Secret deals you have to ask for

Liz Pulliam Weston  |  05:05 PM, Sunday, December 20, 2009

Some bargains are deliberately kept off the menu, available only to those who know to ask. A company may have decided the deal wasn't profitable but doesn't want to alienate long-term customers by eliminating it.

Other times, the company's advertising priorities have changed, orphaning the discount. It's not exactly a secret, but it's easy to miss.

Then again, some companies engage in "product sabotage," according to Tim Harford, the author of "The Undercover Economist." They'll "hide items, package them to look unattractive or even damage them," Harford said, as IBM did when the company installed a chip into the bargain version of its LaserWriter printer to slow it down.

"Product sabotage is designed to dissuade the big spenders. They want the best and don't want to waste time sniffing out hidden discounts," Harford explained. "Committed bargain hunters, in contrast, won't be put off by a hard-to-find deal."

Here are a few you might not know about:

Short at Starbucks

A classic off-the-menu item, which Harford discusses on Slate, is the short cup at Starbucks coffee shops. Most Starbucks coffee is sold in one of three sizes advertised on its menu and Web site: tall, grande and venti. But you can also ask for a short cup, which at 8 ounces is 33% smaller than the 12-ounce tall.

You'll save about 30 cents on a cappuccino or a latte this way, but the real payoff is in the taste: The short cup offers a more concentrated espresso flavor.

Secret car warranties

Automakers don't call them secret warranties. Instead, they're known by such benign terms as "after-warranty adjustment" or "goodwill adjustment," covering problems inherent in the design of the car that don't rise to the level of a safety recall. In the past, these have covered items such as transmissions, electronics and paint.

Some states -- California, Connecticut, Virginia and Wisconsin -- require that automakers inform buyers when coverage for a certain part is extended. In other states, you have to ask.

A good place to start is looking for what's known as a technical service bulletin, a way automakers let mechanics know when issues crop up. You can find a database here, or you can ask your dealer's service manager. If a bulletin exists for your issue, ask the dealer to ask the manufacturer's field representative to cover the repair. After all, it's the manufacturer who pays, not the dealer.

Sears KidVantage

Have children who are hard on their clothes? Shoppers who are members of Sears' KidVantage program can get worn-out pants, shirts, footwear and other clothes replaced for free.

The clothes have to be worn out, not outgrown; Sears will replace items with ones of the same size. And there are exceptions, such as underwear and hosiery.

Sears unveiled KidVantage in 1991 with some hoopla but lately has kept kind of quiet about it. You may see it advertised inside your local store -- or not. Either way, you can sign up at the kids-clothing counter.

Room-service strategies

Speaking of kids: Before you splurge on hotel room service for your ankle biters, ask about portion size. As Your Money message board poster "itsagreat2day" discovered, the only thing smaller about a kids meal may be the price. The poster recounted ordering a regular burger and one from the children's menu for a son, and discovering both meals were the same size: "His just cost less off the children's menu." You may be able to split one meal between two kids or between a child and yourself, particularly if you also order an adult salad or appetizer.

Better yet, skip room service altogether by ordering a to-go meal from the hotel restaurant.

"Many hotels charge a higher price for a menu item than if you ordered it in their bar or restaurant. . . . For example, charging $6.50 for a burger in the bar, but $7.50 if you order the same burger in room service," poster "Reavicus" wrote. "And most room service will charge you an automatic gratuity . . . AND charge you a service charge just to deliver."

You often can avoid these extra charges by walking down to the restaurant and placing a to-go order, Reavicus said, "but please do not forget to tip your server!!!"

Off-the-menu restaurant deals

Many restaurants allow you to order a smaller "lunch portion" of a meal at dinnertime, a move that will not only save you money but calories. For example, the lunch-size portion of shrimp primavera at a local Olive Garden has 483 calories, compared with 706 calories for the dinner plate.

Many chains also have restaurant "clubs" that offer coupons and discounts to those who sign up. Ask your server. It also doesn't hurt to ask about senior or military discounts, if you're eligible, or whether you can get anything for free because it's your birthday (just be prepared to show proof).

Coupon magic

Some retailers make a big deal about accepting competitors' coupons, while others do so only quietly. It doesn't hurt to ask.

Also know that coupon expiration dates may mean something -- or they may not. Bed Bath & Beyond stores, for example, accept competitors' unexpired coupons and accept their own chain's expired coupons.

Another Your Money poster tries to extend a coupon's usefulness by recycling.

"If I feel a 'warm fuzzy' from a cashier, I will often ask for my coupon back," "jrr2k" wrote. "Works a lot. Some coupons are scanned and handed right back."

Others say they've had luck getting a clerk to "lend" them a coupon when they've forgotten theirs at home.

Grocery tips

Forget your supermarket loyalty card? Bring your receipt back with you on your next shopping trip and present it along with the card to the customer-service desk or the manager. You'll get the discounts you were denied the first time around.

Also, Your Money poster "LSG7168" notes that some stores have a "correct scanning" policy.

"If your item scans at a higher price than marked on the shelf, you get the item for free as an apology," LSG7168 wrote. "The store where I used to work advertised this at first and now refunds the full price (instead of the difference between scanned and marked) only if you ask. Something as simple as 'Do I get that for free since it scanned wrong?' will work."

Factory stores

The deals in the stores are just the start. Most factory-outlet chains offer coupons and unadvertised deals to knock prices down even further.

Start at the outlet's Web site and see what coupons are available. Many also offer "clubs" that feature additional discounts. Once you're at a store, check in at the outlet's management office to see what other deals and "today only" specials might be available.

This article originally appeared in MSN Money on November 17, 2009