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forum threadFreebiesRGreat posted Jun 03, 2008 02:50 AM
forum threadFreebiesRGreat posted Jun 03, 2008 02:50 AM

Contests & Sweepstakes Tips, Advice, and Questions

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The intent of this thread is for users, both new and not-so-new, to ask questions, and help with tips/advice. This is not by any means the "gospel". Please feel free to add your words of wisdom, and if you have questions, just ask! If you have a tip that will make sweeping easier for folks, please feel free to share. This is a community effort. We all will benefit in some way.


The Basic Advice/Tips for the new-to-sweeping folks.
Enter for the items you want/need. If you have no interest in trips, avoid the sweeps where the only prize is a trip. If you know you can't afford the tax on a new vehicle, avoid entering for those.

Set up folders in your bookmark/favorites. Create a separate one for each month, and file any sweeps you are interested in into the folder corresponding with when it ends. Then, if you have a day where you're pressed for time, enter at least the ones ending that day.

Play the instant win games.

Follow the rules! If a sweep is restricted to only females, a certain age group, certain states, etc, make sure you fit the criteria! If you don't, move on to another sweep that you do qualify for. Do not create a bunch of email addresses so you can enter something more than once, or so you can play an Instant win game more. The Sponsors can tell, and will DQ you. You're better off playing by the rules than cheating and getting disqualified and having NO entries.

Don't immediately dismiss essay required sweeps (or recipes, photos, etc)....well, unless you know you don't want to write something. A lot of people pass on them, so you might have a better shot at winning something.

Don't expect this to be lucrative enough to become a job. Yes, a lot of us win, and often, but not nearly enough to quit a job!

Expect things to go slow at first. It takes a while for the wins to roll in. But once they do...look out!

Expect to occasionally hit a dry spell. It happens to ALL of us.

DEFINITELY USE YOUR REAL INFO! If you use a fake phone number, and a sponsor is calling to notify people of wins, you'll never know what you missed out on. I, and many others, have been doing this for a long time, and we have no problems with sales calls. Also, use your real name. If your name is Robert or Catherine, using Bob or Cathy is ok, as they are known acceptable shorter versions of that name. if your name is Matilda, and you go by Fluffy, don't use Fluffy. Looking at your ID to get an affy notarized, they may reject it because the names don't match. The sponsor may also say "Fluffy won, not Matilda". So stick with using your real name, or something close to it.

Most of all, HAVE FUN! And don't be afraid to ask questions. We were all new to this at one time. Any one of us would be happy to answer questions.


For easy form filling, check out Roboform [roboform.com]. Google Tool bar and the autofill feature on IE also work well.

For Mac users, the best form filler is 1Password: http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password (thanks javaFlower!)

FireFox Form Filler browser extensions: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/...ll&cat=all

To set up the autofill feature in IE: Click on Tools, then internet options, then choose 'content'. When that pops up, click on "Autocomplete", and make sure to check the boxes for forms and passwords on forms. This is not a good idea if you are on a shared/public computer!

February 17, 2009, 3:10 am: System Notice: This thread has been automatically renewed after reaching a post limit. Most of its content has been moved to this thread for reference purposes.

July 12, 2010, 3:23 pm: System Notice: This thread has been automatically renewed after reaching a post limit. Most of its content has been moved to this thread for reference purposes.
Community Notes
About the Poster
Deal Details
Community Notes
About the Poster
The intent of this thread is for users, both new and not-so-new, to ask questions, and help with tips/advice. This is not by any means the "gospel". Please feel free to add your words of wisdom, and if you have questions, just ask! If you have a tip that will make sweeping easier for folks, please feel free to share. This is a community effort. We all will benefit in some way.


The Basic Advice/Tips for the new-to-sweeping folks.
Enter for the items you want/need. If you have no interest in trips, avoid the sweeps where the only prize is a trip. If you know you can't afford the tax on a new vehicle, avoid entering for those.

Set up folders in your bookmark/favorites. Create a separate one for each month, and file any sweeps you are interested in into the folder corresponding with when it ends. Then, if you have a day where you're pressed for time, enter at least the ones ending that day.

Play the instant win games.

Follow the rules! If a sweep is restricted to only females, a certain age group, certain states, etc, make sure you fit the criteria! If you don't, move on to another sweep that you do qualify for. Do not create a bunch of email addresses so you can enter something more than once, or so you can play an Instant win game more. The Sponsors can tell, and will DQ you. You're better off playing by the rules than cheating and getting disqualified and having NO entries.

Don't immediately dismiss essay required sweeps (or recipes, photos, etc)....well, unless you know you don't want to write something. A lot of people pass on them, so you might have a better shot at winning something.

