Will flirt for tires

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I’ve always considered myself a feminist. Always will, I hope. My first ever act of mini-rebellion was to get a small female symbol tattooed on my hip in the hopes of always remembering how important the cause of women’s rights was to me in my youth. I’ve attended many a rally for choice and have proudly donated to Planned Parenthood, NARAL, and NOW. Yet I found myself on Sunday questioning my dedication to the cause.
It was a Sunday like any other, I was trying to get my errands run which on this past Sunday included purchasing 4 new tires. Yikes, they are expensive! It’s one of those things you don’t have to do often, but when it is necessary the proverbial financial pain lasts for months. Ihad done my research online and walked into a Just Tires way out in Virginia that advertised its low prices and free tire rotation. It was just the guy who runs the place and I in the store and when he quoted me the price, and my stomach fell to the floor, ouch. I’m somewhat embarrassed to admit that I did not even hesitate as I looked up, batted my eyelashes and proceeded to flirt with the guy. After a few minutes he generously knocked down the price by about $75 making it hugely more affordable. He then got my car worked on right away and I was out of there with brand new tires in less than half an hour. As I was driving away, I couldn’t help but feel a little guilty; is it fair to call myself a feminist if I’m going to exploit my feminine charm to save money on tires?
I’ve decided flirting with this dude doesn’t mean that I’m comfortable giving up my rights or think men are entitled to make more money for doing the same work, and thus it’s not necessarily a feminist issue, but I wanted to share it anyway. I thought it was an interesting dilemma and am curious as to what others think. Have you flirted your way to a discount or some other unearned benefit? Did you feel bad about it?