Making money from competitions: how to get started

There is an endless number of competitions you could enter and the prizes are just as varied. Here are some helpful tips to get you started:

Think big
Do you know that you are more likely to win the large prizes like a car than you are a free box of chocolates? Fewer people enter competitions with big prizes thinking the odds are stacked against them, which means actually your odds of winning are higher. You’re also more likely to win competitions that require greater effort like the ones where you need to send in postcards or fill out surveys.

Sales scams
Beware of competitions that offer free holidays. Some of these are companies that use the prize of a free trip away to lure people to recruitment meetings. They are trying to sell their holiday accommodation and they really know how to put the pressure on to persuade you into buying.

Learn from the experts
For more comping tips read From Beginner to Winner - The Comping Essentials. The book is considered an essential introduction to entering competitions and was written by Kathy & Steve Walker, who have won over £40,000 worth of prizes to date.

It offers tips on different types of competitions: how to enter, where to find competitions, how to organise your entries, competitions to avoid and other pearls of wisdom. It really is a great resource to start you off.

For more regular tips, subscribe to one of the monthly ‘comping’ magazines. Comping is so popular that there are loads of magazines dedicated to its coverage. Search for titles such as BIG, Colossus, Puzzle Collection and Prizes & Puzzles Special Magazine at magazinestand.co.uk. These mags are packed full of competitions to enter.

Remember to always set up a separate email account for entering competitions, you’ll be drowning in spam if you don’t. Also, take the time to read the small print before you tick those little boxes at the bottom of the page - companies change whether you need to untick or tick them to avoid receiving newsletters and offers so make sure you know which one it is.