I am a regular customer pawnshops here in the Philippines, and not once has it been to pawn anything off. I mainly go to the pawnshop here in Valencia (M Lhuillier) to pick up money I send to myself through Xoom. It seems that every couple months I find something else that this pawnshop in Valencia can do (all of which save me a trip to Dumaguete). Currently I use M Lhuillier to do the following: Pick up money sent to myself through Xoom. Pick up money sent by other people for forum stuff. Pre-paid load for cell phones. (Globe for me.) Load G-Sat (Satellite TV) Note: I also send my landlord the rent through Xoom, which can be picked up at most pawnshops. (Yes, I am THAT lazy.) I just found out yesterday I don't have to waste my time going to Robinsons (and stand in line) to: Pay my Globe internet bill. They charge P10 on top of my bill but I couldn't even get a jeepney to Dumaguete (one way) for that. Next time I'm there I'm going to ask what else they accept payments for. I know their website has a long list of companies they accept payments for but I don't see G-Sat anywhere on their website, so there might be some smaller localized companies not listed on their main site. Just though I'd share so other expats don't overlook this option that can help avoid some headaches and unnecessary time spent in Dumaguete traffic. FYI: I have not once been screwed over by M Lhuillier (or any other pawnshop) and their prices are fixed and posted for everyone to see (no long-nose tax).
You can also pay your Globe bill @any LBC office. Apart from saving a trip to Robinson Mall it also saves you waiting for ....minutes! There is a machine @Globe customer service desk but 9 times out of ten unable to use it for reasons such as "out of order" and more.
And it doesn't give change back. Globe takes the liberty of keeping that as "credit" for next month. I found out about M Lhuillier payments when I was at Globe and demanded I get my P2 change back. They absolutely refused to give me the change due and said the only option was to let them credit to my count and I said p*ss on that.......so I drove back to Valencia, went to M Lhuillier and paid an extra P10 pesos just so Globe couldn't have my extra P2 (that is technically still mine and would go towards my bill next month). I sure showed them!
I'm aware of that but that's not the point. Here's how I look at it: If you take into consideration all the customers they have and all the "couple extra pesos" they are keeping in their bank account, as a favor to everyone of course , how much money do you think they are making off of the interest? The way I see it there are only two possible reasons for them refusing to give out change: They are too incompetent/cheap to keep change in their machines/cashier drawers. It's an extremely unethical way for them to make more money off of their customers. If Globe actually provided a decent and reliable service I wouldn't mind letting them keep that extra couple pesos in their account one bit.....but they don't, so screw them. M Lhuillier on the other hand, has never screwed me over or failed to complete a service I paid them to do.....and they also provide a service that allows me to avoid visiting and speaking to the retards at Globe, so I'm more than happy to give them an extra P10 on top of my Globe bill because of it.
I'm glad this thread started. Thanks Wrye. I was underutilizing the pawnshops as I was lucky enough to have a landlord who would stand in line for me to pay bills. Well I'm sure her helper did it but same effect. I can't count on being as lucky next time. As was mentioned above, the Globe office in the mall was slow death the two times I tried it. Luckily I just needed straight load so I would get it at Galleon sales 20 meters away and get some free texts and a discount I would not have got at Globe.
Slightly off-topic but I have always paid my Globe bill at the Customer Services counter downstairs at back of Robinsons department store. Two minute job and never any queue! Another option for those wishing to avoid the melee at Globe upstairs!
I understand your point of view with respect to the change policy of Globe. In general I am content about their service. I can live with the situation that the machine (when no out of order) cannot give change. But why the cashier cannot give change is less acceptable. Off topic, it's the ongoing discussion I have from time to time with the cashier Lee Plaza, Hypermarket or Robinson. I don't care I receive 5 centavos less of change when that coin is not available. But for instance when I give 50 centavos to make it more easy for the change to get back, though the total amount ends on 55 centavos, they always insist on I also give that lacking 5 centavos.
