By courtesy of my friends at Wow Free Stuff, I’d like to offer you the chance to win a Burt’s Bees Natural Gift Set just like the one below.
This attractive gift set contains beeswax-based natural skin-care products, including lip salve and hand salve. On average, Burt’s Bees products are 99% natural, with over half their products 100% natural. They contain no petrochemicals, phthalates, parabens or sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and are not tested on animals.
As is customary for bloggers at this time of year, here are the top posts on Pounds and Sense in 2018, based on comments, page-views and social media shares. They are in no particular order. I have excluded any posts that are no longer relevant.
I hope you will enjoy revisiting these posts, or seeing them for the first time if you are new to PAS. Don’t forget, you can always subscribe using the box on the right to be notified of new posts as soon as they appear.
Just wanted to take this opportunity to wish all my readers a happy and peaceful Christmas, and a fulfilling and prosperous new year.
Pounds and Sense was launched in December 2016, so it has been going for two years now. Thank you to everyone who has visited the blog during this time, and especially to all those people who have commented on my posts and/or signed up to be notified of new ones. You can do that by entering your name and email address in the ‘Subscribe’ box on the right (hint, hint!).
I hope you have found at least some of my posts of value, and they have helped you to save money and make money in these financially uncertain times. If you have any comments or suggestions for topics I ought to cover in the coming months, please do leave a comment below or contact me directly. The same applies if you would like to guest post on the blog or work with me on sponsored posts or promotions.
I’ll be back with more advice, tips and information (and biscuits!) soon, but for now I hope you and your family have a wonderful festive season. I’ll leave you with one of my all-time favourite Christmas songs, by Greg Lake.
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In this post last week I set out a contest/giveaway to win a packet of the brand new Bahlsen Choco Moments biscuits. To enter, you simply had to add a comment on the post in question. I then proposed to pick a winner at random.
Unfortunately I made a bit of a hash of this. I temporarily forgot that the deadline was at midnight on Tuesday 4 December, and to compound this I was out most of the day yesterday. So I didn’t put an announcement of the contest ending or switch off comments on the post (which I have now done).
What’s more, there was a rush of people entering yesterday – I assume details may have been shared on a high-traffic competitions site or some such. Even though they were technically too late to enter, I felt bad about disqualifying them all, especially as I hadn’t made clear on the blog that the contest was closed (although the Tuesday midnight deadline was clearly stated in the post).
So to try to be fair to everyone, I decided that rather than have a single prize, I would have two. The first was just for the 9 people who entered before the original deadline, and the second was for everyone who entered until comments were closed yesterday (including the original nine, who thus got two chances to win). I hope that will seem fair to everyone.
I used the random number generator at Random.org to pick the winners of both draws, so here they are:
First 9 draw – Mrs Elizabeth Sumner
Whole 26 draw – Helen B.
Please could the winners contact me privately via my Contact Me page and let me know their full postal name and address and also whether they would prefer the mint or hazelnut flavour. I will then arrange for their biscuits to be sent to them.
Thank you to everyone who entered, and commiserations to everyone who didn’t win this time. You can, of course, buy delicious Bahlsen Choco Moments biscuits via all good grocers and supermarkets and online stores such as Amazon.
Apologies again also for the confusion over the deadline. In my defence, this is the first giveaway of this type I have conducted on Pounds and Sense, and I will learn from it and try to do better next time!
And finally, thanks again to Bahlsen Biscuits for sponsoring this contest.
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As a bit of fun today, I am running a giveaway for some delicious Bahlsen biscuits. This is (of course) a sponsored post.
Everybody knows the festive season is the season of indulgence when every home and office is well-stocked with tasty treats and guilt-free pleasures. It’s a chance to treat those you love to something they’ll really enjoy and can nibble on all season long.
The brand new Bahlsen Choco Moments are the ultimate treats for Christmas, the perfect way to spread joy to friends and family during the festive season.
Choco Moments from Bahlsen – the experts in chocolate biscuits – are the perfect accompaniment to festive gatherings and cosy nights in. With a thick, luxurious coating of rich chocolate with crisp, satisfying crunch, drenched over buttery biscuit, they are the perfect melt-in-your-mouth treat, and come in two delicious flavours that will fight for space in your biscuit tin.
Choco Moments Crunchy Hazelnut combines smooth, creamy milk chocolate with warm hazelnut tones that are mouth-wateringly moreish, while Choco Moments Crunchy Mint perfectly balances the deep notes of dark chocolate with lively and refreshing mint.