Don't expect this to be lucrative enough to become a job. Yes, a lot of us win, and often, but not nearly enough to quit a job!

Expect things to go slow at first. It takes a while for the wins to roll in. But once they do...look out!

Expect to occasionally hit a dry spell. It happens to ALL of us.

DEFINITELY USE YOUR REAL INFO! If you use a fake phone number, and a sponsor is calling to notify people of wins, you'll never know what you missed out on. I, and many others, have been doing this for a long time, and we have no problems with sales calls. Also, use your real name. If your name is Robert or Catherine, using Bob or Cathy is ok, as they are known acceptable shorter versions of that name. if your name is Matilda, and you go by Fluffy, don't use Fluffy. Looking at your ID to get an affy notarized, they may reject it because the names don't match. The sponsor may also say "Fluffy won, not Matilda". So stick with using your real name, or something close to it.

Most of all, HAVE FUN! And don't be afraid to ask questions. We were all new to this at one time. Any one of us would be happy to answer questions.


For easy form filling, check out Roboform [roboform.com]. Google Tool bar and the autofill feature on IE also work well.

For Mac users, the best form filler is 1Password: http://agilewebsolutions.com/products/1Password (thanks javaFlower!)

FireFox Form Filler browser extensions: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/...ll&cat=all

To set up the autofill feature in IE: Click on Tools, then internet options, then choose 'content'. When that pops up, click on "Autocomplete", and make sure to check the boxes for forms and passwords on forms. This is not a good idea if you are on a shared/public computer!

February 17, 2009, 3:10 am: System Notice: This thread has been automatically renewed after reaching a post limit. Most of its content has been moved to this thread for reference purposes.

July 12, 2010, 3:23 pm: System Notice: This thread has been automatically renewed after reaching a post limit. Most of its content has been moved to this thread for reference purposes.

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Oct 01, 2012 05:07 PM
1,133 Posts
Joined Nov 2007
chuckecheezOct 01, 2012 05:07 PM
1,133 Posts
Quote from implode :
Begging for votes on internet forums though NOT unusual is kind of tacky (IMHO). Usually it violates the spirit of voting contests. I really don't enter voting sweeps anymore, because it usually comes down to who can hire the biggest bot net to vote for them. Voting contests just really seem to encourage cheating. Even if you have good intentions, sometimes people end up cheating on your behalf without your consent. I say all this as a statement of the problems with voting contests and not as an indictment of the person in this article--I have no direct knowledge of his situation.
I agree on the voting contests and don't enter them myself either. But I don't have a problem with people asking for votes. Isn't the whole idea to drive traffic to the site? Even the big TV voting shows like American Idol are driven as much by campaigning as they are by talent. Should I not be allowed to ask friends/family to vote for my entry? Granted, asking strangers on the internet for a vote isn't quite the same thing but I would think the sponsor would be happy with getting a bunch of new people to visit the site. Oh well, I suppose it's a fine line; personally I wouldn't mind a bit if sponsors just quit running that style of campaign.
Oct 02, 2012 09:18 PM
318 Posts
Joined Dec 2011
bittripfanOct 02, 2012 09:18 PM
318 Posts
Is the new Twix IWG down for anyone else?
Oct 03, 2012 03:10 PM
1,844 Posts
Joined Jun 2009
JangOct 03, 2012 03:10 PM
1,844 Posts
I just switched to Chrome due to having problems with FireFox. I'm confused about how to sort bookmarks by date and how to search for bookmarks. It's making it almost impossible for me to do my dailies and instant win sweepstakes.
Oct 03, 2012 03:39 PM
118,455 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeOct 03, 2012 03:39 PM
118,455 Posts
Quote from Jang :
I just switched to Chrome due to having problems with FireFox. I'm confused about how to sort bookmarks by date and how to search for bookmarks. It's making it almost impossible for me to do my dailies and instant win sweepstakes.
Why not just update to newest FF, maybe that would fix your problems?! (HELP -> about firefox -> update)
Oct 03, 2012 03:46 PM
1,844 Posts
Joined Jun 2009
JangOct 03, 2012 03:46 PM
1,844 Posts
Quote from implode :
Why not just update to newest FF, maybe that would fix your problems?! (HELP -> about firefox -> update)
It's been getting worse and worse over the past year and the newest update made it slightly worse still. I like everything about Chrome except for the bookmarks issue.
Oct 03, 2012 04:03 PM
67 Posts
Joined Mar 2008
ITAF3CanOct 03, 2012 04:03 PM
67 Posts
Quote from Jang :
I just switched to Chrome due to having problems with FireFox. I'm confused about how to sort bookmarks by date and how to search for bookmarks. It's making it almost impossible for me to do my dailies and instant win sweepstakes.
In Chrome: 3 bar button in top right --> Bookmarks --> Bookmark Manager should launch the manager in a new tab.

