Competition winners on ACA

[colins]

Tomorrow night (Channel 9 6.30pm Friday Sept 21) there is a story on A Current Affair about a few comping people who say it's easy to win $40,000 in tax free prizes a year!

[mrskiwi]

I don't know about easy.....

[eveready]

Next thing the Tax man will make them taxable! I wish they'd just keep quiet! Prizes have to be declared in the US!

[Arran]

Guess they must get paid for their story!  I wish they would shut up too and just go about things quietly!

[JRN]

I read the rules a while ago and basically "hobbies" that produce income are tax free, though I think the assumption is that the income is incidental.  If prize income became your main or only source of income then the ATO might argue that it should be taxable.

As a general rule there is no need to declare. 

In the US as Everready says, prize income is taxable.  Those cars that Oprah gives away to audience members, for example, incur a tax bill in the $1000's.

[bubbalor]

I wish they'd shut their mouths too. I'm not sure how these people win $40,000 every year, but their exaggeration is an unnecessary spotlight and may alert the ATO to an unrealistic situation. So annoying, they just want to brag.

[bindieye]

Next thing the Tax man will make them taxable! I wish they'd just keep quiet! Prizes have to be declared in the US!

Totally agree...I cringe when I hear compers telling their stories.

[wattle]

It'll most likely be about the same people it's always about...must be a slow week for stories, if they have to yet again rehash the same old same old.

I guess if the ATO ever start to tax us on prizes it will open the floodgates on what we can claim to "ëarn" our prize ie stamps, envelopes, all the products we buy to win, magazine subscriptions etc.

[snuggle1]

Yes, I enjoy reading about members who win great prizes - especially when the person has been down on their luck.

But, given that at least some of us donate some of the prizes to other people or organisations, it makes it difficult to account for every last cent - especially when the prize value is not specified, or its value has been inflated.

However, I do not see the need for some people to go on television shows and inform people of their wins.

I still believe that some people should show humility, and be grateful that sites like ACC exist for our benefit, and provides us with the option of depending upon the member's preference and quality of service service that may be fee for service, or free.

Of course, our admin and moderators who are great also.

[scout]

These stories annoy me too! There are probably bigger winners who don't feel the need to constantly go on national television and boast about their wins.
Many of these stories are to promote paid comping sites. They regularly recruit members to promote their business. (I was once asked to appear but declined!)
What I dislike most is that they make it seem so easy to win huge amounts and never mention the time and effort involved. I'm sure that after stories like this there is a big influx of people entering competiitons only to be disappointed when they don't win big immediately!

[brymad99]

I've been doing this for 3 yrs and im not even close to $40000,people always ask me how I win so much , I tell them it takes alot of time and effort and I still dont win nearly as much as others do ... With all the advertising these current affairs shows do many more people are doing it and there's alot more competition now

[jivebug]

I agree Brymad99.   It is not always easy to win anything.  I guess alot of people after watching these types of shows will try their luck and find they don't win and lose interest.  We all know the hard work and effort that is needed.

[Traveller]

It's usually the same story over and over. Additionally it plugs the other website that requires a payment. I cannot post which site but most know which I am referring to.

I've been a lazy comper (mainly internet issues) for 7 years and won about 20,000 in prizes. A friend (Non-accer) is in the 6 digit figure and won numerous holidays. Absolutely they enter and work harder than I do at comping. My friends think I win everything but they have really no idea. I like sharing my wins but if I won a big holiday I think I would be reluctant to tell people.

[richar0]

These big winners on tv claim they only spend 30 minutes per day doing comping to win these big prizes. I takes me hours to get through all of the "junk" emails that I end up subscribing in order to enter these competitions, let alone all of the creative time spent on the 25wol answers. And nowdays you also have to trawl through facebook regularly to keep up with it all as well.

[snuggle1]

Why, oh, Why do they not advise about the downsides of comping: the stresses, strains, and anxiety that we have with each competition that we enter?

Not to mention if there is a requirement to purchase a specific item, and the person loses their money...or am I asking too much for there to be a more balanced account of comping?

Oh, and if there is a fee to be a member of the applicable site/sites?

[kiwinewbie]

I was one of those people that did the interview. I spend 2 hours a day doing comping and about 6 hours of comping for the end of the month.

I don't buy anything I wouldn't use. I plan when it comes to in-store comps and the wins usually follow. I don't buy multiple products for one comp, well unless it's something our family would need.

Finding a way of comping without forking out alot of money, is the way I go. I also believe in karma and give alot of my unwanted prizes away instead of selling on ebay.

[snuggle1]

kiwinewbie,

Did, or will, you receive any remuneration for participating in the programme?

Furthermore, I believe that the issue regarding comping appears cyclicly around every three to six months.

My husband joined one of the paid for sites for three months, spent hours on a regular basis entering competitions, and won a double movie pass.

Would I love to win more?

Certainly. However, I also donate most of the prize wins, and Christmas, 2012, is just over three months away.


Regards,


snuggle1

[kiwinewbie]

I was not paid to do the interview. I am a huge fan of getting others to try comping and after the Tv interview I'd converted the camera man....

I promote both websites to everyone. If your a newbie and don't want to pay for a membership,  I say got straight to ACC I have been a member for over 6 years.  I tell them to go straight to Calendar and enter all comps closing tomorrow. I love ACC, it have a wonderful search engine and have made alot of friends .

As for the paid site, I do find I don't have to open every comp I get all the info I need in the title and I can put a tick or a cross or a question mark to come back to it... I only recieve comps that I can enter from my state and Australia wide that I'm eligable to enter.  I find it saves me alot of time and I comp maybe 2hrs a day, sometimes less. Although ACC brought out Compfolio after. Changing websites is like starting from the beginning...

