Monday, January 10, 2011

Giveaway Experiment Results

At the beginning of December, I posted an article about my December Giveaway Experiment. My goal was to enter as many giveaways as I could during the month of December and then report back to you what I won and how many giveaways I won. The ultimate goal of this experiment was to show you how you can easily win free prizes by entering blog giveaways. I also compiled a list of tips for entering giveaways to share with you. The majority of giveaways that I entered were the low entry giveaways found at Tight Wad in Utah. Tight Wad in Utah keeps compiled lists of low entry giveaways at the top of her page and also lists them in daily posts. The rest are giveaways found on giveaway and review blogs, mommy blogs, and giveaway link ups.


Here are my winnings for the month of December:

1. Baby GoGo Doll and Book ($39.99 value)
2. $25 My Princess Party Package from My Princess Party to Go. Purchased: three princess dress sets with jewelry and tiara and three feather boas ($25.00 value)
3. The Secret to Skinny: How Salt Makes You Fat, and the 4-Week Plan to Drop a Size and Get Healthier with Simple Low-Sodium Swaps  By Lyssie Lakatos R.D. Tammy Lakatos Shames R.D. ($15.95 value)
4. $30 Visa Gift Card and Dinner Kits Romano's Macaroni Grill Creamy Basil and Wanchai Ferry Orange Chicken (Kits: $10 value) ($40 value)
5. Two Carmex Moisture Plus Ultra Hydrating Lip Balm- Sheer Peach and Sheer Pink Tint ($6.00 value)
6. Spanx Assets Bra ($32.00 value)
7. Photo Bracelet from Everything4Mom ($34.00 value)
8. Personalized Set of Mabels Labels ($21.00 value)
9. Playful Planet Storyland Yoga Ages 3-8 ($14.99 value)
10. Rock N Learn Money & Making Change DVD ($19.99 value)
11. Baby Dipper Bowl from BabyDipper.com ($9.95 value)
12. Baby Genius Kids' Dance Party 2 CD Set ($14.99 value)
13. Set of Photo Notecards from Mauverneen.com ($10.95 value)
14. $15 Etsy Credit from QuiteCrafty ($15 value)
15. The Attitude Girl signed by Author Mila Bernadkin ($16.95 value)
16. Curious George Book, DVD, and Poster Prize Pack
17. Hard Rock Umbrella, 4 Piece Hiking Set: Nylon Bag, Aluminum Water Bottle, 5 in 1 Pocket Knife, Aluminum Flashlight, and Stuffed Puppy
18. Two Packages of Cottenelle Wipes (value $6.00)
19. Felt Board Story E-Pattern Set from Copy Crafts Etsy Shop (value $5.00)

Total won: 19 giveaways in one month
Entered a total of about 50-60 giveaways
= An estimated $330 value!

(Note: There is one giveaway I did receive an email about and responded right away. Later I found out that the blogger gave it to another participant because I hadn't emailed back. I am pretty sure my email went to her spam, so make sure you ask them to email you back after you respond so that you know they received your email. It was for a Taco Kit and $10 Visa Gift Card! Also, I am currently still waiting on the Cottonelle Tubs, Kids Genius CD, and Curious George Prize Pack in the mail. I will email the sponsors if they do not arrive in the next week to check on the status.)

You can win, too! All you have to do is take a few minutes each day to find giveaways on blogs that you are interested in. Complete the entries and see if you win! They will start to add up if you are a regular participant. You can build your gift closet and give away the items you win as gifts, or use them yourself. I plan to give a few of these items away and keep a few. My two year old loves her Baby GoGo and I love the Carmex Moisture Tints! I already used the $30 gift card to purchase a few items on Amazon, also. We opened the Baby Dipper Bowl tonight and I have one that I plan to giveaway soon!

In conclusion, this was a fun experiment. I do plan to continue to enter giveaways, just not as many now that my experiment has ended. I would like to focus on entering giveaways that I know will benefit others and my family.

I would love to hear from you. Do you participate in blog giveaways? What have you won? If not, do you want to start entering blog giveaways? Please share!


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30 comments:

  1. awesome idea how did you get to all the blog contest you entered.? do you belong to all those blogs?

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  2. Giveaways are everywhere and all over blogs, especially Mommy Blogs. You can visit the "low entry giveaways" at Tight Wad in Utah (click on the link I gave at the top of the post) to see which ones I like to try and enter. :) They are great for starters because they are low entry, so your chances of winning are high. I don't belong to the blogs, but I become fans of them when entering, since some of the entries require that you do so!

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  3. I love giveaways! I too have won several and never knew you CAN really win until I entered! Just about 20 minutes a week I spend entering! FUN and rewarding! Thanks for posting!

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  4. I've done this lil experiment before, as well...I didn't blog about it, it was before I blogged, but it was to prove a point to the hubs...as well as the 'how much decent free stuff can I get in the mail in one month that actually contributes to the household' type experiment...and let's just say, he doesn't give me anymore lip-flap over my freebies or giveaways lol...it works! and just like the lottery, you can't win if you don't enter!! Good Job and GREAT post!!!

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  5. Not bad...I've won several thousands of dollars worth of items: $500 grill, XBox 360, 3 flip cams, cash, gift cards, shoes, food, jewelry... you name it and I've won it. It was mostly the year before last. I won enough that I didn't buy a single birthday or Christmas present and still had items. This last year, I was dealing with too many health issues and only won a couple thousand worth, one of which was 6 days/5 nights in Nassau, Bahamas. I love to win and it only makes sense to enter. It takes minimal amounts of time and the pay-off is much greater than the loss of time, even if you're entering the high-entry giveaways. I enter them all and participate in twitter parties. I occasionally do a Facebook giveaway but not often.
    While winning, I learned how to set up my blog so that I now do reviews/giveaways which enables me to try and keep a lot of new/great items, too.
    I enjoy it. I am disabled so it gives me something to do, even if it's just reading the blogs. And, enables me to still be able to provide my son with things and my family. Helps with my depression.
    Keep up the good work! Winning is Exciting!

