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Professional Comping?

Hi I have read newspaper articles and watched you tube videos about how people are winning thousands of pounds worth of prizes every year. I know it is mostly down to luck of the draw, I do comp and have a few wins, just thinking about putting more time to it. You know the saying in it to win it, what do you think could you make a part time living from comping, any success stories? Interested in your thoughts.:)

Comments

  • mansey
    mansey Posts: 4,585 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    fairyface wrote: »
    Hi I have read newspaper articles and watched you tube videos about how people are winning thousands of pounds worth of prizes every year. I know it is mostly down to luck of the draw, I do comp and have a few wins, just thinking about putting more time to it. You know the saying in it to win it, what do you think could you make a part time living from comping, any success stories? Interested in your thoughts.:)

    The media have to sell their newspapers some way and making things look more glamorous than they really are sells.

    I reckon very few are winning thousands a year.

    It wouldn't be possible to make a living from comping, you mostly win a prize not cash, so you would have to then sell the prizes to make cash to pay your bills.

    Comping is very time consuming for very little gain.
    “I'd rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.” - Billy Joel
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  • Blulu
    Blulu Posts: 7,869 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    Making a living from comping.

    Is it possible? Yes.

    Is it likely, or within your control? No.

    Blu X
    I am brave, I am bruised
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    THIS IS ME!


    When you talk down to others it says more about you than them.
  • mjm3346
    mjm3346 Posts: 47,375 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    do you think could you make a part time living from comping

    From just entering competitions - No

    Very little of what these people have won is cash, the quoted "value" of any actual prizes is often significantly higher than their actual purchase price so the prices would be much lower if you were trying to sell them, a good number of the prizes are holidays which are non-transferable and have no cash value.

    Can you live off what would not be a bad haul for a day - a CD, DVD, bunch of flowers, can of muc-off, some concert tickets and a watch?
  • The_3rd_Zebu
    The_3rd_Zebu Posts: 766 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts Photogenic Combo Breaker
    edited 15 May 2018 at 3:16PM
    I would guess that many of the people who say they make a living by entering competitions are receiving state benefits or pensions of some form or another or are being supported by their partners.

    So their prizes are just really subsidising rather than supporting their lifestyles.
  • Enigmatic_Me
    Enigmatic_Me Posts: 1,619 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts I won, I won, I won!
    Probably like winning the lottery. You will get a select few who are extremely lucky and will win the jackpot, just like you will get a select few who will continuously win competition prizes. Although I do feel you would probably have a higher chance of winning the lottery than making a living from entering competitions!

    These days, to win a competition is harder and harder.
    The best things in life are free.....
  • babs
    babs Posts: 536 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 500 Posts
    Years ago comps were slogan based, low entry and judged. Some people were fab slogan writers and did basically live off what they won. These days 7K people enter a social media comp for prizes less than a tenner. So not a chance.
    £2021 in 2021... £253.86/£2021
  • Marg2k8
    Marg2k8 Posts: 5,841 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I reckon if I worked out the hours I spend comping and the prizes I win in a typical year, it would equate to an hourly rate of around £1 per hour. So no, I'll stick to my day job and comp as a hobby.
  • sammi86
    sammi86 Posts: 533 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    If you believe the media outlets, yes

    If you're realistic, no.

    The question is, if you quit your job tomorrow or significantly reduced your hours could you sustain your current lifestyle and pay your bills when you're in a year-long not winning spell.
  • lemonade11
    lemonade11 Posts: 10 Forumite
    I used to be a very avid comper, and went through a stage where I would win a few things every month, laptops, TVs, a holiday in Devon. However since the rise of social media I have found that I hardly win anything these days - joining MSE in the hope that I will stand a better chance (used to be a loquat - not sure I can say that word in here lol) x
  • comper__9
    comper__9 Posts: 136 Forumite
    100 Posts Second Anniversary Name Dropper
    newspapers are there to sell sell sell
    I wouldn't believe everything you read.
    you just have to look at the varying different papers for political biase
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