NOT WINNING ANYTHING? Tips on WHY:

I second the take a break thing, I took 6 weeks off from sweeping this spring and it definitely helps with the head games to put it aside for a while if you're getting overwhelmed or discouraged or frustrated.

Sometimes we get so heads down OCD about something that walking away from it for a bit helps bring some perspective back.
 
bethtoons said:
I second the take a break thing, I took 6 weeks off from sweeping this spring and it definitely helps with the head games to put it aside for a while if you're getting overwhelmed or discouraged or frustrated.

Sometimes we get so heads down OCD about something that walking away from it for a bit helps bring some perspective back.
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It wasn't until after I slacked off, started skipping 1 day a week, then sometimes days in a row, that I finally hit a big GP, so I firmly believe a break is a good thing!!!

As to the head games? Distance does help, but IMHO, it all comes down to an attitude adjustment - when I was 19, I joined the USN. I had dropped out of HS at 16, and had worked, off and on, since about 12 {babysitting} so I thought I had my head on straight.

It wasn't until boot camp that I realized most of my problems were self inflicted and a simple attitude adjustment changed everything for me!

1. Nobody owes you anything.
2. What you prioritize means nothing to others.
3. If you want it done right, do it yourself.
4. Once you learn to look to yourself, trust your own judgement, then people you CAN count on will enter and want to be a part of your life.

Then again, tht's MY experience. YMMV :crazytongue: :whistle:
 
Just a thought. I had never heard of sweeping until I saw a program about it on TV about a year ago (can't remember the name). Then when I retired I thought it would be fun to do, never having won anything in my life, not even a raffle at my kids school which has great odds. I've been doing fairly well with some kind of small win every few days. I notice that I will get 2-3 wins on or about the 15th of the month, this may be due to the fact that contests frequently end at the end of a month and then are awarded about the same time. So I don't worry about dry spells, I just figure they haven't gotten around to sending out my prize yet. Some show up months after a contest ends.

For those of you that have been sweeping for a long time, did you notice a decrease in wins after the program aired? I can't imagine how many people like me decided to give it a try and are still doing it.

PS: I went to my grandaughter's school carnival, bought twenty raffle tickets and won a $25.00 Stater Bros card, a Family Pass to the local skate ring, and some jewelry. SA must be rubbing off other areas of my life.

PSS: Was the guy featured in the program an SA member?
 
jancarr51 said:
For those of you that have been sweeping for a long time, did you notice a decrease in wins after the program aired? I can't imagine how many people like me decided to give it a try and are still doing it.
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The thing is? That show made it look TOO easy :crazytongue:

So... most sign up, enter a few times/days/sometimes weeks, then they up and quit if they don't get a win right away.

Those that do that and have a win just show up weeks/months later? They will sometimes return to us, but those that start, then quit, usually don't ever return.

No stats to look to for who sticks it out, but I think it's probably 1 in 20 - maybe even higher - that are suited for the ups and downs of our hobby! :whistle:
 
:crazytongue: Things I try to remember:

1] Sweeping is not a normal hobby - most hobbies you get out what you put in. :whistle:

2] While there is no "rule" that entering guarantees a win, therefore entering more guarantees you will win more, it's more like the Lottery, where ya gotta play it to win it!

3] Getting wound up over someone else winning that prize you had your heart set on? So not worth it, unless you own stock in TUMS or something! :crazytongue:

4] Same as 3 but it's because a newbie hit a biggie while you have been toiling way for YEARS. It WILL happen. This is where you decide - fun hobby where you can be happy for others, or ulcer inducing? I pick A :laughing:
 
Ways I deal with the frustration:

1} I get outside of my own head by helping others. Either by voting, answering questions, or just getting a little silly. :crazytongue: :laughing:

2} I avoid the winners circle. It's not that I'm not happy for other members, it's just that I don't need the constant reminder that I'm not one of them - for now. :crazytongue:

3} I hard charge on sweeps, going through all the categories and getting a sense of satisfaction/accomplishment when I get all caught up.

4} I take a break from the computer, since it's gone from being fun to being a chore.

If you keep pushing yourself to enter and things don't change, you will most likely burn out and quit, whereas if you make a decision to take a break for a day or 2, you are still in control.