So prepare to spread the Christmas joy and treat your loved ones to a seriously Choco Moment – the perfect moment to unwrap this festive season.
*** To be in with a chance of winning a pack of Choco Moments Crunchy Hazelnut or Crunchy Mint – your choice! – just leave a comment below by midnight on Tuesday 4 December 2018 saying why you love Bahlsen biscuits. I will pick a winner at random on Wednesday 5 December and arrange to send them the biscuits. Even if you don’t win, you can of course pick up Bahlsen Choco Moments biscuits from all good supermarkets and grocery shops and online stores including Amazon. The winner will be revealed here and via the Pounds & Sense Twitter and Facebook pages by Thursday 6 December 2018. UK residents only, I’m afraid. ***
Good luck, and let the season of indulgence begin!
Disclosure: as stated above, this is a sponsored post. I am receiving some delicious Bahlsen Choco Moments biscuits as a thank-you for posting it 😀
I recently enjoyed a day out on the Talyllyn Railway, a heritage steam railway in Wales. It was an great day and excellent value as well, so I thought I’d take the opportunity to write about it here.
The railway starts in the town of Tywyn in mid-Wales, so I booked a short break there to provide a base for my planned trip on the railway. I stayed at The Arthur Guest House, a B&B on the coast road. Here’s a map showing the area…
Tywyn is pretty quiet, or at least it was when I visited at the end of September! It has a rocky rather than a sandy beach and not a lot in the way of tourist amenities (which may or not not be a good thing, depending on your point of view). I did get to see a couple of lovely sunsets, though…
The Arthur Guest House, where I stayed, is small but comfortable, and the breakfasts were excellent. The price was also very reasonable – about £70 per night for a double room with single occcupancy.
The Arthur was about 10 minutes walk from the Talyllyn Railway main station, so I was able to leave my car at the guest house for the day.
The Talyllyn Railway
The Talyllyn Railway goes seven and a quarter miles inland from Tywyn Wharf station along the scenic Fathew Valley to Nant Gwernol. Here’s a map of the route, borrowed from the Wikipedia page.
The Talyllyn Railway is said to be the oldest preserved railway in the world. It opened in 1865 to bring slate from the quarry at Bryn Eglwys to Tywyn, where it would connect with the newly opened Cambrian Coast line and the national railway network. The line was originally owned by the quarry, but unusually it also ran a passenger service almost from the very start. You can read more about the history of the railway, and how it was taken over in 1951 by the Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society, on this page of the railway’s website.
The main station at Tywyn Wharf has a shop and a restaurant, and also a small museum devoted to the railway, which you can look round for free. There is no car park at the station itself, but there is a reasonably priced municipal pay-and-display with plenty of spaces about 150 yards down the road.
For my day out I bought a Day Rover ticket, which lets you travel all day on the line if you wish. I paid the donation fare of £19, which also gets you a £2.85 voucher you can use in the shop or cafes. I knew I would use the voucher on refreshments, but otherwise I could have paid £17.25 for a standard ticket without a voucher.
I went on my own, but if you have children (or grandchildren) the cost of tickets for them is surprisingly low. The Day Rover donation fare for an accompanied child is just £3 which includes a 45p voucher. If you don’t want the voucher, the fare per child is just £2.70.
If you wish, you can pay a £2 surcharge per journey to sit in a first class compartment. I did look at these but they weren’t much different from standard class, just with bigger and possibly more comfortable seats. I guess if you were there in peak season and there were lots of people wanting to travel, going first class might buy you a bit more space. It was pretty quiet on the day I went, though, and I found the standard compartments perfectly comfortable.
If you are a UK taxpayer you may be able to Gift Aid your fare. There is no extra charge for this, and it means the government will give the railway an extra 25% at no cost to you. Unfortunately I couldn’t do this as I don’t currently earn enough to pay tax.
My Day on the Railway
I set out in the morning from Tywyn Wharf station (photo below) and decided to start by going the complete length of the line and back again. I enjoyed the views, while keeping one eye on the excellent guidebook. The latter is available in the shop at a discount to people buying a ticket on the railway, which is a nice gesture.
There isn’t much at Nant Gwernol at the end of the line, but on the way back the train stops for half an hour at Abergynolwyn station (pictured below). There is a nice little cafe here, and I enjoyed a morning coffee and Bara Brith (Welsh fruit bread).
