Who doesn’t like getting things for free? If you have an hour a day to invest, you too can get free packages in the mail on a regular basis. Instead of playing Facebook games or reading gossip and entertainment Web sites in the morning while you sip your coffee, spend that time sweepstaking. It’s fun and it can be very lucrative.
What is Sweepstaking?
Sweepstaking is the name given to the hobby of entering contests and sweepstakes on a regular basis. There are thousands and thousands of sweepstakes offered at any given time. Some are instant win sweepstakes, where you know right away if you won, but more often they are daily, weekly or one-time entry sweepstakes. Prizes range from trips to appliances to tennis shoes to candy bars, plus lots more. A simple Google search will yield an overload of choices. For a more refined selection, visit a Web site devoted to sweepstaking, such as the three listed at right.
Tips for Successful Sweepstaking
The secret to winning sweepstakes regularly is making the best use of your time so that you are able to enter as many sweeps as possible. Below are just a few tips on how to make the most of your sweepstaking time:
1. Be consistent. Entering just a few sweeps one day and forgetting about your new hobby isn’t likely to bring you much luck. For best results, set aside a particular time to sweep and be consistent about it. The more contests you enter, the more you’ll win.
2. Choose carefully. Although there’s no denying that it’s a thrill to get that winning screen or congratulations email, the fun soon fades if the prize isn’t something you want or can use. Choose your sweepstakes carefully. If you have pets or small children that prevent you from traveling, don’t waste your time entering sweepstakes where the prize is a trip. Similarly, forgo the toy or baby contests if your children are grown. Don’t worry; you’ll find plenty of sweeps with prizes that excite you.
3. Stay organized. Sweepstaking is a numbers game and you want to enter as many contests as you can in the hour you’ve set aside for your new hobby. Also, you don’t want to enter sweeps more than the once a day, once a week or once a month that the rules allow. Many online sweeping communities have systems to organize your sweeps. Or, simply use the bookmark function on your browser and create separate folders for instant, daily, weekly and monthly sweeps.
4. Set up a separate email account. One of the less desirable side effects of sweepstaking on a regular basis is an increase in the number of promotional emails (not quite spam, but not what you want jamming up your personal or business email box.) Set up a separate Gmail or other free email account just for your sweeping. But, remember to check it regularly. This is where you’ll get those emails letting you know that you’ve won a prize.
5. Invest in Roboform or a similar program. Typing in your name, address, email and other pertinent information gets tiring, plus it limits the number of sweepstakes you can enter in your allotted hour. Roboform is a free download that allows you to pre-program your computer so that you can just make one key stroke and all of your information is entered. This doesn’t work on sweepstakes that use Flash technology, but it will help you on about 90 percent of sweepstakes entry forms. Don’t be tempted to purchase a robot program that claims to enter sweeps for you while you work on something else. These types of programs are disallowed by most sweepstakes.
6. Be patient. Sweepstakes wins take some time and effort, but they will come. Remember that many contests don’t end for two, six or even twelve months, so that entry you submit today may not be in a drawing for quite some time. After the end of the contest, it may take several weeks for the winners to be contacted. Sometimes prizes just appear at your doorstep unannounced. Although you may likely get a few instant wins early on, expect it to take at least six months of regular sweeping to reap regular rewards.
Good Luck and Have Fun!
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