos to uncover the surprising things young Canadians can negotiate for a cheaper price and how to do it without breaking a sweat (or burning a bridge).

Forget the cutthroat boardroom negotiations you see on TV. Iconomopoulos says effective negotiation isn’t about playing hardball and winning at all costs. “Negotiation can be collaborative, not just the competitive imagery you see in pop culture. People say, ‘Your life must be so exciting, like that show Suits.’ But people pay me a lot of money to ensure it’s not like that.” That’s not what effective negotiations look like, she says.

For Gen Z and Millennials who cringe at the thought of haggling, the trick is to shift your mindset. Negotiation need not be confrontational; it’s about finding mutually beneficial solutions. And Iconomopoulos’ take on what’s negotiable: “The easy answer is everything.”

That “suggested” retail price? Just a suggestion. That initial job offer? A starting point. “Just because something is suggested doesn’t mean it’s final,” she says. To illustrate this, Iconomopoulos points to a common scenario: “When you think about the simplest types of negotiations, like car negotiations, if you look at a TV commercial or a print ad, it’s going to say ‘MSRP: Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price.’ You have to focus on the word ‘suggested.’ Nothing is set in stone.”

Here’s the lowdown on surprising things you can negotiate, with Iconomopoulos’ expert tips for each.

Your employment compensation goes beyond just the number on your paycheque. Think benefits, vacation time, remote work options, professional development—and even severance if things don’t work out.

“Go in as informed as you possibly can—always do your research,” Iconomopoulos says. Know your worth, research industry standards on sites like Glassdoor and “talk to people in your industry. Other humans are great sources of information but get a diverse set of voices. Don’t [just talk to] someone like you, who may have been afraid to negotiate something for the last 20 years. Find out what else is out there and what else is negotiable from others who’ve done it.” Diverse inputs will give you more confidence and information.

Then, when you’re talking terms, don’t hesitate to ask “how” or “what” questions to uncover possibilities:

Remember to consider, “What are the things that are going to help you keep money in your wallet? And what are the........

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