To sort bookmarks by date (assuming the date is the first thing in the bookmark name), click the folder you want to sort, then click organize then "Reorder by Title". That should put them by date. Sort is also at the top of that new tab that launched earlier.
Oct 03, 2012 04:16 PM
1,844 Posts
Joined Jun 2009
JangOct 03, 2012 04:16 PM
1,844 Posts
Quote from ITAF3Can :
In Chrome: 3 bar button in top right --> Bookmarks --> Bookmark Manager should launch the manager in a new tab.

To sort bookmarks by date (assuming the date is the first thing in the bookmark name), click the folder you want to sort, then click organize then "Reorder by Title". That should put them by date. Sort is also at the top of that new tab that launched earlier.
I just save the bookmark name as it is, since slickdealers are pretty good about putting the dates in the title in an orderly way. In FF, I could search something like "10/3/12" and it would show only the ones with that somewhere in it's title.

But more than that, it would show the last time I visited that bookmark so I could see my progress with dailies/instants/weekly sweepstakes.

Thanks for the replies, both of you.

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Oct 03, 2012 07:01 PM
118,455 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeOct 03, 2012 07:01 PM
118,455 Posts
odd, why does UPS send out a delivery notice for a certain date...then the date ends up changing? Had this happen with two package lately. Always running late from scheduled delivery.
Oct 03, 2012 07:04 PM
5,152 Posts
Joined Oct 2008
SweepaholicOct 03, 2012 07:04 PM
5,152 Posts
Quote from implode :
odd, why does UPS send out a delivery notice for a certain date...then the date ends up changing? Had this happen with two package lately. Always running late from scheduled delivery.
Just happened to me to.I had an alert for Oct 3rd delivery they now changed it to the 8th.
Oct 03, 2012 07:17 PM
118,455 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeOct 03, 2012 07:17 PM
118,455 Posts
Quote from Sweepaholic :
Just happened to me to.I had an alert for Oct 3rd delivery they now changed it to the 8th.
Recieved one last night saying package was in TN., but would be by end of the day today. Looked again this morning still hadn't arrived in town but still scheduled today. 20 mins ago it has changed to delivery tommorow.

Another package was supposed to be delivered one day, took a detour to Ohio suddenly. Then they changed delivery date to 4 days later.

Another package was to be delivered one day (UPS), was switched to USPS, then switched again back to UPS...and delviered two days late.

I'm not sure I'm better off with myUPS, seems the more I know the more I'm appalled about the mistakes made. I also got a package from UPS this morning that myUPS didn't catch---my ile de france cheese.
Oct 04, 2012 04:04 PM
4,159 Posts
Joined Aug 2010
thinkbeforeyouspeakOct 04, 2012 04:04 PM
4,159 Posts
Okay my fellow SDers, I have a dumb question.

If I won a pre-paid Visa and it has no ATM/pin capabilities, is there a way to get the money off of it other than spending it down? (I'd actually like to use it to pay my existing Visa card so I can use my Visa card to get the points on the stuff I'd be buying with the prepaid - did that make sense, lol?)
Oct 04, 2012 04:45 PM
118,455 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeOct 04, 2012 04:45 PM
118,455 Posts
Quote from imacouponer :
Okay my fellow SDers, I have a dumb question.

If I won a pre-paid Visa and it has no ATM/pin capabilities, is there a way to get the money off of it other than spending it down? (I'd actually like to use it to pay my existing Visa card so I can use my Visa card to get the points on the stuff I'd be buying with the prepaid - did that make sense, lol?)
Many credit card companies allow you to pay the balance of a bill with another credit card...so that is certainly a possibility. Have to do leg work and call your (personal CC) issuer to know for sure.

Another popular way to use prepaid credit cards I've found is to issue yourself a gift card on amazon. This is really good for stubborn small balances that are difficult for store clerks to key in. If its anything other then a swipe, you know thats gonna be a pain and hold up people in line.
Oct 04, 2012 07:37 PM
139 Posts
Joined Jan 2012
jpete20Oct 04, 2012 07:37 PM
139 Posts
Is there a trading forum I could post to on SD? I have a couple livenation codes that I probably won't use.
Oct 04, 2012 07:40 PM
5,152 Posts
Joined Oct 2008
SweepaholicOct 04, 2012 07:40 PM
5,152 Posts
Quote from jpete20 :
Is there a trading forum I could post to on SD? I have a couple livenation codes that I probably won't use.
There is a trading thread in the freebies section.

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Oct 04, 2012 07:41 PM
139 Posts
Joined Jan 2012
jpete20Oct 04, 2012 07:41 PM
139 Posts
Thanks sweepaholic...found it!

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