Slickdeals is community-supported.  We may get paid by brands for deals, including promoted items.
forum threadFreebiesRGreat posted Jun 03, 2008 02:50 AM
forum threadFreebiesRGreat posted Jun 03, 2008 02:50 AM

Contests & Sweepstakes Tips, Advice, and Questions

Sears
2,361,326 Views
See Deal
Good Deal
Save
Share
Deal Details
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.

Community Voting

Deal Score
+99
Good Deal
See Deal

Leave a Comment

Unregistered (You)

9,849 Comments

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Jul 30, 2012 09:40 PM
4,218 Posts
Joined Aug 2009
figarotiggerJul 30, 2012 09:40 PM
4,218 Posts
Quote from Aurora2011 :
I got the ups alert too. Maybe it's a food prize, like the week of Barilla pasta meals? You guys win that one too?
I won that one also. The last time, Barilla sent coupons for their products. This should be interesting.
Jul 30, 2012 10:16 PM
543 Posts
Joined Jun 2012
coonrad78Jul 30, 2012 10:16 PM
543 Posts
Jul 31, 2012 05:49 PM
4,218 Posts
Joined Aug 2009
figarotiggerJul 31, 2012 05:49 PM
4,218 Posts
Quote from Aurora2011 :
I got the ups alert too. Maybe it's a food prize, like the week of Barilla pasta meals? You guys win that one too?
Just rec'd the package from UPS. 7 ea Barilla pasta meals.

Good Luck to all!
Jul 31, 2012 07:10 PM
87 Posts
Joined Jan 2012
dustdivaJul 31, 2012 07:10 PM
87 Posts
Heads up: Yahoo mail has been down for about 5 hours today. Am I the only fool to use this email service???? Got an email yesterday about a $1000 win and emailed the notorized affidavit today. Now realize that it may not get to them so I will have to go to plan B and overnight it.

What email service do you use and has it been reliable?
Jul 31, 2012 07:26 PM
5,152 Posts
Joined Oct 2008
SweepaholicJul 31, 2012 07:26 PM
5,152 Posts
Quote from dustdiva :
Heads up: Yahoo mail has been down for about 5 hours today. Am I the only fool to use this email service???? Got an email yesterday about a $1000 win and emailed the notorized affidavit today. Now realize that it may not get to them so I will have to go to plan B and overnight it.

What email service do you use and has it been reliable?
I hate yahoo never have used it continually I just tried it out and didnt like it , I have used hotmail for over 5 years of sweeping and have had no problems!
Jul 31, 2012 07:41 PM
67 Posts
Joined Apr 2012
Aurora2011Jul 31, 2012 07:41 PM
67 Posts
Yahoo is the only mail I use and it has never been giving me any problems. Including right now, it's not down for me. I just checked it.
Jul 31, 2012 08:48 PM
1,258 Posts
Joined Aug 2009
madgejrJul 31, 2012 08:48 PM
1,258 Posts
Quote from coonrad78 :
We won the first week of this contest!
http://slickdeals.net/f/4918794-Nestl-Drumstick-Snap-Summer-Photo-Contest-Ends-9-4?v=1
Sweet! Congrats!

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Jul 31, 2012 09:00 PM
200 Posts
Joined Dec 2011
wc0904Jul 31, 2012 09:00 PM
200 Posts
Quote from dustdiva :
Heads up: Yahoo mail has been down for about 5 hours today. Am I the only fool to use this email service???? Got an email yesterday about a $1000 win and emailed the notorized affidavit today. Now realize that it may not get to them so I will have to go to plan B and overnight it.

What email service do you use and has it been reliable?
I've used Gmail for 6ish years and have never had an issue. I'm not a fan of Yahoo at all.
Jul 31, 2012 09:10 PM
87 Posts
Joined Jan 2012
dustdivaJul 31, 2012 09:10 PM
87 Posts
Quote from Aurora2011 :
Yahoo is the only mail I use and it has never been giving me any problems. Including right now, it's not down for me. I just checked it.
You are lucky as it was a major fail for Yahoo today. It was reported on CNN. Glad to report it is back up but obviously email is missing...... yikes.
Jul 31, 2012 11:18 PM
1,145 Posts
Joined Aug 2008
splatteredJul 31, 2012 11:18 PM
1,145 Posts
This is probably a really silly question and possibly covered several times in this thread already... sometimes i get a "Thanks for Entering!" style message but somewhere below that there is the option to forward to friends or you can click on "No Thanks" and that takes you off the sweepstakes page usually... do you think it makes a difference whether you go that extra step and click on no thanks as to whether or not your sweepstakes entry actually fully goes through? Stick Out Tongue
Jul 31, 2012 11:21 PM
118,456 Posts
Joined May 2006
implodeJul 31, 2012 11:21 PM
118,456 Posts
Quote from splattered :
This is probably a really silly question and possibly covered several times in this thread already... sometimes i get a "Thanks for Entering!" style message but somewhere below that there is the option to forward to friends or you can click on "No Thanks" and that takes you off the sweepstakes page usually... do you think it makes a difference whether you go that extra step and click on no thanks as to whether or not your sweepstakes entry actually fully goes through? Stick Out Tongue
I think it doesn't matter, hope I'm not wrong about that. Technically it could be set up either way. But would be kind of douche move to not enter someone.
Aug 02, 2012 12:00 PM
200 Posts
Joined Dec 2011
wc0904Aug 02, 2012 12:00 PM
200 Posts
Woke up to a UPS alert from Bed Bath and Beyond weighing 17 pounds. Nothing on my list of recent wins accounts for something of that weight, wonder what it is!
Aug 02, 2012 01:55 PM
248 Posts
Joined Apr 2008
theviper21Aug 02, 2012 01:55 PM
248 Posts
Quote from mynameskatie :
Woke up to a UPS alert from Bed Bath and Beyond weighing 17 pounds. Nothing on my list of recent wins accounts for something of that weight, wonder what it is!
Lol, maybe someone just sent you a gift?!
Aug 02, 2012 02:05 PM
200 Posts
Joined Dec 2011
wc0904Aug 02, 2012 02:05 PM
200 Posts
Quote from theviper21 :
Lol, maybe someone just sent you a gift?!
Lol not too many occasions for that. Think I figured it out, I won a slow cooker from a blog win a while back. I thought it was sponsored by Walmart so didn't think it'd be coming from BB&B. I love MyChoice but hate the suspense lol

Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.

Aug 02, 2012 06:17 PM
1,844 Posts
Joined Jun 2009
JangAug 02, 2012 06:17 PM
1,844 Posts
Ok, I got this about two weeks ago:

We're happy to let you know that you're a winner in Macy's Scan for a Grand! Due to a technical issue, not all of the prizes were awarded so we conducted a second chance drawing. As a result, you have won a $100 Macy's E-Gift Card.

Before we send you your E-Gift Card, we need to collect you home address in order to comply with promotional laws which require a physical address for any prizes greater than $25. Please visit the web site below and respond within 10 days with an updated physical address. If you do not respond within 10 days, you will forfeit your prize.


I filled out the address the same day and I haven't heard anything. Should I try to contact them or just wait?

Leave a Comment

Unregistered (You)

Related Searches

Popular Deals

Trending Deals