PLEASE READ - posts by the MSE Team

MSE_Martin

Welcome to the new forum. The aim is to list all the free competitions that are around, after all if it's free and you win it - then it's good MoneySaving.

Competitions can be found anywhere and everywhere. Online, in shops, magazines on the TV. Providing they're open to everyone (ie not invite only) then do post them here.

So do scan the web and report a contest. Hopefully a MoneySaver will win. If you're entering online contests, then its worth using a separate e-mail address, it'll stop the risk of spam emails. Just set up a Hotmail, Yahoo or MSN address.

1. Competitions must be open to all If you are invited specially to do a competition with a code, and the competition isn't open to all. Please do not post the codes here, that is breaking terms and conditions of a competition runner and could be seen as incitement to breach contract. (something neither I nor the poster want).

2. Free Competitions Only. This is a not a place to advertise competitions you have to pay to enter. I will accept limited cost text message type competitons (though frankly they're usually naff apart from in special circumstances) where they cost up to £1.50 to text to enter, but generally I would say make sure they are free.

MSE UPDATE OCT 2013: Many paid-to-enter competitions now cost more to enter. We've asked Competitions Board users the limit they feel is appropriate in this poll and have increased the maximum cost to £2.10. Please remember we don't encourage forum users to spend money on competitions but if you still feel you absolutely must enter these competitions then that's fine.

3. No Pyramid Selling. Pyramids where - if you join a list - you may get a X, Y, Z are absolutely no part of this board, or any board on the site. I don't want them here please report them if you spot them.


4. Where did you spot the competition? If you spot a competition it'd be helpful for everyone to know where you got it from. It helps them know how legitimate it is for them to enter.

5. Report your winnings. If you win, we want to know. It's fun - so please use the I WON I WON board to report your winnings.

6. Include the closing date in the title. Please include the closing date of the competition in the title of the thread you are starting. This way once it is closed it can be moved to the 'Game over' board

7. No Vote For Me Competitions. Please do not post vote for me competitions, they are not allowed on this forum.

8. No Bumping Of Posts. Please do not just bump posts for the sake of it. This disrupts the boards.

9. No Advertising Of Own Websites. This site is free from advertising. Posts on any board considered to be advertising goods, services and/or companies will be removed. This includes the posting of a competition from your own site or from a site that you are employed by. We also do not allow advertising via PM. Examples of this can include anything from a specific sales post or a link to your own website in which you attempt to sell something to someone offering their holiday home to forum members. Unfortunately we cannot allow any advertising of any description no matter how honourable the intention.


And as always please be nice to other MoneySavers.....

Martin

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi everyone

We've had some problems with companies complaining about people copying and pasting text including email addresses and answers wholesale into threads on this board.

As well as potentially breaching copyright, if you do it too often companies may be put off doing comps in the first place.

So we just wanted to remind you, if you're posting a competition, please just post the link to the competition, explaining in your own words what the prize is and let the website you've linked to do the talking.

By doing this you'll help us keep the comps board open and the poor forum team saved from potential company wrath

Thanks everyone

Andrea

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi everyone

Just a reminder that this board's for comps that don't cost anything to enter. If there's a no purchase necessary route that's fine but other than that we don't want to encourage people to spend money entering something they aren't guaranteed to win.

Thanks!

Andrea

Update:

To clarify, I'm re-iterating what Martin's said when he first set the board up, that where possible competitions should be entirely free to enter, but that some cost, such as a stamp, a postcard or a text are fine as obviously these can be done free eg if you have inclusive texts on your phone.

Former_MSE_Guy

This thread is to discuss the following:

Kitemark protection for compers

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi guys

Just a reminder that no-one has "ownership" over particular competitions or websites and that anyone can post them.

By all means, if it's easier for everyone to leave it to one person to do them to avoid confusion, that's not a problem but please never be rude to another forum user if they post them as well.

If you see anyone doing that then please report them to [Removed by Forum Team]

Let's keep this the friendly board it is.

Thanks!

Andrea

Former_MSE_Forum_Manager

Hi Folks

Due to some complaints we have received, we'd like to remind all users that hotlinking to images on other websites may cause that site huge bandwidth problems. In the interest of maintaining good relations with competition providers, please try not to link in this way

Thanks

Former_MSE_Guy

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"The OFT has issued High Court proceedings against five UK prize draw firms to prevent the distribution of "misleading" scratch-cards ..."

Read the full story:
Injunctions sought against scratch-card firms

Former_MSE_Archna

HI all,

We’ve had a few reports about the Competitions Board so just wanted to set out a few reminders:

Please be nice to all MoneySavers. The Competitions Board is an amazing example of MoneySavers working collectively to help each other and we want it to remain a nice place to be. Even if you disagree with users please communicate it in a polite, courteous manner! We won’t tolerate rudeness and please don’t scare away newbies!

Board Guides are volunteers. I also just wanted to remind you that our Board Guides are volunteers, they don’t get paid to put in the hours, it’s not a ‘job’ and we don’t make demands of them. If we didn’t have them the boards wouldn’t run half as smoothly as they do.



Another board guide has kindly volunteered to give some extra help on the board, so hopefully things will run even smoother now.



Thanks

Former_MSE_Forum_Manager

Hi Folks

It has come to our attention that some companies are attempting to sidestep our Forum Rules on vested interest posting by agreeing certain members post competitions on their behalf. Let's be clear, we absolutely will not tolerate this, and if we find out this is still happening we have the option of banning not only the company from our forum, but also the user account in question.

Please don't do it.

Former_MSE_Andrea

Hi everyone

Just a reminder, please, not to try posting links that are in our filter (and show as exclamation marks when posted).

More often than not the reason they're in there is because they've been spammed on the forum and you yourselves have reported them to us in the first place.

They may also be in there because the company in question is a legitimate one that hasn't spammed but has asked that we stop people posting their competitions on here but, whatever the reason, it's because the links shouldn't be posted.

Thank you!

Former_MSE_Andrea

Afternoon everyone

Thanks to all the people who've been pointing other forumites in the right direction for this.

Just a reminder and for anyone who doesn't know, if you really have to post a Vote for Me competition it shouldn't be anywhere except the specific thread on the Referrers Board here.

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/635355

Thanks again to the regulars for showing them the way and to Glad for moving them over.