Returning to Tywyn Wharf, I had a look around the shop and the museum, and lunch in the station cafe (a particularly tasty bowl of broccoli and stilton soup with a tuna mayo sandwich). Then it was back on the train again for a trip two-thirds of the way down the line to Dolgoch, where I got off to spend some time walking in this beautiful wooded area (see photo).
Dolgoch has some stunning waterfalls, including this one…
I had a bit of time before the train back, and was pleased to discover a small tea shop offering hot and cold drinks, cakes and ice creams (apparently this is part of the nearby Dolgoch Hotel). As it had turned into a warm afternoon I bought an ice cream and sat outside in their garden to eat it. Then it was time to head back to Dolgoch station to catch the train to Tywyn (photo below).
So that was my day out on the Talyllyn Railway. As I said earlier, a great day and excellent value for money. I went as a single person, but it would also be a good choice for couples and families, if you enjoy beautiful scenery and the romance of steam!
Finally, I should mention that just down the coast road from Tywyn (a 25-minute drive with some great sea views) is Fairbourne, which has a miniature steam railway (see photo below). I took the opportunity of going on this as well before I headed home.
The Fairbourne Railway is much shorter than the Talyllyn. It’s about two miles long. At the far end is the estuary from which you can get a ferry to Barmouth. A trip on the Fairbourne Railway is a pleasant way to spend an hour or two, and again with a day ticket you can travel up and down the line as often as you like (I did it twice). On my return to Fairbourne a volunteer kindly offered me a private tour of the engine shed, so many thanks for that!
Do just be aware that at the estuary end of the line the cafe is only open in peak season. There is, though, a good cafe on the platform at Fairbourne, and they don’t mind you taking food and drink bought there on the train with you.
As ever, if you have any comments or questions on this post, please do post them below.
In my last post I shared my Top Ten Time Management Techniques. Today I want to go into more detail about one of the methods I mentioned, The Pomodoro Technique. I find this a great tool for improving my time management, lowering my stress level and boosting my productivity.
The Pomodoro Technique was devised by Francesco Cirillo in the 1980s. It splits tasks into focused 25-minute sessions called ‘pomodoros’ (from the Italian word for tomato), separated by short and longer breaks.
Applying the Technique
There are six basic steps to applying The Pomodoro Technique:
(1) Decide on the task to be done.
(2) Set your timer to 25 minutes.
(3) Work exclusively on the task till the timer rings.
(4) Take a five-minute break.
(5) Every four pomodoros, take a longer break of 15 to 20 minutes.
(6) Continue this cycle as required.
Obviously you will need a timer of some description for this. Cirillo himself originally used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer, which is how the technique got its name. Cirillo recommended using a mechanical timer, as he believed the physical act of setting it primed the user to start working.
The technique is quite flexible, though, and nowadays many people use timers on their computers or smartphones instead. Obviously, if your work requires the use of a computer, it can make sense to have the timer on this as well.
There are lots of free timer programs and apps you can use. Here are a few possibilities.
Marinara Timer is a web-based app, so it will work on any computer or operating system. You can keep it open in a tab on your browser. There are three different versions: a traditional Pomodoro timer, a more flexible one where you can change the session lengths, and a simple kitchen timer. It’s very flexible, and you don’t have to install anything.
Tomato-Timer is also web-based. If you want a simple, basic Pomodoro timer, this is for you. Just open the website, click the green Start button, and 25 minutes will count down. An audio alarm will sound at the end of the period. You can enable desktop notifications as well.
Clockwork Tomato is a free Android app. Just tap it and get working. At the end of 25 minutes your phone’s alarm will go off.
Arise is available from the Apple Store for iOS/OS X users. It describes itself as an anti-procrastination app. It incorporates the Pomodoro Technique among other methods.
Who Is Pomodoro For?
The technique works especially well for people who have to produce something that has to be reviewed by others. That includes designers, programmers, and (as I can testify myself) writers and bloggers.
But it can also work well for people such as support staff, who may use their 25 minutes to work through a set of tickets, then take a short break to refresh themselves and ensure they don’t get burned out.
And people who work with their hands, such as artists, gardeners and builders, can use the method to force themselves to take a step back at regular intervals to evaluate their work, take a rest, and plan what to do next.
Why Does It Work?
There are various reasons the Pomodoro Technique works so well.
