40+ Comping Tips Find & win competitions with insider tips

the art of comping

It’s possible, though not easy, to walk away with swanky gadgets, lavish holidays and pocket thousands of pounds – without spending a penny.

The reason’s simple. It's a cheap chance for companies to promote their wares. Giving away a £3,000 Maldives getaway is cheaper than buying a big national newspaper ad. Add to that the chance to collect valuable info on potential customers, and it’s easy to see why these contests abound.

What's comping?

It’s about putting in the hours, systematically entering hundreds of competitions, rather than doing the odd contest. This way, you’re statistically more likely to win big. Depending on your work ethic and luck, you could furnish your house, travel the world and boost your bank balance.

Often all entering involves is filling in an online form or sending a postcard, sometimes answering a question or tie-breaker.

Collectively, MoneySavers have scooped hundreds of thousands worth of prizes, from laptops to luxury breaks, iPods to film premiere tickets. Plus your gains are tax-free, so unlike other ways to boost your income, the taxman won’t get any.

success isn't guaranteed

It’s crucial to realise that you won’t immediately be frolicking in a bed of £50 notes. Unlike other money-makers, such as Survey Sites, eBay Selling and other ways to Boost Your Income, rewards aren’t guaranteed.

Think of comping as a potentially rewarding hobby, rather than a potentially underpaid job.

The spirit of comping is that it’s a bit of fun, rather than a dead cert money-spinner. Hours can be long, payouts poor and your bum won’t thank you for sitting at the PC all day.

That said, for those who catch the bug, these become minor details as they enjoy the spirit of community on the board and hopefully prizes flooding in, in return for their hard graft. It’s also fun to drool over all those prizes.

some inspiration...

While we don’t want to give anyone the impression this is a sure-fire way to make cash, a little bit of inspiration may just help.

Lady Luck has gazed down benevolently on some MoneySavers from the Competitions Time board. Also read the forum's What's your biggest win? thread.

And the biggest reported cash win on the forum … £20,000! Read MoneySaver ToeJumpers’ tale .

Join the MSE comping team

The site's Competitions Time forum board is full of the latest contests. It's a reciprocal community of devoted compers. The idea is you post contests and cheer others when they win.

Most days at any minute, there are hundreds of dedicated compers who love to share the competitions they find. They know it diminishes their chances of winning that contest, but the shared research increases the opportunities.

Gotta have a system

Don’t just pick at random, systematically work through the competitions on the board, so you don’t miss any beauts.

On the Competitions Time forum board, scroll down to the bottom of the forum board to the ‘display options’ box. Now select from it sort threads in order of ’thread start time' from the beginning, and select 'descending'. This will sort the competitions into chronological order.



Use the page numbers to go back to the page showing the oldest (still open) competitions. This is usually page 200-ish. Work through the posts – to complete them all would take several days, as there are so many comps posted.

At the end of a session, write down the last competition you entered. This way you have a record of where you got up to for next time.

Keep track of what you’ve entered

Some promoters exclude people who enter multiple times. To keep track of completed contests, press the 'enter' button on the forum. Next time, you visit the Competitions Time board, it will show 'entered' next to that comp. You must register and log onto the MSE forum to do this.

Always read terms and conditions to check if it’s one per household – rules vary for every competition. Don't forget to ‘thank’ the MoneySaver who posted the comp, by clicking the button below their post.

Set up a dedicated email address

Never use your normal email address. It'll be immediately flooded with spam. Instead, set up a dedicated email account. As a powerful free option, Gmail is among the best. There's more stopping spam tips below.

get picky

It may sound obvious, but focus your time on entering contests with goodies you actually want to win.

Many prizes are non-transferable, so if the prize is an Old Trafford tour with Sir Alex Ferguson, but you can’t stand footie, give it a miss. As well as freeing up your time, it could make another MoneySaver’s dream come true.

Of course, with some contests there is the option to try to sell the prize on eBay. But you’re entering the contest based on someone else’s efforts to find it, and by doing so you'll be diminishing their chances. So consider the ethics before entering just to flog.

Also check for exclusions and travel requirements in the small print. If a comp requires hauling your butt halfway up the country to take a midweek mini-break when you’ve no holiday allowance left, move on.

Extra effort comps are good

Lots of people are lazy, so anything involving a smidgen of extra effort attracts fewer contestants. Need to pen a poem, complete a tie-breaker or snap a photo? Try your luck – you might be the only entrant.

You’ll also stand a better chance with highly localised competitions such as tickets to a nearby theatre in a local paper.

pen witty tie-breakers

A host of competitions require tie-breaker slogans. If you’re a wordsmith, this can be an easy way to boost your chances.

