Seventh in a series of divorce insider negotiation tips for spouses.
Try not to say yes to a first offer, even if you think it's a good deal. Doing so leaves your spouse with thoughts that they offered too much.
You want your partner to feel good about the negotiations and you don't want them kicking themselves later. Your ex will always be part of your life, and you don't want him or her harboring angry feelings about selling themselves short.
However, try to exercise caution by not saying no too quickly. You must allow sufficient time to pass before you respond, and this is a minimum of three seconds.
If you want your spouse to give serious thought to what you want, you have to give the impression that you are giving serious thought to what they want.
Don't ever ask your partner for a specific concession, because that sounds too confrontational. Instead, say something like, "If I have to give a little in order for you to give a little, I will do so. I hope you will reciprocate so we can bring this thing to an end. We don't really want to be arguing about this same issue a year from now, do we?"
