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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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Jul 20, 2011 10:35 PM
12 Posts
Joined Jul 2011
savagekJul 20, 2011 10:35 PM
12 Posts
I'm sure this had been asked before but wouldn't giving out your address result in a lot of unwanted junk mail being delivered to your mailbox?
Jul 20, 2011 11:06 PM
118,456 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeJul 20, 2011 11:06 PM
118,456 Posts
Quote from savagek :
I'm sure this had been asked before but wouldn't giving out your address result in a lot of unwanted junk mail being delivered to your mailbox?
If you can't trust a company on privacy policy, you shouldn't be entering probably. A ton of sweeps exist where either I don't trust them, or don't know enough to trust them. I simply pass on those entries. A reputable company will have a posted privacy policy, and rules expressing what they will do with your info. A reputable company will also let you opt out of advertising.

Clues to what companies are reputable--common companies you have heard of such as Coke, Proctor and Gamble, Taco Bell, etc etc

Clues to a good contest that will respect you also are a well known judging company--companies like Don Jagoda and Associates, Young America, Eprize, etc etc are companies with well known reputations.

Also some things to watch out for are Magazine companies--a lot of them are notorious for having call lists and opt ins to subscribe to them and be billed. I would be especially careful reading privacy policies and rules on those.

Do what I said above and you will be ahead of the curve as far as newer members.
Jul 21, 2011 02:59 AM
592 Posts
Joined Jul 2009
andphaM33Jul 21, 2011 02:59 AM
592 Posts
does anyone know if i refuse to take a picture with the ipod nano because of privacy issues. will they take away the prize?
Jul 21, 2011 03:17 AM
118,456 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeJul 21, 2011 03:17 AM
118,456 Posts
Quote from andphaM33 :
does anyone know if i refuse to take a picture with the ipod nano because of privacy issues. will they take away the prize?
can they do it, probably...whats the big deal, you in witness protection? Hell you could have mailman hold up ipod and take a picture or anyone else and no one will know the difference aside from you.
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Jul 21, 2011 05:03 AM
19,701 Posts
Joined Sep 2003
TofuVic
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This user is an Expert in Tech & Electronics
Jul 21, 2011 05:03 AM
19,701 Posts
I'm pretty new to this forum, although I have been entering sweepstakes on and off since I was a kid (back covers of cereal boxes and such!).

Anyway, I was hoping for a tip. What do others do so that they don't enter a contest twice? Is there a way to mark a certain thread so that I won't view it again afterward? Thanks.
Jul 21, 2011 07:16 AM
592 Posts
Joined Jul 2009
andphaM33Jul 21, 2011 07:16 AM
592 Posts
Quote from implode :
can they do it, probably...whats the big deal, you in witness protection? Hell you could have mailman hold up ipod and take a picture or anyone else and no one will know the difference aside from you.
Will you buy an iPod nano and take a picture with it for me?
Jul 21, 2011 02:43 PM
118,456 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeJul 21, 2011 02:43 PM
118,456 Posts
Quote from TofuVic :
I'm pretty new to this forum, although I have been entering sweepstakes on and off since I was a kid (back covers of cereal boxes and such!).

Anyway, I was hoping for a tip. What do others do so that they don't enter a contest twice? Is there a way to mark a certain thread so that I won't view it again afterward? Thanks.
An ignore feature exists on these forums, however that is only good for removing 400 contests. Eventually you will run out and need to remove some of your ignores to gain them back.

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Jul 21, 2011 03:19 PM
25,256 Posts
Joined Dec 2005
javaFlowerJul 21, 2011 03:19 PM
25,256 Posts
Quote from TofuVic :
I'm pretty new to this forum, although I have been entering sweepstakes on and off since I was a kid (back covers of cereal boxes and such!).

Anyway, I was hoping for a tip. What do others do so that they don't enter a contest twice? Is there a way to mark a certain thread so that I won't view it again afterward? Thanks.
If you say thanks in a thread, or otherwise post in a thread, that thread will then have a pencil over the envelope to the left of the thread when you are viewing the forum.

Some people use that to show they have entered the one time entries.

Personally, I just try to keep up to date by viewing the threads by last posted and entering anything new each day.
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This user is an Expert in Tech & Electronics
Jul 21, 2011 08:58 PM
19,701 Posts
Joined Sep 2003
TofuVic
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This user is an Expert in Tech & Electronics
Jul 21, 2011 08:58 PM
19,701 Posts
Thanks for the responses!
Jul 22, 2011 03:39 AM
1,844 Posts
Joined Jun 2009
JangJul 22, 2011 03:39 AM
1,844 Posts
Quote from TofuVic :
Thanks for the responses!

I always sort by thread started and just try to remember where I left off the following day/time.

Now when you don't want to enter a daily contest twice in a day by mistake, I have those bookmarked in a folder where it tells me the last time I visited the website.

Good luck and have fun!
Jul 27, 2011 10:58 PM
382 Posts
Joined Dec 2008
vickysmommaJul 27, 2011 10:58 PM
382 Posts
what contest do you find that you win the most from,
Jul 28, 2011 04:08 PM
68,719 Posts
Joined Sep 2007
RyardJul 28, 2011 04:08 PM
68,719 Posts
Quote from implode :
An ignore feature exists on these forums, however that is only good for removing 400 contests. Eventually you will run out and need to remove some of your ignores to gain them back.
I don't think you manually need to go and remove the ignored threads. If you hit your 400 limit, it automatically removes the oldest thread on the list the next time you add a new ignore.
Jul 28, 2011 05:48 PM
1,251 Posts
Joined Aug 2005
saintjoJul 28, 2011 05:48 PM
1,251 Posts
I wish you could ignore by keywords in the title. I hate when there are like 30 posts of junky magazine (redbook, etc) threads all at once.
Jul 28, 2011 08:14 PM
1,121 Posts
Joined Dec 2007
jhngh41Jul 28, 2011 08:14 PM
1,121 Posts
Good afternoon!

Anyone enter the Newegg dream PC giveaway yet?
Last edited by jhngh41 July 28, 2011 at 01:15 PM.

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Jul 28, 2011 09:22 PM
118,456 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeJul 28, 2011 09:22 PM
118,456 Posts
Quote from jhngh41 :
Good afternoon!

Anyone enter the Newegg dream PC giveaway yet?
I don't enter all those Newegg/Tigerdirect contests, they have really odd rules to them that I don't like.

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