Instant Win Sweepstakes

Has anybody won anything lately?  My husband won a $50 gift card in the Toy Story 3/KMart instant win game (okay, I'll be truthful.  I won him the $50 gift card!)  Leave a comment to let me know!  If you've just started playing, don't get discouraged.  Sometimes it takes awhile to get started.

A lot of people who consider themselves "experts" at sweepstakes say that holiday weekends are a wonderful time to enter instant games.  Your chances are better because less people are playing since they are going out of town or just too busy.  This holiday weekend I'm going to be one of those people who are too busy to play...I'm pretty sure I won't be back on here until next Tuesday.  If you've got some extra time on your hands, here are some more instant win sweepstakes you can enter.

• Win an Iron Man 2 video game or movie tickets with the Marvel Entertainment and Symantec Iron Man 2 sweepstakes.  Ends July 3.  http://www.everyclickmatters.com/ironman/sweeps.php

• Chico's is giving away a spa trip and 20 $50 Chico gift cards.  Ends July 11.  http://www.chicos.com/store/home.jsp
• AARP is giving away a variety of gift cards....and you don't even have to be retirement age!  Ends July 13.  http://aarp.promo.eprize.com/trivia/
• Comcast Interactive is giving away HDTVs, Notebooks and lots of Fandago promo codes.  Ends July 15.  http://www.truefantrivia.com/
• Win a VISA gift card or a trip to San Fransisco from Glaxo Smith Kline and Fiber Choice.  Ends September 1.  http://www.fiberchoice.com/
• In the M&Ms Pretzel Instant Win Game you can win $50.  Ends September 5.  http://community.nascar.com/mms/go/contest/landing?instantwin=1
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Toy Story 3 Sweepstakes!

As most of you with kids know (and some of you without kids!) Toy Story 3 came out on Friday.  I can't hardly wait to take my kiddos to see it, but I'm going to because I don't like crowds.  In the meantime I have found some great Toy Story 3 sweepstakes for you to enter.

• Alloy Media is giving the opportunity for someone to win a $1,000 scholarship and (4) $100 gift cards.  Enter the sweepstakes once by June 23 at http://www.toystory3sweeps.com/
• Delta will give a grand prize winner a trip for four (including hotel and air) to any Delta Vacations Destination and (10) runner up prizes of Toy Story and Toy Story 2.  Enter once by June 26 at http://www.deltavacations.com/forms/webcontest/request.do?webContestCode=TS3
• There are three great prizes you can win from Addidas:  Rooms To Go Toy Story 3 Makeover, a years worth of movie passes or a years worth of Addidas shoes.  Enter daily through June 30 at  http://adidas.promo.eprize.com/toystory3/
• L'Oreal is sending a family of 4 to New York, including accommodations, a $2,000 toy shopping spree and $500 cash.  Runner-up prizes include (25) $100 gift cards to a major toy store and (100) Toy Story and Toy Story 2 DVDs.  Enter one time by September 13 at  http://www.lorealparisusa.com/_us/_en/default.aspx#/?page=top{userdata//d+d//diagnosticmain:brandpage:lorealkidsmedia:_blanknavoverlay:toystorysweeps}
• Kmart is giving away a grand prize of a trip for (4) to Hollywood, CA for a Disney Experience (include roundtrip air transportation, 4 days/3 nights hotel accommodations, behind the scenes tour of Disney Consumer Products and behind the scenes tour of the El Capitan Theatre.  Instant prizes include (300) $50 KMart gift cards.  You must be a member of the Shop Your Way Rewards Program but it is free and easy to join.  Enter daily through July 3 at http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/dap_10151_10101_DAP_Toy+Story+3+Sweeps?adCell=W3

Tip Tuesday - If it's too good to be true...it probably is

Recently on Facebook I had several friends who "liked" a link on because it told them they would get a $100 gift card to Olive Garden.  I started seeing red flags immediately.  There are many legitimate companies who will give away small or medium items (such as Bic giving away razors to the first 1,000 people or Shutterfly giving away coupons for free photobooks for the first 500 people) and there are many companies who choose a few winners to give a big prize to.  But I can't think of any company that will give out $100 gift cards because you say you want one.

I did click on the link (without "liking" them) and learned that it was a "marketing" company who was NOT AFFILIATED OR ENDORSED BY OLIVE GARDEN.  When you see those words and they are giving away a $100 gift card...run.  Most of the time they are "marketing" companies who want your vital information to pester you and to sell it to other companies so they can also pester you.  I know that have friends being pestered.

Most sweepstakes should be through a legitimate known companies site or run through a sweepstakes company (such as eprize).  If they are not, please beware.

I know a lot of people who want to win an ipad (MONICA!), so here are so ipad contests.

• Intel is giving away a Sony Viao E Series, Canon S90 camera and an ipad.  Enter once before June 27.  http://cs.condenastdigital.com/cs/promo/geektogeek/
• OLIVIA is giving away an ipad, along with OLIVIA books and DVDs.  Enter once before July 5.  http://wildfireapp.com/website/6/contests/32602/entries/new
• Dillard's is giving away an ipad, 3 ipod touches and 5 ipod nanos.  Enter once before September 28.  http://www.dillards.com/school/BackToSchool
• Dole is giving away an ipad with accessories every month.  Enter once before September 30.  http://sweepstakes.thenpost.com/index.php

Tuesday's Tip: The more you enter, the more you win

Any seasoned sweeper will tell you...the more you enter the more you win.  It's true and when you start winning it can get addicting to enter more and more sweeps.  I caution you, however that it's better to win for fun.  To me this means, make sure your family and life come first and sweep in your spare time such as when your husband is watching a tv program that is less than interesting.  This is how I try to sweep.  I can tell you that in the last 2 weeks due to trips to Disney World, a busy end of the school year and more that I have probably entered sweeps just 7 of the 14 days.  That is also why I wasn't able to update my blog last Tuesday :)

If you would like to sweep more, but can't spare the extra time (or just don't want to waste time!) I suggest using Roboform.  http://www.roboform.com/download.html  This computer program will automatically insert your name, phone number, address and birthday into the forms.

I was so excited today when I came home from picking up my son from school and grabbed my mail. I recieved an unexpected package...I had won something!  It is a science workbook with experiments for ages 4 - 7.  It's not a large prize but a very useful one, considering my son's last day of kindergarten is next Wednesday.  Here are some more fun summer sweepstakes.

• A chance to win a Mazda Miata plus many other small prizes in the Bic Soleil contest.  Contest ends August 8.  Enter Daily.  http://www.100daysofsunshine.com/index.cfm
• Bobby Flay is having a Grilling Giveaway!  Contest ends June 3.  Enter Daily.  http://www.foodnetwork.com/grilling-giveaway/package/index.html
• Thermacell is giving away Mosquito Repellant Products.  Contest ends June 30.  Enter Daily.  http://www.thermacellpromo.com/Register/Index
• Home Depot is giving away four $250 gift cards!  Contest ends August 31.  Enter Daily.  http://homedepot.promo.eprize.com/summersweeps/