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"I was instructed to use the package marked 'A' for a week, and then switch to the package marked 'B' the following week. After two weeks, I received a call from the company asking about the results of my test. They asked questions like, 'Could I name three adjectives describing my experience with both types of paper?' It was definitely a phone call to remember. At the end of the call, I was told that I would receive coupons and other considerations in the mail for my participation in this test. Ever since then, I have received a free four-pack of Charmin toilet paper once a month, every month. This has gone on for over 20 years, and it does not look like it will stop
We managed to get in touch with the creator of one of these Ask Reddit threads, Kelvin_Inman. The user revealed they do not remember how they came up with the question but guessed it was likely something that inspired them at the moment. They found the comments to be very interesting and were glad their thread received so much attention, since “you never know which post gets traction”.
Bored Panda was curious to hear their take on why so many of these lifetime supply contests didn’t turn out as expected. Kelvin_Inman said that one reason could be the strange products these competitions usually offer, “the ones that either expire or the winner could easily get sick of.”
#3
"After I discussed it with my parents, we went back to the QFC, and I met with the manager and proposed my idea. After being given a few more sheets, I sat in the entryway of the QFC with a cheese hat and sold them for face value. What did I do with the profit, you ask? I donated it to hurricane relief in New Orleans. I sat there for the whole day saying, 'Cheesy for the Big Easy?' to every customer who came in. This was shortly after Hurricane Katrina, and we ended up raising $500 that day.
#4
They also mentioned that their favorite story from the thread was about donated cat food. User HazelKathleen typed out a reply about their dad who won a year’s supply of cat food but “it was delivered in one go and the cat didn’t like it (of course). The people at the shelter were super happy though, so it ended well!”
Kelvin_Inman told us that this comment was a perfect example of how poorly executed these contests can be, but luckily it had a great result due to the creative and caring winner. “If I were to win a contest like this, I’d want it to be for paper towels — I go through a ton of those,” they revealed.
#5
"I'm glad you asked, hypothetical reader. It was 365 boxes. For a family of four individuals who did not normally eat junk food, this was quite more than one year's worth of Oreos for us. We kept a couple of boxes, and then my parents took the rest to a food bank as they were delivered
#6
If you believe that people often win competitions out of sheer coincidence, it’s also possible to make your own luck. There are plenty of people who win a variety of contests regularly by entering a lot of them at once, and they often see it as a fun and exciting hobby. They are called the “sweepers”, and Carolyn Wilman of Ontario, Canada, is one of them.
The sweepstakes specialist runs a blog called Contest Queen and is the author of You Can’t Win If You Don’t Enter and How To Win Cash, Cars, Trips and More, all dedicated to winning things for free. “‘Sweepers find, enter, and win sweepstakes as a hobby. It’s very simple and a lot of fun,” she told Bored Panda and added that people call them contests in Canada and competitions in the UK and Australia. “The hobby is the same globally, no matter what you call it.”
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When asked about the most memorable prizes she has ever won, three things came to Wilman’s mind. “A trip for four to the Vancouver Winter Olympics, a trip to the set of the Harry Potter movies, and meeting Sting,” she revealed. But while entering contests may seem like a very time-consuming activity, she doesn’t spend as much time as people may believe — only around one or two hours per day.
It also doesn’t take long for her to find competitions to enter. “I can spot the word ‘win’ at 100 paces plus I use a sweepstakes aggregate.” Wilman mentioned she created her website as “a hub of all things contesting,” making it easy for anyone to get started. “I have a list of sweepstakes aggregates people can check out. All of them post legitimate sweepstakes for people to enter. They are all different formats and styles,” she said.
“I recommend people try different ones out and see what they like. When they are having fun, they win. If it feels like work, stop. This hobby is supposed to be fun!”
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"People thought at first, 'Oh, cool! Ninja frisbees!' But then when they didn't fly and left ink on their hands, they didn't want them. So my friend was stuck with thousands of these things. Later, he ended up using it to supplement his attic insulation. I wonder years from now, when someone buys his house, if they will wonder what weird insulation company the previous owner used
#12
"About a year later, I was in the place for only the second time, since a friend wanted to try what was supposedly the best hot chocolate in the city. The manager says, 'Hey, you're that guy that wrote that story!' I was shocked since he'd only met me once, a year earlier. I asked how on earth he remembered me, and he said it was because my year of free hot chocolate was up. They gave my sister and me a YEAR of free hot chocolate instead of a week because they liked the story so much, but they never told us
However, even when the Contest Queen manages to win so many competitions, it’s still not enough to make a living out of it. You see, some prizes cost money. “I always say it’s a cheap trip, not a free trip. The last trip we went on that we won was to Universal Studios before the lockdowns.”
“The trip was four days and three nights with park passes and spending money, but we still had to cover getting to and from the airport (at our end), tips, souvenirs, etc. If you win concert tickets, you still pay for a babysitter, gas, parking, dinner out. You get the picture. This hobby enhances your life. It cannot fund it,” she explained.
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But while nearly everyone dreams of winning a big prize, it’s important to watch out for con artists who try to lure people into giving out money or personal information with their fake promises. “That is why I recommend using a sweepstakes aggregate as they aggregate all the legitimate giveaways for you to enter, plus if you spot major advertising, it’s legitimate,” she said and stressed the importance of always reading the rules.
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It might seem overwhelming to see how many different contests are out there, and that’s why Wilman writes books, newsletters, blogs, and creates countless videos to teach people and help them become “super sweepers” themselves. She shared five of her top tips to get started: “Create a new email address only for entering, use a sweepstakes aggregate to quickly and easily find legitimate giveaways, use tools to help you enter faster, use all five entry methods to increase your odds of winning, [and] always read the rules.”
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