Comping For Cash Article Discussion

MSE_Martin

Hi folks,

Just a quick note to those who say there will be a lot of disappointed people - that comping is about hard work - that its a hobby and the article is misleading. Here are just a few quotes from the guide.

Intro: "It’s possible, ****though not easy*****, to win swanky gadgets, lavish holidays and pocket ££££s without spending a penny. "

"Yet even with these sexy stories it’s crucial to realise that you won’t immediately be frolicking in a bed of £50 notes. Unlike other money-makers, such as Survey Sites, eBay Selling and other ways to Boost Your Income, rewards aren’t guaranteed.

Think of comping as a potentially rewarding hobby, rather than a potentially underpaid job.

The spirit of comping is that it’s a bit of fun, rather than a dead cert money-spinner. Hours can be long, payouts poor and your bum won’t thank you for sitting at the PC all day."


"There are no guarantees here, every prize should be thought of as a bonus. Yet approach it systematically and you can make the most efficient use of your time and hopefully up your chances. "

"In 2008 I won £1713 worth of prizes. For that I put in approximately 1500 hours or four hours per day. I enter on average 50 to 500 comps per day and have calculated my win rate at being 1/1000 comps entered. Seeing as this worked out at £1.14 per hour, it’s only worth doing if you enjoy entering comps.”


We have worked hard to do a guide that both enthuses people about the concept but explains the realities and gives them the info to make it easier if they choose to do it. Not only that but it links to this discussion, and the comping board, so people can read and get info themselves and see other compers opinions.

I think and hope we got the balance right.


Martin

liz545

I'd echo what's been said about seeing comping as a hobby, not an income - I enter hundreds a week, but sometimes you can go through real dry spells with no wins, and you have to view a win as a bonus, not a right. Furthermore, if you're entering for stuff with a view to selling it, not only are you reducing the chances of the people who actually want/would use the prize, what if you can't sell it? I don't want to put off any new compers, but I just think you need to be realistic about the odds, rather than seeing it as a way to make money.

ThinkingOfLinking

I agree. It's a good, balanced article. And having stories from real MSErs makes it more accessible and believable. I remember back when first starting out here myself, looking at the IWIWIW board and being inspired and encouraged by the posts there. "Oh, so real people do win, then!" springs to mind.

Muffy0

MSE_Martin wrote: »

"Yet even with these sexy stories it’s crucial to realise that you won’t immediately be frolicking in a bed of £50 notes.

It's taken me a year and I'm still not frolicking in £50 notes! :rotfl: I have to say, for me it has been very profitable to the point where my wedding and honeymoon has been completed sorted out by comps and I've managed to deck my house with some expensive stuff - I just don't want people to think it happens straight away because it doesn't.
M x

imagia

I'd have to say that the article did get the balance right.

Once you've got form-fillers set up and you work out a routine, you can get through an awful lot of competitions quite quickly if you wish. Last year I won at least 20 DVDs - there are lots out there to win, and they are pretty easy to sell on Amazon if you don't want to keep them. But then I did spend up to 1 hour a day doing entries.

This year I've won virtually nothing so far, but it's great when you come back from a break to find unexpected parcels waiting! :beer:

Mamzie

The article seemed fine to me, def a hobby with no guarantees.

(If any MSE admins are reading this, I and others would still appreciate having the free to enter competitions stickie clarified, as it was never completely resolved and means that we still have some comps being deleted while others stay.)

bebebelle

Comping should carry a health warning .I have been sat here for the last four hours.Im a total addict lol.

bell

I've just started doing this on the back of the article. It seems pretty addicitive and very easy to enter a large number of competitions quickly.

Im not expecting the earth either, but having never really won anything ever, even a DVD would be great. As I work full-time I am probably limited to an hours worth of competitions each day anyway.

Next step is to get the form filler software so I can enter higher numbers.

Mamzie

welcome to comping Bell, be prepared to be very quickly addicted, good luck

katchambers

Since you guys are looking for newbies to comment I thought I would.

I am not a newbie to mse (obv) but fairly new to comping. I did actually enter about 100 comps about 2 years ago when I stumbled across the comps board, then gave up, as I was working full time then. I have to say I was very, very lucky as I won a 4 night trip to Tokyo, Japan! It was very exciting and an amazing experience I will never forget, however I never took up comping again until last week, my hubby mentioned it as a hobby for me to do in my spare time, and I am glad he did because I love it, its totally addictive, and of course dreaming about all the prizes are nice to do, especially when you have already won big.

I don't expect to win big again, or anything for that matter but I do enjoy it anyway.

Thanks to Martin for the article, I already knew some of it, but the number crunching bit is the part I particularly liked. I think it was a great article, although I do believe it will attract a lot of people looking for the money, as that is kinda what makes you read the article.

Thank you to everyone who spends their time looking for competitions, I have tried that and will continue to look for new comps to add but alas I am always beaten to the punch.

Kat x
p.s I always press the thanks button.:D