Moral Dilemmas

OneYorkshireLass

renegadia wrote: »

I see people on here and I'm not going to mention names but I see them and they appear to be comping as a grind or a chore and the fun seems to have been taken out of it

Like, 'oh no another Times competition at the weekend - I'll have to stay in when I was going to take so-and-so shopping ...'

Glad there's not only me going ---> :eek:

custardcream1000

manicdeb wrote: »

I have a major dislike for the daily mail so no matter how much I may want the prizes I will not enter them

Their 'journalism' leaves a lot to desired, and I would never purchase the paper, but I would enter their competitions if it was for a fantastic prize.

On a side note, if you have never seen 'the daily mail song' look it up on youtube

Purple_Skull

mintymoneysaver wrote: »

I would, however, sell a prize on ebay if no one I knew would want it. To me that's a win win situation. I get some cash, and the person who buys it saves some money too.

This is exactly how I feel about selling wins on eBay. As yet I've only sold wins I've been unable to use for some unforeseen reason (like tickets I couldn't get to etc) not wins entered just to sell. And each time I've felt good that someone is benefiting from my win by getting a bargain day out or trip to a show and I get some cash back to treat my family as a reward for spending time entering competitions. Money is very tight at the moment so any extra really helps. I'd enter to win everything if I had the time so I could sell on things and make some money out of comping but I don't want to spend too much time comping. I think spending time with my kids is more important than anything material I could buy them with extra money made. So I choose not to for that reason and not because of any moral dilemma.

I don't think anyone should be judged for however they choose to comp. We're all different and have our different reasons for choosing this hobby. Good luck to each and every one of us whatever our motives. x

On-A-Rainbow

Hmmm see I never really think about other people entering the comps just hope that I win :rotfl:

If someone comps to sell on then so be it, they have there reasons and there is nothing that can be done to stop it if you're bothered by it.
I don't let it bother me, I'd rather use my time comping than worrying over others comping

Back to the OPs question.

I tend to only enter comps that I or my immediate family would like. I have children but again will only enter comps for suitable prizes for them.
Just wish my partner would get his butt into gear and decide if we're to get married and I would be comping my butt off the wedding ones :rotfl:
So technically I do only enter what 'applies' to me so have yet to face any moral dilemmas as such, but I wouldn't be put off from entering from magazines where I am not in the target audience.

At the moment I struggle to cover all comps that I do want so to enter everything would be impossible for me

LadyMorticia

I'll enter prizes on Wedding magazines if the prize is generic (i.e. jewellery but not a tiara or wedding jewellery) but I won't enter for holidays or anything.

I didn't used to enter competitions for toys and baby things but now I do because I have an 11 week old son.

I don't enter competitions just to sell the prize. I always think that there is someone out there who really wants the prize and I wouldn't want to take it away from them.

StrayCat

I've entered things I've no interest in with the thought to sell if I won. Most things I could find a home for within the family but somethings ie a snowboard or wetsuit I'd simply sell and use the money towards bills or Christmas/Birthday presents. I don't enter for tickets as normally they're sent out just a couple of days before the event and if I couldn't sell in time then it would be a waste (I hate waste), and someone who wanted to go would miss out.

The only thing I dislike moral wise when it comes to comping is people lying (I hate lies in non comping life too, like most people) - I can't stand seeing peoples comments like "Oh my little girl would love that prize" when you know full well they don't have a daughter, or "My little dog would adore this bed" and they don't have a dog. Not saying they shouldn't enter but there is no need to lie? Just say something like "That's a very lovely dog bed I'd love to win it" -just hate seeing people invent pets, family members, hobbies in order to win.

mjm3346

I never enter for something I cannot use* but that is more about how much time I want to spend comping than any moral question.
Providing the T&C's are followed when entering and if they win that any relating to the prize are followed (some do not allow prizes to be sold) I don't see it as an issue.



*use includes giving away to family/friends/charity

serenity2012

Although i'm a new member to MSE I have been a comper for a long time and enter hundreds daily regardless of what the prize is simply to boost my chance of winning something. The only prizes I don't bother entering are for things like books (Only read ebooks now and no profit really in books), holidays that involve flying (terrified of flying), and tickets to gigs and events i know i will not be able to attend or wouldn't want to. Most other things like kids prizes, (my children are all now adults), pushchairs etc I enter. They can all either be sold on (not on ebay cos wouldn't use paypal if my life depended on it) or given to my local hospital to sell or give to the childrens ward if I cannot sell it myself. I have no qualms about any of it. I enter all ITV comps knowing that if one was for cash, a holiday and a car or any variation of that, I would forego the holiday and car part of the prize.

We all enter comps for profit. There isn't a single person on this board or any other board who doesn't. Even if you only enter 1 competition a day to win a gig ticket you really want to go to that would cost £50 to buy, its still a £50 profit you're getting if you win.

This is comping and for a lot of people is serious business. Fun hopefully as it still is for me, but serious business in that we are all after making our family's lives easier in some way.

If i or anyone else wants to enter for every comp posted here then its nobody's business and anyone's opinion to the contrary would have zero impact on me. I'm not asking for anyone's permission or blessing.

That said I wish everyone luck and hope you win all you hope for this year xxx

Blulu

I can't believe how reasonable this debate is going.

Well, my 2p worth is that I agree with what most people here are saying. Each to their own. I have things I won't enter for my own moral reasons. Other things I enter with no pangs of guilt at all, even if I'm not strictly their demographic. What I am strict about is that I won't knowingly go against the T&C, and I won't tell a lie in order to 'qualify' me to enter.

I don't tend to enter for kids comps, even if it's a prize I want - though don't shoot me if that might happen occasionally. Similar with wedding ones. I wouldn't have a problem at all entering for a gay related comp or religious.

I certainly don't have a problem with anyone selling on their wins. After all, it still goes to someone who wants it. Perhaps if it is something signed, or something special geared towards a fan, I am more likely to leave that alone.

Personally, if someone wins a prize they want, that's great. I love to see when that happens. But I like it even more when I read about someone broke winning something they can sell. I remember someone saying how they funded IVF treatment by comping. That's the most uplifting thing I've read anywhere on this site. To think that someone somewhere has a living breathing child because of selling what they won on this forum! Meeting our wants is a very valid reason to comp. But meeting our needs, even more so.

The best comment here is about being British. It's sooooo true :rotfl:I don't think there is anyone here who comps without morals, but who else but we Brits would moralise so much about those morals? I mean we go through the agony of deciding on the rights and wrongs, then seem to need to get continual validation for those choices :rotfl:

Fab thread. Nice to see it being debated without (hopefully) seeing 'closed thread' at the end

BlueBella

Thanks Blulu - everyone to their own! - and if you don't like it - simply zip it!