I *usually* find I return after my mini "vacation" that I'm refreshed and can see things more clearly, so the little things don't get to me, and I enjoy instead of dreading entering my sweeps. :sunny:
 
One year, way back in '93 or so, I won 2 great trips. That was before the internet and these were all snail mail. Then, in '01 or so, I won a trip for 5 for 5 nights to Miami Beach. I didn't even know that I had 4 friends, but, it turns out, I did. That was an internet win. I've won some other things, but, absolutely nothing in the past 8 months or so. I'm pretty regular. I enter about 500-1000 every day. Some days less, some days more. I know my time is coming. I just have to keep at it. You know what I'd really like to win more than anything, except cash, is a KitchenAid mixer. The big one. The one that costs $400 or so. That's my goal right now. I am not winning, but, haven't given up. This is all a game and I like to play the game. I don't know if it's proper for me to mention this on SA, but, since Sweepstakes Ninja advertises on SA, I think it's OK. I've been a member for over 6 months and haven't won a single thing. That means that in the next 6 months, I'm going to be a winner! Yeah! I know my time is coming. Keep your head up. Good things will come. Nobody can win them all. It has to be spread around, right?
 
Same thing with me, I don't think i've won anything since the last week of May, and I enter everyday. I also want to win a Kitchen Mixer! they are so cool. And I also want to win an iPad.

Sometimes you just don't win for awhile, that's the way it goes. I love to hear of other people's wins. It keeps my hopes up when i'me not winning anything.

Just keep sweeping, and remember "You gotta be in it, to win it!" :wave:
 
Such good advice in here! I started sweeping this past fall (2011) after a local friend won alot. She was very encouraging and helpful.

This year was very dry, I was saying to my family (and extended family.. and friends) how I havent won anything lately. Then I won my 1st ever grand prize. It was a total surprise in the mailbox!!

Sometimes it takes time, you gotta ride out that wave of no wins to get to a win. I love this hobby, it's an hour a day that I give to myself and mostly forget it once I enter it (who can remember all that with two kids??)
 
I would like to add a quick note of appreciation for SA and also a bit of encouragement. I started sweeps back last October, after watching a 20/20 segment about a lady who did sweeps. I thought if it works for her then why can't it work for me. For a month solid I spent up to 4 hours a day entering as many sweeps as I could. My kids would yell at me telling me I was wasting my time, I tried to get my friends and family to enter them. I was convinced that I would win, I made a pact with my children that if I didn't win 4 sweeps by Christmas I would never enter another sweeps. Honestly I knew this was alot to expect but I enjoyed dreaming of what I could win but a promise is a promise. In mid November while the entire family was at home with the flu the phone rang, yes most normal people would think it was a scam but no I. The lady on the other end told me I won a $30,000 vehicle, that day I mustered up the energy to get the paper work filled out and faxed back to her, she said it was record time (less than 15 min). A month later I took possesion of my new vehicle. 1 down 3 to go. It was a matter of days and I won some hair care products, a week or so later some nail polish and finally my 4th win only a few days before Christmas a pair of Garnet earings. Phewww.... I can now enter as many sweeps as I want and not hear a thing from my children, and yes I got family members and friends hooked on sweeps. They enjoy reading my facebook post of recent wins. But since the first of the year the wins have slowed down, I have won a dress and a childrens e-reader (yes 8 months and only 2 wins) I sometimes loose track of the reason I enter, a fun way of relaxing in the evening and dreaming of what I could win. But I always look back on what I did win and smile. I know that in due time I will win again and keep entering hundreds of sweeps each month, in hopes that this month will be the big win again. I figure I have better luck in sweeps than I do in the lottery so I will continue to play and remind myself that I won a car and there was over 140,000 enteries. But I believed with all my heart I would win 4 sweeps before that Christmas. So keep your chin up and enter, enter, enter.
 
MANY WILL ENTER FEW WILL WIN

However... someone WILL win, so enter and forget it! :headbang:
 
In a slump? Think horses, not zebras - think FACTS:

1} Frequency. If a sweeps allows daily entry, try to enter every day.
2} Amount. If you just enter a few big name sweeps, chances are you won't win. Add some variety.
3} Control. Do some cheat? Yes. But they are outliers, and sponsors do a good job of weeding them out.
4} Timing. Important for IW sweeps. If yours is off, you won't win. Change up when/how you enter.
5} Stress. Is thinking about not winning ruining your day? Take a break.

The most important thing is that you enjoy this hobby.

