Consuelo de Bobo Coupons

In 2010, my professor in graduate school saw me handing out coupons to my Manila-based classmates.

Professor: What is that? 

Me: Coupons sir. 

Professor: What for? 

Me: Discounts in boutiques, coffee shops, spa, department stores. I won't be using them since I rarely frequent Manila anymore. 

Professor: Do you know that you are not actually saving money with those coupons? Those coupons are actually consuelo de bobo.

I know exactly what he meant. In US, there's this blog about the Krazy Coupon lady and a TV show about Extreme Couponing, where people are into collecting coupons and using them to save money.

Last year, I went to the Belle de Jour fair and got my self a new BDJ Planner. I went for another Viviamo planner in 2013 but I figured out, that since I am no longer in graduate school and have guiltless time to meet up friends in Manila, I might use most of them. I love BDJ because it comes with over 40,000 worth of discount coupons. I was able to enjoy mine in White hat and Ace Water Spa among the others. So I used the Revlon coupon from BDJ and went to SM Calamba and tried to use the coupon. I was declined. I was told that they've never seen it before and it's not discussed in the memo.

I figured out, maybe because SM Calamba is not as updated as SM Makati. I tried my luck the other week.

I went to SM Makati last week and was told of the same thing but with an add-on.

"We are SM Department store, these coupons are valid at Watsons."she said. 

"Aren't you Watsons too?"I asked.

"Maám Watsons store is a separate boutique aside from the one in SM Department store. We are the department store." 

"Okay. I said. Where is the nearest Watson's store?" 

"Greenbelt 1 Maám"

So all for the sake of availing this coupon, I walked. I walked for like a good 30 minutes, dragging my friend Karen with me.

When I finally reached that hidden Watsons store in Greenbelt 1, I was told:

"Maám we don't have a memo about this coupon. Another lady also tried to use this coupon but there's no memo about this. Try SM Makati."

"But I already went there!"I said. 

To make the story short, I was not able to purchase via coupon. The long walk from SM Makati to Greenbelt 1 flashed before my very eyes and remembered my Professor in 2010: Consuelo de bobo.

I am not actually going to save money from it. In fact I was encouraged/pursued/invited/hypnotized to shell out a good Php 1500 just to avail of the discount. A few days later, I found myself back in a department store and found a cheaper version of what I was trying to purchase at Revlon.