It makes starting a job less daunting. At the beginning of a large project the amount to be done can appear overwhelming. This in turn creates feelings of anxiety and the urge to procrastinate. But if you divide the work up into 25-minute sessions, suddenly it appears a lot more do-able.
It helps you focus on the job in hand. For 25 minutes at a time you are working on one task and nothing else. This is much more efficient than trying to multi-task, which human beings are notoriously bad at.
Each pomodoro becomes a mini-challenge. Completing your 25-minute goal is rewarding and gives you a little boost. It means you can relax and enjoy your breaks more too, as you will feel that you have earned them. All of this can make the working day more enjoyable and less stressful.
It forces you to take regular breaks. Working in the same position (e.g. sitting at a keyboard) for long periods is bad for your health. Using the Pomodoro Technique, you can use the short and longer breaks to move around, get a drink, or even take a breath of fresh air.
More Tips
The rules of the Pomodoro Technique aren’t written in stone. If you get into a good flow, you may sometimes want to continue beyond the 25-minute limit.
Equally, you might find that 25-minute sessions are too long and you work better in 20-minute bursts. Experiment to find what works best for you.
Try to avoid getting interrupted during a pomodoro. If someone asks you a question, explain that you are in the middle of something and ask if you can get back to them in 10 minutes.
If you have to break off a pomodoro due to an unavoidable interruption, cancel it and start a new one (for a full 25 minutes) as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
The Pomodoro Technique works well for many people, but not all. Some jobs/activities clearly aren’t suitable for it, and others may not be all the time. In practice many users find they can only use it for part of the day, before other demands on their time make it impracticable. Often those periods are their most productive of the day, though!
I wish you every success applying the Pomodoro Technique. I hope it helps you manage your time better, reduce your stress level and boost your productivity!
As always, if you have any comments or questions, please do post them below.
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Young or old, we all lead busy lives these days. And even those of us who are retired or semi-retired often juggle a wide range of duties and responsibilities, from part-time jobs to managing our healthcare, looking after our house and garden to babysitting the grandchildren.
Time management is something I’ve always had an interest in, and as a freelance writer I’ve produced a number of articles about in the past. So today I thought I would share some of my top tips on managing your time better…
1. Know What Your Goals Are
The first essential step for better time management is knowing what you want to achieve, both in your work (if you’re still working) and your life more generally. Knowing your goals will help you plan better and focus on the things that will help you to achieve those goals.
2. Prioritize
One key principle of good time management is to do the most important things first. Every day, therefore, identify the two or three tasks that are most crucial to achieving your goals, and do them first. Once they are done, your day has already been a success. You can then move on to other things, or let them wait till tomorrow.
3. Make a ‘To Do’ List
This isn’t exactly an original idea, but it’s a powerful and important one. Either the evening before or first thing in the morning, make a list of all the things you want to achieve that day. Apply priorities to the tasks (see above) and tackle the most important first. Ticking off items from your list as you complete them is rewarding and will give you a sense of moving forward to achieving your goals.
4. Focus on One Thing at a Time
Human beings are notoriously bad at multi-tasking, so try to focus on one task at a time. A personal favourite tool for this is the Pomodoro Technique, which involves working in focused, intensive bursts with short breaks between them. Click here to read my in-depth post about the Pomodoro Technique.
5. Batch Process Routine Tasks
According to a recent study, a typical information worker who sits at a computer all day turns to their email program more than fifty times and instant messaging 77 times. If that sounds like you, one way you can boost your productivity is by ‘batch processing’ these tasks. In other words, set aside specific time-slots in the day for checking email, making phone calls, and so on, but otherwise stick to your priority tasks. Yes, people may have to wait a bit longer to get replies, but at a stroke you’ll be working far more efficiently.
6. Minimize Distractions
There are many ways you may be able to do this. One is to work from a different base where you are less likely to be interrupted. Some possibilities might include a café or coffee shop, a public library, or a meeting room that isn’t being used. Another option might be to ask your employer if you can work from home some days.
7. Have a Low-Tech Day
A further option you might try is a low-tech day. Switch off your internet connection and immediately a wide range of potential distractions will be closed to you. Unplugging your phone or putting it on voicemail will eliminate a further swathe. Obviously, you won’t be able to do this every day, but it’s well worth doing if you have an important project to complete or just a lot of work to catch up on. Even if that doesn’t apply, you should find that designating one day a week as a low-tech day greatly boosts your overall productivity.
