Entering Online Competitions as a Side Hussle/Hobby

[Kiwi Mustache]

Hi,

My housemate routinely enters online competitions and wins something every couple of months. I've begun over the last week to enter 20-30 online and offline competitions that I come across as a little bit of a hobby. I've set up a separate email address and signed up for several websites that offer daily deals and surveys.

Anyone else do it?

Is it a worthwhile pursuit?

[Choices]

The only harm is likely that it'll get you a ton of spam email, phone calls, and junk mail and waste your time, but if you enjoy it as a hobby it's okay. Be careful what information you provide to avoid identity theft.

If you put that time toward a more formal job, though, even babysitting, then your returns are guaranteed.

[Mattzlaff]

Online competitions competing in what?

[syednaeemul]

I do this here in Australia, there's a good website forum which collates a lot of them. Roughly win 1 set of movie tickets per month, so that's that expense covered.

Doing it as a time-spender (e.g. waiting in line at the bank) is great, but do protect your identity.

[PDM]

I do this here in Australia, there's a good website forum which collates a lot of them. Roughly win 1 set of movie tickets per month, so that's that expense covered.

Doing it as a time-spender (e.g. waiting in line at the bank) is great, but do protect your identity.

Can I get the name of that site? I keep an eye on https://www.ozbargain.com.au/deals but most of the deals are for things I shouldn't buy. Occasionally some decent savings though.

[M2 pilot]

I think there may be a semantics issue going on in this thread.  Correct me is I'm wrong but I believe that in OZ & NF, what we in America call sweepstakes are called competitions.

Having said that,  I enter online sweepstakes.  I spend 15-20 minutes a day doing a performing a no-stress, nearly mindless activity.   I rarely win anything but I've won some really significant prizes over the years.  Best win was a Land Rover Range Rover HSE in 2011.  MSRP on that was $87K.

[Kaikou]

I made a thread about this awhile back if you want to search for it. I'm  not in australia though .

[kpd905]

Can you ask him how much time he puts into this, and the estimated value of his winnings?

[limeandpepper]

I think there may be a semantics issue going on in this thread.  Correct me is I'm wrong but I believe that in OZ & NF, what we in America call sweepstakes are called competitions.

I would say that all sweepstakes are competitions, but not all competitions are sweepstakes. My understanding is that sweepstakes are lucky draws, i.e. games of chance. But competitions can be either games of chance or games of skill.

I made a thread about this awhile back

I found it! Fun thread to read. :) http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/ask-a-mustachian/mustachian-lottery-winners-and-giveaways/

[RonMcCord]

There was some video on YouTube where someone in the UK put in for like 1000 sweepstakes in a month just to see if he'd actually win something. He got some organic snack food and a couple of soccer tickets.  Not a great ROI if you ask me.

[limeandpepper]

Anyone else do it?

Is it a worthwhile pursuit?

I do it. :)  And I see it as a hobby, not a side hustle. If you enjoy the process and you get something out of it, then at least it's not a complete waste of time if you don't win anything - and often, you won't win anything, and you're going to have to be okay with that - though if you enter lots, you'll probably win something eventually. But I tend to be more discerning about what I enter - the prize should be either something I want, or something that would make a nice gift for someone, or something that is worth the hassle of trying to sell it. I quite like entering creative comps, but they take more time and effort, the competition can be fierce, and it is difficult to predict what the judges will like. Mostly you just have to have fun doing it, and take the outcomes in stride!

[Erma]

I do that sometimes. It was worth it, in the last half year I won a towel, a gift card for a grocery store (100 CHF) and some cat food. I only enter competitions when I'm interested in what you can win or if it would possible to sell it. I have a seperate mail account for it to keep spam out of my daily life.

[syednaeemul]

Can I get the name of that site? I keep an eye on https://www.ozbargain.com.au/deals but most of the deals are for things I shouldn't buy. Occasionally some decent savings though.

The one I use is https://www.compingclub.com , you need a ..au email address to sign up. Ozbargain also has a competitions section: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/competition but I've never won there.