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  6. Thank you for your comments! The pattern seems to be that it is simple to enter, and not too hard to win! This is why I am trying to get others on board with us! Companies and bloggers are always offering great products out there and this is a great way to save money! I have really enjoyed receiving the items and trying them out, too! It's like Christmas in my mailbox everyday!

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  7. How many did you enter? Sorry if it was mentioned and I missed it. I agree that blog giveaways are a great opportunity to win prizes and I love Tight Wad in Utah's list! I can't get my friends to get on board because they enter a couple, don't win and give up. I enter dozens before I win a couple, but I try to stick to ones with high odds of winning.

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  8. I entered about 60 or so giveaways. But, winning 1/3 of them is not too bad! I will go back in the post and make a mention of this. :) That is one important factor that I left out!

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  9. Very nice. I tried a few giveaways...won one and never received the item. Bummer.

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  10. Nina's Mama, there is the one I mentioned that I didn't get because of the email mix up. That was a bummer. I do question if I will receive the other three, but I do like to make sure sponsors and bloggers check into items that are not sent. This is why I email them to check the status on it. If you do not get an answer from the blogger, I would contact the company and simply ask about why it is taking so long to receive it and when you can expect it. Just make sure you mention the giveaway and who hosted along with proof of an email of some kind :)

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  11. 19! That is SO great!! I spend a lot of time on my lists so I'm SOOOOO glad they are useful. Great post! One of the MANY! :)

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  12. Wow! That is a lot. Amazing you won not just once. Poor me, I joined all the giveaways I was truly interested in, but it's already 2011, nothing has notified me of a win. Congrats!

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  13. Yay to for free stuff but as im in austrlia we dont have as many giveaways or let alone many taht are international.. But I do persist this year to date I have 5 things whether they be books or e book ;) i am happy ;) U r doing really well with the freebees and comps good luck !!
    kat ;)

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  14. i entered some give aways too and did won a few and that's always very nice!
    I also organize my own give aways ( in fact : i have one righ now ;) )

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  15. That is awesome, way to go! I love giveaways!

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  16. I started entering giveaways about 2 weeks ago and I have already won a book! My daughter says I am wasting my time but I am having so much fun. I am impressed with your winnings.

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  17. Giveaways do take a little time, but if you try to make sure you are entering only the ones that you know you will use or want, and ones where entries are under 100, your chances are pretty high, especially if 12 or so of the entries are your own! Some of these giveaways only had about 30 entries! :) Those are the ones I really take advantage of!

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  18. Yes, I have won quite a few things from blog giveaways. Last month, I started following a couple of blogs that list low entry giveaways (such as Tight Wad in Utah) and I have begun to win more often. :) I don't generally enter a giveaway for something I don't need or want. I bet I would more often if I did. LOL!

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  19. I meant to say I bet I would WIN more often if I did!

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  20. I finally received the Cottonelle Wipes and the free coupon for a 4 pk. of Cottonelle TP today!

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  21. Oh, that's rough that they didn't get your email! If I win something, I email them back and ask them to let me know that they got it (especially for a big prize!). In addition, I make a point of stopping by their blog if they posted a giveaway winner announcement for the prize I won to a) thank them for the giveaway and to b) let them know that I emailed them back. I figure a comment notification is something most bloggers get and having it post lets them know to look for something back from me.

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  22. You told us how many you won but how many did you enter?? Ive won a few giveaways also!! I love it!!!

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  23. I started doing this about two years ago. I was hesitant about entering my first one as I wasn't sure people were really giving product away. But, I won the first one I entered and got it in. I was so surprised! That got me started and since then, I have won $100's of dollars worth of gift cards, tons of gifts, lots of books and even some items for me:) I kind of have a strategy down and I like the ones where I can get several entries.
    I have had a couple items that I never received but normally when I go to the company itself, it gets resolved. Still have some I never got though. but it all is part of the game and I enjoy it. Going to check out your tips now. Thanks!

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  24. Great post. Thank you for the info.

    Congratulations on all of your wins!

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  25. Congrats on all your winnings! You make me want to enter more than what I already enter hehe!!

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  26. The Smiths, The number of giveaways entered is included with the results. I entered about 50-60, averaging about 2-3 giveaways a day. :) 2-3 is very easy to do and shouldn't take more than 15-30 minutes, depending on how many entries you decide to submit! I have had winners that have only submitted 1 entry win over the ones that entered 12! :)

    Thank you all for your comments!

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  27. Thanks for all your tips! I love entering blog giveaways.I haven't entered many the past 2mths but now I'm ready to start again.I push to enter 10 a day but usually make atleast 5 giveaways.I win very often,I won atleast 2x a week!! The Fed ex and UPS guy was always at my door.I bet they wonder why I get so many packages!lol,,Anyways you give some great tips and congrats on all your wins.You are doing well only entering about 2 a day!!Keep up the good work.
    Shannon
    shannpf1977 at yahoo dot com

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  28. Thanks Shannon and for everyone for your comments.

    Keep in mind that the majority of these that I won were the low entry giveaways. Most of them had less than 100 entries, and I was able to complete sometimes about 12 entries at a time per giveaway. That is a large chunk of entries in there! Some were even less than 50, which really increases your chances! Now, you don't see too many high ticket items up there (those have too many entries for me to even consider that I have a chance) but these all make great little gifts for others, and are fun! :)

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  29. Congrats!!! I have found that there are SO many giveaway online that I only have time to enter the ones I truly want to win. Good luck all!! --Michelle, @womenwwin

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