8. Use the Four D’s
This is a great time management technique for dealing with incoming emails. The four D’s are Delete, Do, Delegate, or Defer.
To apply this method, the first time you open an email apply one of the Four D’s.
Delete: If you’re anything like me you can probably delete over half the emails you get immediately.
Do: If the email is urgent or can be completed quickly.
Delegate: If the email can be better dealt with by someone else.
Defer: Set aside time later for emails that require longer action.
The Four Ds technique is great for keeping on top of your inbox and reducing the time you waste on it. You can also apply the Four Ds to items on your To Do list generally.
9. Say ‘No’ More Often
For many of us saying no is difficult, especially to work colleagues or family members. Nonetheless, if you have to decline a request in order to focus on what is truly important to you, don’t hesitate to do so. Your time is limited and precious, so don’t waste it on things that you don’t enjoy and won’t contribute to achieving your personal goals.
A good response instead of automatically accepting requests is to say, ‘I’ll check my diary and get back to you.’ This will buy you time to think about offers and decide whether they are worth pursuing.
10. Use Waiting Time Constructively
We all have times in the day when we are waiting for something. This includes sitting in reception areas, doctors’ waiting rooms, queuing at the bank, driving or travelling on public transport, exercising, and so on.
Rather than waste this time, use it constructively. For example, you could listen to a podcast on a subject that interests you. Or just take the opportunity to reflect on your current goals and projects. These ‘down times’ can be great for stepping back and taking a broader view of your life and work. Always carry a notebook with you to record any thoughts or ideas you have at these times.
Finally, although it’s not a time management tip in itself, take care of yourself. That means getting enough sleep (experts say 7 hours a night is the minimum you should aim for) and sufficient physical exercise. None of us can be fully productive unless we pay some attention to these things, so give your mind and body what they need to refresh and replenish themselves.
I hope you find these tips helpful. If you have any comments or questions, or other time management tips to share, please do leave a comment as usual.
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If you are 50 or over, you will almost certainly at least have heard of Warner Leisure Hotels. The company have 14 country and coastal resort hotels across England and Wales. They have a strict adults-only policy, and appeal mainly to an older clientele (based on my experience, the average age is late sixties or early seventies).
As well as accommodation, they offer a range of leisure activities, including day trips, quizzes, guided walks, archery and bowls, social dancing, swimming, and so forth. Most of these activities are included in the price, as is the evening entertainment.
Accommodation is generally on a half-board basis, including breakfast and evening meal. Guests typically book short stays of two to four days, often focused around a particular headline act. Some of those in the current line-up include Motown, Abba and Franki Valli tribute acts, plus the real Leo Sayer, Paul Young, Russell Watson, Alexander Armstrong, Jane Macdonald, and many others. There are also seasonal breaks, spa breaks (at the Thoresby Hall hotel), bowls breaks, and more.
I have been to two Warner Leisure Hotels, Bodelwyddan Castle in North Wales (pictured above) and Alvaston Hall in Cheshire. I thought I would therefore take the opportunity to share my impressions here for others who might be contemplating this type of short break holiday.
My Review
As my partner passed away five years ago, I went to both venues on my own. I am in my early sixties, and felt very young compared with some of the other guests!
In both cases I found the accommodation spacious and comfortable, with all the facilities you would expect at a good hotel. I was on the ground floor at both, and had a small private terrace with a metal table and chairs, which was pleasant to sit out on. Here’s a picture of the accommodation block in which I stayed at Alvaston Hall.
I thought the food was generally very good. The dining area was large and could be a bit noisy, but the waiters and waitresses did a great job of getting meals out quickly. You are allocated a table at the start of your stay and keep that for the duration. As a solo guest I was offered the opportunity to be matched with another solo male as a dining partner. I declined this, as it seemed a gamble whether I would have anything in common with them.
At Alvaston Hall the evening meal is combined with the entertainment. So, basically, you have your meal followed by a show, all the while sitting at the same table. I liked this idea in theory, but in practice I discovered it had a few drawbacks.
For one thing, if you have been allocated a table towards the back (as I was) it can be quite hard to see what is happening on the stage. In addition, for me anyway it felt a long time to be sitting in one place. Really I preferred the arrangement at Bodelwyddan Castle, where you had your meal in the restaurant then went over to the main hall for the evening entertainment (for which you could sit anywhere).