Keep 'em short and punchy. Always read through the company's own marketing literature. They’ve often spent time developing the brand, and will want something that fits it, so that’s your clue.

To help spark ideas, Winspiration lists past winning slogans. Also use Rhymezone to generate rhymes at the click of a button.

hunt for answers

If you’re looking to answer a question, some useful websites can help. Of course, there’s also good old Google and Wikipedia for quiz questions. Other compers post answers on the forum, so do help them out if they’re stuck too.

The OneAcross site lets you search for answers to crosswords. It also has an anagram solver – plug in a word and instantly generates hundreds of possibilities. For example, did you know that Martin Lewis is Mini Wastrel?

Enter answers at speed

A free add-on for web browser Firefox, Split Panel lets you split existing browser windows in half, so you can see two web pages at once. This way you can copy and paste answers at speed.

Installing is simple. If you don't already have Firefox, head to mozilla.org and follow the prompts to install. Then go Split Panel and hit the ‘add to Firefox' button on the left. Follow the prompts and restart Firefox.

clever tools for speedy entries

Next take a technological grip so you can enter more contests, but spend far less time doing it. Many top compers enter 100 contests a day by exploiting tools and tricks to turbo-charge their competition entering.

The easiest way is to set up a Word document with your particulars on - your name, phone number and address. Then when you want to fill in a form, just highlight the info and copy and paste it into the boxes.

To take it up a notch, web browsers, such as Internet Explorer or Firefox, are what we all use to access the internet. Most feature an option to remember your details and fill them in automatically. So next time you start to enter the same thing, just type the first letter and a suggestion list should appear.

This can be a security risk, so avoid on shared computers.

Internet Explorer. Go to Tools, then Internet Options and click the Content tab and press AutoComplete. Put a tick in the box to select AutoComplete for forms. If you have any problems, Microsoft has a guide to its Autocomplete function.

Firefox. Firefox comes with a basic form filling function. Go to Tools>Options> Privacy and make sure 'Remember history' is checked. This doesn’t always fill out forms correctly first time, so try downloading the Autofill Forms add-on, which is more sophisticated.

turbo-charge your form filling

While you can set browsers to remember basic information such as names and addresses, they aren’t that intelligent and often put the wrong info in fields.

Free web program Roboform (an alternative for Mac users only is 1Password) is a form-filling weapon that easily outguns just typing. It stores info such as addresses, phone numbers and postcodes and uses them to automatically fill in online forms.

The details are stored in one vault on your computer. All you need to remember is the crucial master-password to access them.

One consideration is that Roboform blindly fills out form details in the same way as spambots, which spammers use to send scores of entries. So some companies may mistake you for a spambot and block your entry. We've no stats on how many comps will block you this way, but if you're worried, try Autohotkey instead.

Read a full guide to setting up Roboform.

customise your keyboard

To get things done at top speed, there’s a way to customise your keyboard shortcuts.

Let's imagine you've got certain words that you use over and over again – '29 Acacia Road'. You can automate that phrase using a bit of free software called AutoHotKey. Then all you have to do every time you want to enter, say, the first line of your address is press alt and 4, and like magic the words '29 Acacia Road' appear in the form.

To do this, you need to write a ‘script’, a plain text file with personalised instructions for the program. This sounds uber-nerdy, but is actually pretty simple. Find out how to write an AutoHotKey script.

Speedily open multiple links

Often competition board threads involve lots of links to different contests. Firefox users can open several threads at once with the free Snap Links Plus add-on. It lets you draw a box around a group of threads and open them all – just right-click and drag.

Quick Email contest entry

Draft a template email with your name, email, address and telephone number, so you can fire it off quickly. Remember to leave a space for the answer.

enter Tv premium rate comps for free

Never enter telly contests by calling a premium rate number. Companies must offer a free alternative, so many are available online free. Try Daybreak and Dickinson's Real Deals, plus check the Competition Time forum board for daily updates.

You've as a good a chance as those who pay to play – several MoneySavers have won big cash prizes this way. One forumite won a £17,000 Dodge car, £10,000 of Tesco vouchers and a Mediterranean cruise – all in one go. Read forumite crackout's story.

boost postcard entries

Never pay for postcards. Cinemas and library tills always have plenty of freebies. Buy sticky labels and print them out with your details.

With stamps, the only difference between first-class and second-class is that with first Royal Mail aims to deliver your letter or packet the next working day. It aims to deliver second-class on by the third working day. So unless the closing date’s near, don’t buy first.