If your focus is negative, your outcome will {likely} be negative.

Accept that you control how you feel, and that you CAN control how you feel - focus on the positive, don't worry what others do or win, and most of all, don't let sweeping take over your life!
 
Thanks for all your posts on this subject Amy! I haven't read the sweepers credo in a while and I sure need it to turn my frame of mind around! I have not done well so far this year and it is hard to keep the positive attitude that we all need to keep entering when we are not winning! Thanks and good luck to all!
 
kittylou said:
Thanks for all your posts on this subject Amy! I haven't read the sweepers credo in a while and I sure need it to turn my frame of mind around! I have not done well so far this year and it is hard to keep the positive attitude that we all need to keep entering when we are not winning! Thanks and good luck to all!
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I hear you kittylou! :love:

I shift my focus outside of myself and actually slack off entering when my frame of mind goes into negative territory :whistle:
 
judge; said:
To answer your question "Am I entering enough sweeps per day?" Only you know the answer to that ... the number of sweeps you enter depends on the time you want to spend sweeping, the type of sweeps you like to enter, and the prizes you want to win. If you are covering all the sweeps you like, for the prizes you want, in the time you have to spend, then I would say you are entering the right amount of sweeps per day. You can't go by what other people enter since no one but you lives your life. Some people, like me, basically 'haven't got a life' :laughing: so I can spend 14+ hours a day if I want to. I have lots of family members ( grown kids and grandkids) I like to win things for so many kinds of prizes interest me. I don't like voting sweeps, blog sweeps or pinterest sweeps to I don't enter them. Do what you can, when you can, for what you want and your 'big one' will come! :)
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Entering for those you aren't eligible - like: if you make up a company name to enter, you enter a sweeps that is only for residents of Canada, etc. Always check the restrictions

I left out tobacco sweeps. Unlike other products, you have to basically swear that you use tobacco and supply your SSN to enter.

Amy Shulkusky said:
What you decide to do is your decision, but SA does not encourage nor condone its members to knowingly break the rules.

Because of the war on tobacco, to protect the children, you have to swear to be a user to enter. Not just mark a checkbox, you have to give them your SSN.

With the advent of OBAMACARE, and health records {most likely} going online, it *might* pose a problem in the future if you tell your insurance company you don't, then basically swear out an affidavit that you do to enter.

From the comments, barry908 noted:

As a former AVP of a insurance company I have seen where upon receipt of a large claim (ex. lung cancer) investigation finds applicant made misrepresentations. Perhaps a google search would find a winners list in this contest?? Not sure it makes sense to pay for insurance, only to undermine a possible claim in the future buy entering a tobacco company sweepstake hoping for a small win.

AND:

The party offering a sweepstakes may have to file a winners list in each state they offer a contest/prize/sweepstake in. This documentation my vary by state but could include proof of payout in the form of list of winners. One may want to research the terms - Rescind and Policy Rescission prior to entering a tobacco contest.
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curmudgeon said:
Although it's possible, sweeping is not about instant gratification. It takes work, time, effort, consistency and faith on your part that you'll eventually win.

It's a hobby (avocation), not a job (vocation). You expect to be paid from your job (instant gratification), but you should not have the same expectation from sweeping.

The large or valuable prize sweeps attract the most entries from the most people, and the odds of wining decrease with each entry. The odds of winning can be right up there with the various State lotteries. You better believe that everyone here enters a sweep like the HGTV.Com - Rescue Your Renovation Sweepstakes where the weekly prize is $50,000. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the odds of winning that one is one in a million.

If your intention is just to win "something", then enter the less desireable sweeps that attract the fewest entrants.

I've been sweeping for more than 15 years - probably closer to 20 years. I don't remember winning anything the at all in the first year, and then some small wins started to come in . Others hit it big in the first few months.

As others have pointed out, the "instant wins" are the best bet to win immediately. Regardless of the games etc. that some instants make you play, the winning time(s) of the sweep are PREDETERMINED, and the game has no effect - Let me repeat that - the game has NO EFFECT (I always skip the game if I can, or I'll minimize it and go enter another sweep while the game finishes). If you're the first person to enter on or after one of the the predetermined times, you win. I once won $5,000 from Burger King on an instant win. I just happened to hit one of the predetermined winning times.

Make the effort, expend the time, do it consistently and the wins will eventually start to appear.
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