Does anyone else feel they miss out on competitions because they are out at work?

strawberri_shortcake

I work really hard and I try so much to keep up with competitions. I'm on a low wage so wins really mean something to me - especially when they are for prizes I can pass on to people I love.

However, Advents and "first come first served" competitions really upset me because I often have to do overtime and obviously want to spend quality time with my daughter as well. It's impossible to keep up!

Does anyone else feel this way?

Ms_Dee

I am grateful of anything I win, they mean a lot to me to.
But I try and enter as many as I can, when I can.

Loosing out to first come first serve, I just hope that the others appreciate it as I would, those entering may also have such different lifestyles from us, some even bed bound, so I hope that they get the chance to win and enter.

Family life is important and you should be proud for providing for your family. After all competitions aren't a guaranteed win, why waste what 'might' or is unlucky to happen for the quality time with your family.

I understand what you are saying, but maybe try and allocate a certain amount of time aside when your little ones are sleeping or when you are sitting watching TV to multi task, as they aren't guaranteed, you could enter 1000 competitions and win nothing, yet someone could enter the same amount and win 200 of them. Please don't waste the time that you could be making memories for those that aren't guaranteed.

Comping should be a hobby, not a chore, when it becomes a chore, then a break is often in order.

Good Luck for future wins.

LeeRits

Yep completely agree. Obviously the companies don't have to give anything away so we can't moan too much, it is a shame when there are small time limits or instant-win prizes and a lot of them go during the day when we are at work. Not much we can do about it unfortunately!

strawberri_shortcake

Ms_Dee wrote: »

I am grateful of anything I win, they mean a lot to me to.
But I try and enter as many as I can, when I can.

Loosing out to first come first serve, I just hope that the others appreciate it as I would, those entering may also have such different lifestyles from us, some even bed bound, so I hope that they get the chance to win and enter.

Family life is important and you should be proud for providing for your family. After all competitions aren't a guaranteed win, why waste what 'might' or is unlucky to happen for the quality time with your family.

I understand what you are saying, but maybe try and allocate a certain amount of time aside when your little ones are sleeping or when you are sitting watching TV to multi task, as they aren't guaranteed, you could enter 1000 competitions and win nothing, yet someone could enter the same amount and win 200 of them. Please don't waste the time that you could be making memories for those that aren't guaranteed.

Comping should be a hobby, not a chore, when it becomes a chore, then a break is often in order.

Good Luck for future wins.

Thank you so much for your post! Can I please just make it clear though. I wasn't criticizing people who are home in the day for their own reasons!

My daughter is in bed by 8.30 and that's when I enter competitions while watching TV. And you're right - sometimes it has felt more of a chore than a hobby and that's when I step away for a while!

jayII

Yes and no. I'd love to be at home more, have a less stressful job and so on, but I earn far more in my job than I'd ever be likely to win in competitions. The end result is that I have a lovely house, car and can afford to treat my loved ones and myself from my earnings.

So whenever I ponder on what I 'can't do', I remind myself of all the people who would love to be in my position with a decent job or who would love to be able to work at all.

sleepyjones

This is the reason why we setup the Advents Over £100 thread, you can find it here : https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5567411

Basically if people are out at work, or just busy and don't have time to go through every advent thread, we aim to list all the good prizes daily so that those busy people can, at least, enter the good ones without spending all day going through all the dross

Marg2k8

I work full time and cannot enter as many comps as a lot of people, but I know that from the amount of hours I do spend and the prizes that I win, I only 'earn' about a pound an hour from comping, so no, I don't feel I am missing out. Full time work keeps a roof over my head and food on the table. Comping is a hobby that has occasional bonuses.

sammi86

I feel i miss out on the "one day only" comps as i work odd hours, 9am-7pm generally and i dont get in until 8pm so by that time the day long comps are almost over (defo missed the ones that finish on or before 5pm) all the others i just generally catch up on the weekend and enter them just before they finish and work away the ones finishing over the next week. Saying that though, i've got a bit bored of comping over the past year so i just do comps as and when i feel like it, that ways theres no pressure to enter comps and i'm a picky comper anyway so ive never felt the need to enter anything and everything going so i generally dont feel like im missing out as i probably wouldnt enter the majority of comps anyway

hamsterfan1

I'm one of the "lucky" one who don't work, believe me I would rather be able to work than comp. Even though I'm home I can't do more than a few hours a day due the pain I'm in so I miss out too

Blueyez

hamsterfan1 wrote: »

I'm one of the "lucky" one who don't work, believe me I would rather be able to work than comp. Even though I'm home I can't do more than a few hours a day due the pain I'm in so I miss out too

Same here:( I'm in too much pain most day's, too tired or in hospital on the rest.

I-Owe-You

sleepyjones wrote: »

This is the reason why we setup the Advents Over £100 thread, you can find it here : https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5567411

Basically if people are out at work, or just busy and don't have time to go through every advent thread, we aim to list all the good prizes daily so that those busy people can, at least, enter the good ones without spending all day going through all the dross

This has been such a brilliant idea, I'm so grateful for those kindly updating it. Thank you!!