I must admit I was slightly disappointed by the entertainment programme. The evening entertainment in particular was targeted at an older clientele and I didn’t particularly relate to it, despite being no spring chicken myself!
Both hotels seemed very big on social dancing, with guests being invited to ‘take the floor for the foxtrot’ or whatever. Not my thing at all, I’m afraid. I had been hoping for something more akin to cruise ship entertainment, with song and dance shows and cabaret acts, but perhaps that was asking too much.
There were regular quizzes, though again I felt that they were often oriented towards the older guests. I did one quiz about the 1950s, a decade many of those taking part remembered well. As I was only four years old when the fifties ended, I felt at a bit of a disadvantage!
On the positive side, I went on several guided walks, which I really enjoyed. I also took full advantage of the swimming pools, and at Alvaston Hall went to an interesting demonstration of fruit and vegetable carving (see photo below).
I also enjoyed looking around Bodelwyddan Castle itself (pictured below), which is a National Trust property. Warner guests get free entry during their stay, which is a nice bonus.
Prices
As Pounds and Sense is primarily a money blog, I should say a few words about this.
I thought both the breaks I took were good value for money, bearing in mind that as well as comfortable accommodation you get breakfast and an evening meal, and a range of leisure facilities and entertainment.
When I checked just now, you could book a two-night break at Alvaston Hall for two people this weekend at prices ranging from £219.48 for a standard room up to £315.48 for a luxury suite. In my experience even ‘standard’ rooms are very comfortable, and the price above works out to just over £100 per person per night. By comparison, I have been charged well over £100 per night for bed and breakfast, with no evening meal or entertainment, in some hotels and guest houses.
If you are travelling solo (as I was) you may have to pay an under-occupancy surcharge. However, the hotels do have some single rooms, and there are also ‘no surcharge’ offers for solo travellers on some breaks. It’s definitely worth inquiring about this with the hotel you want to stay at.
Finally, I should mention that Warner Leisure Hotels often offer special deals and discounts. Once you are on their list, you can expect to be mailed regularly about these!
Summing Up
Overall, while I enjoyed my stay at these hotels, I have to say I did feel a bit young for them. The entertainment wasn’t really my cup of tea and I’m not sure it will be even when I’m ten years older. I saw one review that described Warner Leisure Hotels as ‘Butlins for old people’ and have to admit I think that’s quite apt (it’s owned by the same parent company as Butlins and Haven Holidays, incidentally). I don’t mean to sound snobby about this. When I was growing up I enjoyed regular family holidays at Butlins holiday camps and hotels. But the format does seem a little tired and old-fashioned now. In my view the company could learn a few lessons from the range of entertainment offered on cruise ships nowadays and even in tourist hotels in places like the Canary Islands.
I also think Warners could do a lot more to welcome solo guests and get them involved. At times I found staying there surprisingly lonely. Again, my experience with cruises has been that they do a much better job for solo guests, with regular meet-ups, social activities and even dedicated staff members to look after them. It would be nice if Warners did something similar. There are lots of older people who live alone, and I think the company are missing a trick by not reaching out to them.
But to be fair, I do think Warner Leisure Hotels offer an appealing combination of comfortable rooms, good food, a full activities and entertainment programme, and good value prices. I’m not planning on going again soon, but I certainly wouldn’t rule it out in future.
So those are my impressions of Warner Leisure Hotels, but what do you think? Have you stayed at one yourself, or would you even consider it? I’d love to hear your views!
For a wider range of all-inclusive holiday options in the UK and abroad, check out this article on Over 60s Discounts 🏖
Disclosure: This review includes affiliate links, so if you click through and make a purchase I will receive a commission for introducing you. This will not affect in any way the terms you are offered. Neither has it influenced in any way this review!
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Today I am pleased to bring you a guest post from Cora Harrison, a UK blogger and vlogger (video blogger) whose website is called The Mini Millionaire.
Cora is a successful ‘comper’ who (as revealed below) has won over £20,000 worth of prizes from free-to-enter consumer competitions. In her article she explains how anyone can follow in her footsteps and shares her top tips and resources.
Over to Cora, then…
Twenty years ago my dad, a former miner, spent most of his night shifts listening to the radio answering tie-breaker questions. He won a number of prizes, his favourite of which was a cash lump sum that allowed him to purchase a greenhouse for our garden.