It is a personal preference. You can post comps and get days membership free for your troubles.

And if ACC asked me to do an interview I would have done it too. I am a karma person and at the end of the year, what prizes I have left over got to special need support groups.

Hope it helps and I hope I haven't offended anyone or this website.

[Stormboy]

I work in a hospital and everyone asked me oh did she watch that show how to win competitions
I said yes i watched it but its not as easy as they made it out to be to win. It takes a lot of time
and effort. I have been comping a few years now but never won anything big i cant even seem to
win a movie ticket anymore and i am always entering. A lot of staff said they are going to join now
so they can win all these prizes that were mentioned on the show. I said good luck but its not that easy

[spog777]

I make it a personal rule not to "fork" out for any comp I do - apart from  the odd stamp. I too spend hours upon hours doing comps. I never enter ones for trips as my wife doesn't like to travel so I peck away at the smaller comps. Apart from using the cinema tickets to go out to the movies on the cheap most of my wins are packed away for gifts (saves money ) and I donate a large amount of the rest to our local library and school for competitions etc
Basically I do it for the challenge and the fun of getting an unexpected prize in the mail box.

[njt28san]

I agree with stormboy, comping takes alot of effort and there is a downside.  I sometimes worry that people may form an addiction with it and overspend on buying products they don't really need making those text and numerous phone calls, being scammed and spammed and backache with all that sitting at a computer.  It can sometimes end up costing you more money.  Also entering prizes selfishly for part of a prize when it should be left for those people who have an interest in the product, particularly children.  On the positive side there is some great prizes and camaradie on the comping club website and it brings alot of joy to families, friends and colleagues who get to share in your winnings.  I enjoy comping and if it makes you happy, then why not!

[kiwinewbie]

I never buy anything I would never use and at the end of the year empty my prize cupboards and what doesn't go on Chrissy presents for the family goes to special needs children. I am up to my 6th year now and although I wouldn't say comping is hard it can be time consuming. I don't enter competitions more then once I feel one answer is enough.

Addiction, well when you recieve that winning call or a huge parcel..that part keeps me going with comping.

I don't play lotto or even do scratches, your odds are better at entering other comps.

I also don't enter any comp unless I want it or have a friend/family member in mind

[colins]

 Well done kiwinewbie for making your comments.
The very big guns of the comping world never seem to come out like that and tell everyone how they do it. I believe some of the things they do is basically cheating...but that's only my opinion.
You're doing well kiwinewbie and good luck to you. My only criticsm is that you're wasting time on that other site when everything you need and more is right here at ACC!
I don't know if everyone saw this previous ACA report - It comes on after kiwinewbie's report and it's got some good suggestions from the magazine editor at the end.
Winning for a living
25 Jul 2012 | A Current Affair
http://aca.ninemsn.com.au/money/8505442/winning-for-a-living

[tigers]

...

[Arran]

Each to their own, everyone has their own way of doing comping and the keen ones will keep at it!
 I have been comping for 45 years, I enjoy the challenge and will never get tired of those winning phone calls or Emails!   It is also nice to be able to be able to give some of the prizes away or treat the family.  The only catch nowadays is the amount of junk Emails, I was on a trip recently and could not access the internet, by the time I got home there was well over 2000 Emails waiting for me!  Easy to delete though!

[brymad99]

i have less time to enter these days and only enter for what i need,want or can give as a gift... i would never pay to join a comp site and only buy products i use for instore comps, even then i don't go overboard.

[Indiorose]

I haven't seen the name Joanne Bowen on any winner's lists?

[scout]

I confess I did pay to join another site, however I did not find it to be as friendly and welcoming as here and I did not find that it provided anything not available here.

However there is plenty of room for us all and we all find where we feel at home. I imagine most serious compers have tried more than one comping club.

My problem with stories about comping on ACA is that they are usually sponsored by one particular comping site (paying) and do not mention alternatives.

It annoys me that they say they are providing "inside" tips and secrets to being a successful comper but there is never anything new. We all know the basics...enter, enter, enter.....work on your WOL answers....enter less popular competitions etc. There is no "secret" to winning! Some of the tips offered on this program were quite laughable ...use a small envelope (most comps nowadays require a business size envelope).....send sms at 12 noon (it's RANDOM, but I have had most success early in the morning).....collect barcodes (seriously? do any comps still require barcodes rather than receipts as proof of purchase?)

The one positive about these stories is that family and friends realise we are not so strange after all....there are lots of others out there just as nuts about comping!

[Indiorose]

I totally agree with you scout I love ACC.  I've been here a few years and feel very happy to be part of this community. The best advice I feel is to enter, enter and enter. I love the challenge of comping and of course the winning and enjoy the opportunity to either use, give away or sell my wins depending on my financial needs in the moment. It is hard work however and you need to put in the effort and I don't think that these stories emphasis that enough to the general public. And yes the down side is of course the never ending emails to sift through.

[kiwinewbie]

I have my own personal email address for friends and family and another one for comping, I find it easy to filter out the junk and I recieve 180 emails a day.
I have been a member of ACC for years but I never knew who owned the site? I know there is alot of great Moderators. It would take the owner of ACC to approach today/tonight or ACA to get a story going and then get a couple of volunteers.

I always promte ACC first, then when they get serious they can decide from there...

I have never ever read that ebook and I would never buy a competition book. What I have learnt has come from other great compers and I am happy to pay it forward and help anyone else.