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Sears Discounts, Deals and Coupon Codes

Contests & Sweepstakes Tips, Advice, and Questions

58,150 56,135 June 2, 2008 at 07:50 PM in Other (6) Get Sears coupons Coupons
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Last Edited by BostonGirl March 8, 2015 at 07:18 AM
+89 Deal Score
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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.
Good Deal?

Community Wiki

Last Edited by JD123 November 1, 2014 at 11:13 AM
Before we had this thread, limpstar posted this site for info on sweeps & taxes in the I Won Thread:
All About Sweepstakes Taxes
http://contests.about.com/od/taxe...gtaxes.htm

Also consider talking to your tax preparer and/or researching further into your tax responsibility.


I have found this page helpful in understanding some of sweep's law - a sweeps law co.'s site:
The Lustigman Firm; Attorneys at Law
http://www.sweepstakeslaw.com/
The Lustigman Firm provides experienced legal counsel that helps protect the business interests
of its advertising and promotional clients around the United States and Canada

What does " age of majority in your state or province " mean?

(sometimes abbreviated as AoM+ )

it's the legal age of that state or province...

The Age of majority is the threshold of adulthood as it is conceptualized in law. It is the chronological moment when children legally assume majority control over their persons and their actions and decisions, thereby terminating the legal control and legal responsibilities of their parents over and for them.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Age_of_majority

there's a list by country and by US State there....

For most purposes, the age of majority in the U.S. is 18,
except for 2 states with the age of 19 (Nebraska,Alabama)
and one state with the age of 21 (Mississippi)
and two (American Samoa and Puerto Rico) that retain 14 as the age of majority.
Occasionally PA is listed under the 19+ or 21+

~javaFlower

Regarding missing prizes
If you were expecting a prize you've never received you can complain 1st to the sweepstakes administrator, then to the sweepstakes sponsor and finally to USPS Postal Inspectors

https://postalinspectors.uspis.go...laint.aspx

-Kotik


ePrize Contacts
[email protected] - Bob Marsh, Senior Vice President, Midwest Region, Phone: 248.543.7522
[email protected] - Darlene Morris, Business Manager, Phone: 248.543.7403
[email protected] - Alesya Opelt, Vice President, Marketing, Phone: 248.543.7440


Occasionally a....less than ethical sweep will get posted.
You might end up finding unauthorized charges on your phone bill. Unauthorized charges on the phone bill are what's called "Cramming". Once you contact the company that's charging you, and you have requested your phone company remove the charge, if you so choose, you can file a complaint with the FCC.

FCC Online complaint form: esupport.fcc.gov/complaints.htm

You can also file your complaint with the FCC's Consumer Center by e-mailing [email protected] or calling 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322) voice or 1-888-TELL-FCC (1-888-835-5322) TTY

You can fax your complaint to 1-866-418-0232

Or by snail mail:
Federal Communications Commission
Consumer & Governmental Affairs Bureau
Consumer Inquiries and Complaints Division
445 12th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20554.

I also recommend a 3rd party block on your line to prohibit this from happening. 3rd party blocks don't affect your phone in any way, except by not allowing some company outside of your local phone company from adding charges to your bill.


Slickdealers on Twitter
(I don't really know where is best to start this list, but I decided to just start it here. If anyone thinks we should move it somewhere else, please do so.)

SD name Twitter name
kdka421 k8fenner
Starbelly Lunachique
dodgers77449 michael0902
sanaperv @slicksweepberry
blueeyeleo  
Slickdealers on Facebook
(Hopefully, it is allowed to post this here. If anyone thinks this link should be deleted, please do so.)
You can find the facebook slickdeals sweepers in this group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/310504039006252/

Track incoming packages
UPS
http://www.ups.com/mychoice/
FedEx https://www.fedex.com/login/web/j...n.jsp?TYPE
USPS https://www.usps.com/manage/manage-your-mail.htm




This post can be edited by most users to provide up-to-date information about developments of this thread based on user responses, and user findings. Feel free to add, change or remove information shown here as it becomes available. This includes new coupons, rebates, ideas, thread summary, and similar items.

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This post can be edited by most users to provide up-to-date information about developments of this thread based on user responses, and user findings. Feel free to add, change or remove information shown here as it becomes available. This includes new coupons, rebates, ideas, thread summary, and similar items.

Once a Thread Wiki is added to a thread, "Create Wiki" button will disappear. If you would like to learn more about Thread Wiki feature, click here.

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Joined May 2007
I love my family!
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Soinlove01
12-19-2012 at 09:14 PM.
12-19-2012 at 09:14 PM.
Quote from atomala :
Read through the rules and see if the sponsor said they would be willing to substitute. I won 2 trips when I was VERY pregnant and was unable to travel in the timeframe but the sponsors agreed to cash out instead. To them it is a tax write-off either way.
Thanks for the advice Smilie I asked about not having coverage and the lady said she would check so guess once they verify that we can go from there
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SwampStomper
12-19-2012 at 11:47 PM.
12-19-2012 at 11:47 PM.
Quote from KMA :
I just received an email that I won this https://slickdeals.net/f/5652828-Modern-Furniture?v=1 (thanks decowright). Unfortunately, I have to either pick it up in Georgia at the warehouse (several states away) or pay to have it shipped (around $250). Why can't they put that requirement in the rules (or did I overlook it)? Had I known that I would haven't wasted my time. Any suggestions?

