Competitions Discussion Thread

chocoholic123

Is there a better technique to entering competitions... (I am a newbie!)

The comps are arranged in date by order of the last post in them - not the date they were posted. So an old post can easily be bumped to the front. Sometimes the 'thanks' button doesn't work for me... (i use firefox, and i click the button and nothing happens) and consequentially I'm sure that I've entered a few comps twice.

furndire

Chocoholic, do you always log in, as you can't thank anyone without being logged in. That was a mistake I used to make.
Another thing I found was that if I posted a comment on a comp, it then got bumped to the top, then I lost my place when catching up. If you press your page back at the top of screen twice, it will take you back to before you posted. If you only do it once, occasionally someone may have posted in between your postings, and so you still do not get back to the original place, this way it fetches you back to one or two before you commented. Sounds complicated, but it isn't when you do it.

Hope this helps ~ try it when you are not in a hurry, takes a while to get into the habit.

Another helpful tip ~ I think ~ is at the top of here, you will see a box with thread tools. If you can't for some reason enter a comp, click on there, and subscribe to the thread. Later when you have a few mins, you can click back on there, and go back to the comp. you didn't enter. It is also helpful if you don't want to bump the thread ~ which is what people sometimes do to keep the thread up at the top.

As for how to check on what comps you have entered, I for one have given up. I did try to bookmark them, but found it took almost as long as entering the comps, so now try to rely on memory, which frequently doesn't work.
I have found that it is sometimes better to be a few hours behind the postings, as usually someone else has realised that it may have been posted, or if I think it has been posted, I put that I think I have seen the comp. I have a quick search, which rarely comes up with anything, as the poster has usually tried.

Obviously several of the posters have better methods than I for keeping a check ~ though goodness knows how!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

chocoholic123

Thanks for your advice furndire - will give your method a go.
(I'd never even seen the thread tools before!)

furndire

It took me several months to spot it as well ~ concentrating to much on entering comps, and too addicted to look around :rotfl: :rotfl:

Erinath

I find the firefox add-on Internote really useful for when the thanks button isn't working - it allows you to leave a little post-it type message for yourself on the webpage & is handy for not duplicating entries

lizzielie

Another good thread tool (to avoid to many subscribed threads), is to e-mail the page. Under the subscribe tool, there is an "e-mail this page function". I have a folder in my inbox for MSE comps that might take some time to do, not working or for any other reason.

chocoholic123

Erinath wrote: »

I find the firefox add-on Internote really useful for when the thanks button isn't working - it allows you to leave a little post-it type message for yourself on the webpage & is handy for not duplicating entries

Internote is genius!!!
I have also left a note on the ebay site saying "stop buying rubbish!!!" for when my boyfriend next takes a look!!! :rotfl:

I also downloaded 'autofill forms' which was a bit fiddly to fill out - but is aces for comping!!

Didn't know there were so many good add-ons for Firefox.

conger007

Hi, I signed up to MSE today after watching the comps forum for a couple of weeks. I have entered a few comps but looking for to improve my chances without increasing time spent.
Firstly, all those posting comps should be commended for their input.
Realistically i will only be able to do about 100 comps a week so I need to concentrate on comps with limited entries e.g daily prizes, local papers etc.
I will also be looking for a free auto fill package to cut down on time.
Any other tips would be very usefull

catz747

I normally use roboform - the free version only holds 10 unique passwords & user names though, but I use a standard one for most sites which it saves for me

theresagreen_3

I know I should be looking in the t&c's but I'm just curious off-hand whether if you win something like a holiday, you can transfer it to someone else if you give it as a pressie.

Has anyone done this??