How to earn money by entering competitions

Entering competitions is fun. Especially when you win. It’s even more fun when you actually make money out of it. Ka-ching.duckscroogeNope, we’re not pulling your leg, it is entirely possible to make money out of entering competitions and people even do it professionally. They’ve even got a name for it too. It’s called ‘comping’. Weird, huh?

Marketing bigwigs reckon that there are about 30,000 competitions running at any one time in the UK, featuring prizes of anything from cars to toilet roll. Either way, that’s a hell of a lot of freebies.

So, next you’ll be wanting us to let you in on all the tricks of the trade we expect. Oh, you actually do? Good job you found this guide then.

What’s on this page?

Which competitions to enter

Free competitions or paid?

Top tips to maximise winnings

Which competitions to enter

candyWith so many competitions out there, it’s easy to feel like a kid in a candy shop. But it’d be a full-time job trying to enter them all, so how do you know which ones you should try?

As we mentioned already there are hundreds of competitions out there so try and focus on ones with prizes you really want.

Don’t forget, however, you can always sell your winnings on for a profit, but if you neither want the prize yourself or think it’s worth flogging, don’t waste your time with it.

Look for competitions:

On our Facebook page

In our competitions section

On Facebook & Twitter

On TV & Radio

In magazines

And all over the web

If you’re worried about being scammed then stick to big brand name competitions first, till you’re confident you know what’s legit and what’s not.

It is a very well regulated industry these days though, so you shouldn’t run into mega-problems if you use your noggin wisely.

Free or paid competitions?

freewillyThe keen beans amongst you will have noticed already that while many draws are free to enter, some do have a small charge. When you’re first getting started, stick to the free ones wherever possible.

Once you start winning some prizes, you might decide that you can justify investing a little bit in your new hobby. Do remember though that a lot of the paid ones can be entered for free by entering online instead of texting.

It’s also a good idea to remember that a free competition may have an ulterior motive (such as collecting your data).

Top tips for winning competitions

adelegrammywinningIf you’re looking to win all of the things (and who wouldn’t) then there are a few tips and tricks of the trade that will help maximise your chances. Cue the bullet pointed list.

Put aside time to enter: Goes without saying really, but if you don’t enter you won’t win! The more comps you enter, the better your chances. Try and put aside at least an hour each week if you’re serious about this comping lark.

Keep track of entries: Keeping track of your entries helps you see where you’ve had successes and also stops you from wasting time entering twice. Come on, it’s not hard!

Stock up on essentials: Make sure you’ve always got a steady supply of postcards and stamps, just in case that dream comp comes up with a super quick deadline.

Get a competition email address: Not comfortable with giving your own email out for fear of junk bombardment? Just set up another free email address and let all the rubbish pile up there. Just remember to check it though in case you win!

Get a competition SIM card: Similarly, if you don’t feel like giving out your phone number grab a free SIM from O2, Vodafone or Giff Gaff.

Check the rules: It’s amazing just how easy it is to get yourself disqualified, just because you haven’t read the rules properly. Read the small print, look out for trick questions and pay particular attention to the closing date.

Compers have quite a close-knit little community, so watch out for forums where you can pick up hints and tips. Big name compers such as Martin Dove have also written loads on the subject well worth checking out. He won an ACTUAL YACHT guys.

Make sure to let us know your top tips and if you do win it big, we’d love to know.

For lots more money making ideas you should also checkout this big list of ideas.