Twenty years later and in my young adulthood I’ve found myself with the same hobby of entering competitions to win prizes. Albeit, things are slightly different now. That’s of course due to the internet, which has seen radio and postal competitions decline in favour of email and web-based competitions – after all, this is a marketing promotion for businesses, and they are interested in creating product awareness and getting you to buy their product.
While I’ve only been a true ‘comper’ for the past three years, I’ve managed to win upwards of £20,000 worth of prizes, including a television, a number of nights and weekends away, a family trip to Universal Studios in Florida, a games console, and much, much more…
Today I want to present a basic introduction to what I believe to be one of the greatest hobbies ever – comping!
Where To Find Competitions
Finding competitions has been made much easier since the birth of the internet. That’s thanks to database websites listing competitions, the answers to any questions asked, prizes on offer, closing dates, etc.
As well as checking these websites regularly, I also subscribe to Compers News. For £4.95 a month I get a monthly magazine posted direct to my door with a directory of great competitions, news articles from the world of comping, and an online forum providing me with connections to people who share the same interests as me.
How To Enter Competitions
There are a number of different ways in which competitions can be entered. Prior to the internet the main ways were phone calls and the post. And while these methods of entry still exist, they are much less common now.
Instead, as I mentioned in the introduction, you’ll find many more competitions that are online based. They may require you to sign up for a free account for a website, for example, or even to comment via your social media account.
My favourites are known as ‘creative competitions’. These often require you to make or design something. They can sometimes require a specific skill and take longer to enter than other competitions due to the effort required. But of course this has the effect of reducing the number of competing entries, and gives you the opportunity to use your skills to give your chances of success a big boost.
Here’s my girlfriend’s entry to a recent competition hosted by British Heart Foundation charity shops. This required you to use your sewing skills to upcycle an item of clothing from the store.
Unfortunately, she didn’t win the top prize of a European break for two. However, she had a fantastic time creating the outfit!
Hints and Tips
Now we know where to find competitions and how to enter them, I want to set out some basic hints and tips that should help you to enjoy your new found hobby of comping.
1. Only Enter Competitions For Prizes You Want To Win
Believe me when I say that there are thousands upon thousands of prizes available to win in the UK alone each and every month from competitions. And while some people choose to enter the competition regardless of the prize, I’d advise you to focus instead on a couple of items you’d like to win and enter those competitions specifically.
Spending more time on one entry rather than rushing through to enter as many competitions as possible is certainly going to increase your chances of winning those prizes you really want.
2. Don’t Get Discouraged
It’s easy to get discouraged in comping when you haven’t won a prize in a while. However, remember that everyone goes through a dry spell and absolutely any competition win is a great blessing.
Keep entering competitions for the prizes you want to win even when you’re feeling discouraged, though. You’re only going to win a prize if you enter the competition.
3. Get Creative With Your Entries
As I mentioned earlier, getting creative with your entries is a great way to extend this hobby into other areas of your life. We’ve created some fantastic photo entries, built forts from cardboard boxes, baked cakes, sewn outfits. You name it!
4. Hold ‘Comping Days’ With Friends And Family Members
Comping doesn’t have to be a lonely hobby. There are a number of comping clubs scattered across the UK and some national events hosted by the community. Even if you can’t attend one of the events in person get active within the online comping community in one of the many forums or Facebook groups.
Even consider having ‘comping days’ with your friends and family members. There are competitions exclusively for children that require them to be creative for a chance to win prizes. So consider getting some competitions for the children (or grandchildren) to do the next time they visit, for all the family to join in with.
Many thanks to Cora Harrison (pictured, right) for some great tips and resources.
When I was younger I entered quite a few competitions and won various prizes, including a crate of beer for devising a slogan for a brewing company. I also won third prize in a local radio competition where the top prize was a luxury Mediterranean cruise. Sadly, the third prize was just a leather passport holder and a book of travel tips. So near yet so far!
I do nevertheless think comping is a great sideline earner/hobby for older people. Age or disability are no barriers, and the costs are minimal. You can do it from the comfort of your home with the aid of the internet. It can help keep your grey cells active, and the lure of cash and prizes is hard to resist. So why not check out the resources in the article, including Cora’s own Mini Millionaire site, of course.
Good luck, and happy comping!
As always, if you have any questions about this article, for Cora or myself, please do post them below. And if you have any comping success stories or helpful hints and tips, do share them also!
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Many thanks to Cora Harrison (pictured, right) for some great tips and resources.