If you are really serious about comping here are ten time-taming tips to get the most of every day. They are working for me!
1. Set aside a regular time slot every day that suits your lifestyle for finding and entering competitions. I check out as many as I can before breakfast, enter the easy ones and leave the more creative ones (that need awesome 25 WOL answers) for later in the day so I can think about my answers.
2. Always carry a small notebook with you at all times to scribble down random thoughts for your answers or to make a note of any competitions you come across in your daily travels. Like for example when you listen to the radio in the car or see something advertised on a billboard or if a friend mentions one in passing.
3. Make sure you register with www.competitions.com.au and ‘like’ it on Facebook. That way you will be notified throughout the day of any new competitions that are listed.
4. While you are on Facebook, ‘like’ as many of your favourite brands, restaurants, supermarkets, department stores and other businesses as you can think of, especially those that might have products that you would really like to get hold of through a competition. My include Amaysim (my mobile phone carrier) and IGA Supermarkets (my local). You will be amazed at how many run regular competitions and you might as well be one of the first to know when they post them.
5. Set up a Google Alert with keywords such as ‘win’ or ‘competition’ or ‘free sample’ if you are into them as well. This will automatically filter and send a list of links with these keywords in them to you inbox each day. Not all of the links will be suitable competitions (especially in peak sports seasons) but some will. I found a competition on Kids Book Review this way (and actually won one of the books) and a competition run by the Perth Mint! It’s worth a try.
6. Set up an automatic ‘form filler’ – like Chrome AutoFill. This will save you time when it comes to filling out entry forms but always check the entry before you submit as forms vary with the information they collect and the structure they take. There is not much point going to all the trouble to enter competitions if the information you enter is wrong.
7. Use your regular weekly grocery shopping trip to look for competitions promoted through your local supermarket. Jot them down I your notebook or if the products that are being promoted are of use to you, buy them, keep the receipt and enter the comp. You might need your glasses if the terms and conditions are printed on the labels as the text can be very small.
8. Subscribe to any magazines that have regular competitions or puzzle pages with heaps of prizes. This saves a trip to the newsagent and you usually get a good discount when you subscribe.
9. Check in daily to the Forum and with friends (at least once a week) who also do comps and share ideas on competitions and answers. This is also very important when you need votes as well. It also makes it a lot more fun.
10. Remember to keep a track of the competitions you enter and your WOL answers (if applicable). If you win a prize (r if you just think your answers are awesome even though the judges didn’t agree with you) you can always re-cycle them with a few changes to reflect a new comp. This saves heaps of time thinking up a new one every time. If you also set up alerts on your phone (in your calendar with closing dates for your favourite comps) you are less likely to forget to enter them on time.