Superdrug regularly runs 5% off stamps sales. Use them to stock up. These are always included in the free weekly MoneySaving e-mail.

Count your winnings

Depending on end dates, you could be notified the next day or next year. The small print usually explains whether you will be contacted by email, phone or post. Often the postie will just turn up with a parcel (every door knock is exciting).

For a tiny minority of competitions, promoters ask people return to the site to see if they’ve won. This will be in the terms and conditions. You could try Googling your name to see if wins appear.

Always read all e-mails carefully, as winning notifications often don’t have obvious subject lines. And don’t forget to post on the ‘I won I won’ board to share the good news!

don't forget to reply

Some promoters specify that you must reply within a certain amount of time or they'll withdraw the prize. Reply on time to avoid the heartbreaking scenario of missing out on a holiday.

filter winning emails

To help sort 'you're a winner' messages from spam, set up rules to automatically filter winning emails into a special folder.

These emails often feature the words 'congratulations', 'won' or 'winner', so automatically move messages with these words in the body or subject line into a competition wins folder. This option's usually found under Edit, Options or Tools on your email account's menu bar.

Also, check spam folders in case a vital communication’s slipped through.

Keep tabs on prizes

It’s worth keeping a list of prizes you’ve won, in case they don’t materialise. Usually promoters are not purposely withholding the goodies - they just need a little nudge now and again.

how to complain

If a prize doesn’t arrive or does but is faulty, first politely prompt the company. If you get an unsatisfactory reply or hear nothing, get in touch with the Institute of Promotional Marketing. This is the promotions industry’s trade association, which lays down the guidelines promoters must follow.

Compers say it’s fab at investigating missing prizes. The best way's to email complaints@theipm.org.uk.

post your own finds

The competitions board is a community, and etiquette dictates you post your own finds, as well as looking at the ones already posted. It’s unscientifically believed that posting your own comps increases your chances of winning.

Don’t worry too much to begin with. The board is a friendly place, and you’re allowed to walk before you can run. If you don't find any comps, you can still help by researching answers.

How to post in the competitions forum

Do first use the search function to check it’s not duplicated, otherwise some people may accidentally enter twice. At the top left of the forum, there’s a search box. Use a few different terms to be doubly sure.

There’s a specific format to post comps in, so people can search and track competitions. When writing the title, first put the end date, then a description of prize, eg:

E: 05/08 Win £100 Nandos gift voucher

If there’s an age restriction, add this to the end of the title, eg (U16). If a comp has an end time, as well as date, post this in the title too, eg, 5pm.

Then just post a link to the competition, explaining in your own words what the prize is. Some companies complain about copyright when details are copied and pasted wholesale.

Where to hunt out comps

Comps are everywhere: magazines, newspapers, websites, shops, the telly. Scrutinise flyers in shops, supermarket shelves and websites. The more obscure the publication or product, the better chance of you being the first to post it on the forum.

It’s worth browsing WH Smith’s magazine shelf for publications with comps. If you’re feeling brave, you could note down the details. Your local library’s another good bet; they are stocked full of magazines and papers.

The competitions board’s only for comps that are free to enter, though those requiring a stamp, a postcard or a text are fine.

Work out your potential return

While blind luck is out of your control, you do have control over the number of comps you enter. After some highly sophisticated number crunching, we came up the following surprising statistic: the more you enter, the bigger the chance of winning. So get that mouse clicking.

The trick’s setting a weekly target – auto form fillers can help. To give you an example of an average return, MoneySaver JadeCripps says: “In one year I won £1713 worth of prizes. For that I put in approximately 1500 hours or four hours per day.

"I enter on average 50 to 500 comps per day and have calculated my win rate at being 1/1000 comps entered. Seeing as this worked out at £1.14 per hour, it’s only worth doing if you enjoy entering comps.”

You don't have to pay tax

Just like betting in sport, your winnings in the UK are tax-free. The exception’s if your employer runs an incentive competition for staff, eg, the salesperson who sells the most cars wins a trip to Ibiza.

Don't pay for comps listings

When looking for comps, you may come across websites and magazines charging to view lists of contests. Never pay to register with a competitions site. Often they’re just the obvious contests, and can’t compete with the army of kindred spirit compers using this site's forum.

Opt out of further contact

There’s usually a way to choose not to get ‘further communications’ that should stop any bumf.

Though be careful with the wording. Sometimes alternate ‘check boxes’ mean different things – the first an ‘opt in’, the second an ‘opt out’. Careful reading beats this. If there’s no way to opt out, think carefully about whether you really want to enter.

junk the junk

All members of the Direct Marketing Association agree to a code of practice not to send junk mail to any individual who has indicated they don't want it.

