Competition Time

When I began my money saving journey exactly a month ago yesterday, I had limited experience in comping. I had entered the odd thing here and there and been lucky a couple of times with minor things (in fact both times a case of cereal, but I'll get onto that). As part of this experiment, I vowed to enter daily and dedicatedly, not realising just how much time this would take up.

A good two or three years ago now, I began using the Dorset Cereals website, and it is one that I would recommend to everyone. There are a number of ways to win, and I have tried them all, and won on two. To begin, you can set up a 'piggy bank' and even give it a name (mine is Edmund, the wee cutie). Throughout the site, you can save up tokens which count towards entries into the monthly competition - one main prize and usually a few runners up prizes of a box of cereals. This said runners up prize was my first win. About a month later a big box was delivered to my door with 5 full sized boxes of muesli from the lovely people at Dorset Cereals. And there my loyalty began. This point system however, is soon to change, There are notices all over the website saying that you will soon be able to exchange tokens for money off vouchers! Another freebie, and another reason to play along daily. Tokens can be collected by answering polls and questions, playing games and entering their 'Spring to Win' game - which a gives you  yet another opportunity to win cereal. YAY!

Since beginning my challenge though, I have found many other sites which offer similar daily competitions. Some, such as Jennings Brewery are interactive games (there's you have to pull a virtual pint - something I am good at neither in real life or on the computer it seems!) and others (The House Brandy for example) require a bit of skill - in this case completing a daily sudoku - which sharpens the brain cells as you quest to win! A fruit machine style competition is popular - with promotors such as Yeo Valley, Crabbies and Carribean Twist catching on.

The latter of these is a Facebook Competition - something I have found worthwhile participating in as I am on Facebook so much of the time anyway! When you go onto the companies Facebook page, one of the tabs along the top will mention a competition or giveaway. Simply clicking on this will lead you to the competition. I have won from Nature's Valley in this way and there are reminders down the side of your Facebook homepage so you'll never forget to enter.

At my one month anniversary of comping, I am so far at a grand total of 4 wins - more than I have ever won in the years of casual comping. These prizes range from Cricket Game tickets to a £5 voucher for turkey - but it all helps, and nothing quite beats that bit of excitement when you receive an email telling you you're the lucky winner - even if it is just some turkey!

For more inspiration check out a fellow compers blogs for great ideas on where to look for that coveted win!

https://unluckyhol.wordpress.com/

Have you had any luck with comping recently? Share your recent wins or favourite competitions in the comments below. Good luck, and happy comping!

Beginning The Mission

As a student, I feel in a constant state of being skint. Maybe I am conforming to a stereotypical view of society, or maybe I really am just skint. Either way, I've been on the lookout for new ways to make money to get myself away from this.

GET A JOB!! I hear you cry...

Yeah, yeah, I hear ya, but there must be an easier way to get me by while at uni without interrupting my studies (education comes first you see. I not simply being lazy, right?).

That's when I heard of the hobby 'comping'. The art of winning things and using them to get you by without buying things. How hard can it be?

Well my friends, this blog is about finding out exactly how hard it will be - to save you the effort of doing all the scrolling through hundreds of pages of competitions, I'll be the mug that does it for you! Happily may I add.

Along with finding the best competitions, and trying to discover what tactics work best, I will also be trying to find ways to get by as a skint student in modern society without getting a job. Things like survey websites, product testing and being a secret shopper. Finding the best ways to sell things on eBay and if Etsy really is a site that can help people like you and me launch a business (or just fuel a shopping habit).

I will also be participating in a number of challenges to test out popular money saving ideas, and hopefully save some cash in the process. Things like 'Live on £10 for a week' and 'Survive from the food already in the cupboards' are in the line up (can you tell the titles are a working progress?) and I am up for any suggestions to other challenges along the way.

The research has already begun and I look forward to sharing my findings with you all. Thanks for your time readers and please share and follow me on Twitter @LaurieBeat - MissionCompetition Thanks again! :)