If they do pay and send it to you, is the chair worth the cost (to you) in taxes? They claim the value is $1795, that is a pricey chair to have to pay taxes on.

For the dishwasher that I just won, the ARV was set at $999. They said that included a $300 shipping charge. I guess I will be paying taxes on that $300 too.
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Last edited by SwampStomper December 20, 2012 at 12:18 AM.
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KMA
12-20-2012 at 12:17 AM.
12-20-2012 at 12:17 AM.
Quote from riverrat317 :
If they do pay and send it to you, is the chair worth the cost (to you) in taxes? They claim the value is $1795, that is a pricey chair to have to pay taxes on.

For the dishwasher that I just won, the ARV was set at $999. They said that included a $300 shipping charge. I guess I will be taxes on that $300 too.
I've been considering the taxes as this isn't a chair I'd pick out if I had my choice.
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Joined Jun 2007
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Jessibell
12-20-2012 at 07:40 PM.
12-20-2012 at 07:40 PM.
Quote from amaroo :
Thanks for the tip. I can't get it to work in chrome though. I set up my default form fill profile and set up the same hot key, but when I go to a page and press alt+j, nothing happens. It fills fine the long way.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
Sorry, wish I could help...that's all I did and it's been working in Firefox! Hope you were able to figure it out Smilie
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Joined Nov 2009
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badandy888
12-21-2012 at 12:51 AM.
12-21-2012 at 12:51 AM.
thanks!!!
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Joined Dec 2011
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amaroo
12-21-2012 at 08:48 AM.
12-21-2012 at 08:48 AM.
Quote from Jessibell :
Sorry, wish I could help...that's all I did and it's been working in Firefox! Hope you were able to figure it out Smilie
It was user error. Didn't know I had to use the left ALT key for it to work.

Now I use LastPass to fill forms, manually check/uncheck extra boxes, and then Simple Form Filler to save the filled out form. Much faster than I was going and awesome for forms that don't allow autofill.
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implode
12-21-2012 at 09:32 AM.
12-21-2012 at 09:32 AM.
is it me or are a lot of facebook aps down last couple days:
Ex 1: https://www.facebook.com/spencers...5847601474
Ex 2: https://www.facebook.com/twc/app_415290345184088
Ex 3: https://www.facebook.com/Crabtree...6285967456

I have at least a dozen sites that are not working for me, quite frustrating...
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Last edited by implode December 21, 2012 at 09:39 AM.

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Joined Jun 2004
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ellory
12-21-2012 at 09:42 AM.
12-21-2012 at 09:42 AM.
Quote from implode :
is it me or are a lot of facebook aps down last couple days:
Ex 1: https://www.facebook.com/spencers...5847601474
Ex 2: https://www.facebook.com/twc/app_415290345184088
Ex 3: https://www.facebook.com/Crabtree...6285967456

I have at least a dozen sites that are not working for me, quite frustrating...
I can reach all of them
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Joined May 2006
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implode
12-21-2012 at 09:43 AM.
12-21-2012 at 09:43 AM.
Quote from ellory :
I can reach all of them
They are all generating 404 errors for me...I'm using latest version of FF

Quote :
400

Internal Server Error
Sorry, something went wrong.
Return to Previous Page
Upon further research, they work fine in IE...oddball glitch
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Last edited by implode December 21, 2012 at 09:48 AM.
Joined Jan 2010
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countyline
12-21-2012 at 09:54 AM.
12-21-2012 at 09:54 AM.
Quote from implode :
is it me or are a lot of facebook aps down last couple days:
Ex 1: https://www.facebook.com/spencers...5847601474
Ex 2: https://www.facebook.com/twc/app_415290345184088
Ex 3: https://www.facebook.com/Crabtree...6285967456

I have at least a dozen sites that are not working for me, quite frustrating...
I've had several pages flake out in the early AM because pixel.facebook doesn't load, There is one other that doesn't load either which causes pages to fail which I can't remember at the moment. Go back later and they work fine. Facebook apps in general have been kinda flaky the last week or so.
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Joined Dec 2009
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DamianMom
12-21-2012 at 12:12 PM.
12-21-2012 at 12:12 PM.
Question...some contests are past their end date, but the form is still up and accepts entries. Is it a waste of time to enter if it's past the date? Will those entries even count? Thnx
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implode
12-21-2012 at 01:09 PM.
12-21-2012 at 01:09 PM.
Quote from DamianMom :
Question...some contests are past their end date, but the form is still up and accepts entries. Is it a waste of time to enter if it's past the date? Will those entries even count? Thnx
Think they will remove the excess entries before the drawing, so its a waste of time. Assuming the judging agency is above board and running things fairly.
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Joined Aug 2008
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splattered
12-21-2012 at 04:33 PM.
12-21-2012 at 04:33 PM.
Going on a 2 week vacation from the 22nd to the 5th of Jan.. prob not going to be sweeping at all. God this is going to be hard haha First break i've had from it since vacation last year... arghhh
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Joined Mar 2006
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Deegeedeegee
12-21-2012 at 05:11 PM.
12-21-2012 at 05:11 PM.
No slickdeals contest today? Or am I missing it?
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Joined Nov 2008
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elangomatt
12-21-2012 at 05:22 PM.
12-21-2012 at 05:22 PM.
Quote from BeBe2008 :
No slickdeals contest today? Or am I missing it?
I don't see one either if it makes you feel any better.
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