To me, once a sweeper, always a sweeper. By that, I mean that sweepers are dreamers. We tend to be bigger dreamers and more hopeful people in general. That manifests in all sorts of ways. It doesn't matter if your entering sweeps, playing the lottery or manifesting something closer to home and heart. Certainly, we can get burnt out, but that is true of just about any profession or hobby. I agree with you DamnYankee, in that there seems to be less sweeps being offered, but there are several reasons for that. Once is that sweeping tends to by cyclical and follows the economy. Also, we're in a changing social climate where even the sponsors are not sure where to put there marketing budget towards. What used to be all in one place and or on one platform is now on several platforms/social media outlets. Sometime companies want to grow their particular followers on one particular platform.
I have been entering, playing and winning for years. Like desil815, I approach it as a hobby and my hobby has no set rules or guidelines. I am always switching things up and keeping things fresh. There are all sorts of sweeps one can enter, but many can be where sweepers go to die.....or quit. By that I mean, they're time suckers with little or no return on your time investment. For me, this includes unlimited sweeps. Just because you can enter more than once doesn't mean you need to and they're a bit of a rabbit hole. It still only takes one entry to win. I also agree with you about Facebook sweeps. I tend to avoid them. They're like self-check out registers at the grocery store. You're doing the work for the company.
Here's what I stick to:
1. I don't enter sweeps where the winner is based on the person who shares the most.
2. I only enter those things that "I" would like to win. This is important, because it is MY time! Listen to me on this, because as a sweeper, it can very easily become, "Oh, I don't need it or use it, but Aunt Jenny would love it..." The next thing you know, you're entering for everyone else, but not for yourself. That's another rabbit hole. Also, you may have to pay taxes on something you're not all that wild about. You may be successful on occasion and win some of these, but things like that do not bring you joy and you
3. I tend to stick to prize values of $500 or higher depending on the prize(s) offered and the amount of time required to enter.
4. Enter things with integrity. By that I mean, just because they're offering a great prize, don't enter something you're not interested in or a company you wouldn't normally support. For example, I don't smoke and although it would be very easy for me to enter sweeps sponsored by tobacco companies, I don't.
5. I don't enter single entry sweeps until they're just about to expire so that I don't receive unwanted email for very long. I will normally unsubscribe 30 days after the draw.
6. I don't enter sweeps with only one prize unless it is something I really want. This is especially important if the sweepstakes is a daily entry. For example, Company A is giving away a $500 set of cookware and you can enter daily. Company B is giving away a $500 set of cookware, but you can only enter once. For me, unless I truly wish to win the set, I will only enter Company B's sweeps as it is a level playing field for all. Company A's prize is too much of a rabbit hole if I'm not that interested in the prize. If you find yourself "Oh, that would be nice...", that's a sign to not enter it. It's a time sucker and sort of the Aunt Jenny rabbit hole. It becomes sort of the just because you can enter it, doesn't mean you should. Keep in mind that there is a prize out there for everyone, so why
enter to win something that you're perceiving as it would be nice to win when there is probably someone out there saying "Oh how awesome! I would love to win that!" In other words, I don't want to win something that I didn't care whether I won or not. I would rather the prize go to someone who really wanted to win it.
7. Finally, I let companies know all the time that I appreciate them and that I appreciate their brand or how I feel about them and their products. I also let them know that I appreciate when they offer promotions. However, I do not allow NAY company to spam me. If a company is sending you newsletters and they do not offer an option to reduce the amount of email received to one per week or less, than it is not a true relationship. There are many companies that can care less about your time and feel that it is okay to spam you and send you more than one email per day. If they don't offer the option to reduce the amount of contact, I will politely let them know that I am wiling to stay connected and might be a customer if they have the option to reduce the amount of email received, but otherwise, I have to unsubscribe. Otherwise, it's a one-sided relationship and if it is there way or the highway, I'll choose the highway every time. My personal rule is I unsubscribe or reduce the amount of contact received for any company that sends me more than one email per day. It's just too much and unnecessary.
I hope that helps and for what it's worth, I know how you feel. Take some time to step away and see where your attention and energy leads you next.