To stop the junk, simply join the Mail Preference Service register. It takes up to four months for the service to take full effect, although you should notice a reduction in mail before then. The easiest (and cheapest way) is MPS Online.

The Telephone Preference Service is a similar service for phone calls. There's more on how to stop unwanted mail, texts and calls in the Junk the Junk guide.

Get a comping batphone

If you don’t want to give out your mobile number, consider getting a cheap pay-as-you-go Sim just for comping communications.

A Sim is the small (roughly 2cm by 1cm) microchip card that you insert into a phone when it's first set up. It provides the identity of a phone for the mobile network, so it can recognise, bill and send calls to individual customers.

When you temporarily change the Sim card in your phone, you’ll have a different number. The Sim card is usually located behind the battery on the back of the phone. See the Free Sims guide for a full how-to.

check it's legit

If you have any suspicions about a competition, flag up your worries with seasoned compers on the Competitions forum board.

All companies are listed on the official Companies House site, the government register of UK firms. Be wary if its records show a PO Box address or just an email.

You can also find out who registered the site, and when, on the Whois database, or study the site's worldwide web ranking on Alexa. Anything in the top 100,000 means it's reasonably big — a good, though not foolproof, indication of legitimacy.

Be wary of 'free' holidays

A common timeshare company rouse is to say you've won a totally free, no-strings-attached holiday — but first you need to listen to a presentation.

These are best avoided. You could be subjected to a sales pitch that lasts for several hours – and even then the holiday usually turns out to be a swizz. For more on this read MSE Rose's Don't try to sell a timeshare to a MoneySaver blog.

Look for the competitions kitemark

There’s a voluntary stamp of approval for competitions provided by the Institute of Sales Promotion. To include the stamp logo on a competition’s advertising, promoters must get it approved by the ISP’s legal experts, who will check it conforms to Advertising Standards Authority codes.

The stamp is not featured on every legit competition, but if you do see it, it's an indication - though not a guarantee - of legitimacy.

Free anti-virus software

Everyone needs protection software, especially compers, who may click on hundreds of new sites each day. If you’re not protected and crooks break into your computer to pinch passwords or access your account, there’s a chance you could be liable for the loss, hence why some online banks even dole out free anti-virus software.

Rather than £50-a-year shop-sold software, several big anti-virus firms offer free home user versions. For a full list of free protection options, read the Free Anti-Virus guide.

Avoid pay-to-enter contests

Most contests are for promotional purposes. Those that require fees are essentially lotteries and gambling. While the cost of a stamp or cheap phone call is usually fine, beware this takes away from any winnings.

Be extremely wary of premium rate phone contests too. You could be listening at £1 a minute for five or ten minutes before you hear any details. Read how to enter TV premium phone line comps free via hidden web links.

If you've 'won' but the company demands a fee or deposit, walk away.

guaranteed ways to boost your income

There are a host of new ways for canny MoneySavers to boost their income - without banking on Lady Luck. Small amounts quickly add up.

Try fishing for old mobiles, then finding the best price to flog 'em via the MobileValuer (it also works for iPods, cameras, games consoles and more). Alternatively, earn from online surveys, selling old junk for cash on or speedily hawking old CDs and DVDs. See the Boost Your Income guide for over 60 money-makers.

Freebies, Freebies, Freebies!

Comping isn't the only way to grab quality stuff for nothing. Whether it's song downloads, free tea, Harry Potter bookmarks, or gym passes, if you know where to look, it's all available on the web. We've catalogued 100s in our Freebies, Freebies, Freebies guide. If you don't want to scroll through hundreds, you can spin the Freebie Roulette machine to see what it stops on.

Plus hundreds of top-quality used goodies are available every day across the country for free via giveaway sites. Read the Freecycle & Freegle guide for a full how-to.

Win via Facebook

Competitions abound on Facebook, so it's worth signing up if you haven't already. Usually comps involve 'liking' a company's page, so friends will see what you're up to.

The temptation's to set up two Facebook accounts – one comping and one for everyday use. Yet it's against Facebook's rules to have two accounts, and a few MoneySavers have been banned for doing this.

30 ways to earn cash online

Most 'earn cash from home' ads are cons. Yet if you've a computer or smartphone, there's a host of small ways to boost your coffers, as well as comping. Our 30 Earn Cash Online Tips lists the top sites and apps that pay.

You can get paid just to watch videos, write, Google, make your own YouTube clips and much, much more.