Mummy Saving Tip #2 - Enter Competitions!

 I'm going to make a confession... I am ...*takes deep breath* ... a CLOSET COMPER!
I have to admit in some circles I'm embarrassed to admit it, but surrounded by fellow penny pinching mummies I can be brave enough to tell you I LOVE entering competitions! I actually get a rush when I win something (no matter how small!) and I don't get a rush off much these days! (apart from my little ones gorgeous smiles of course!)



Now comping is often regarded as a bit of an 'old ladies' hobby, I know so many people who say, 'It's not worth entering competitions, I never win!' But the truth is you never know unless you try, and you definitely won't win if you don't enter!



Now I'm not saying I've won everything i've entered, and this post isn't about bragging (well not entirely ;) ) but just to show you that it can be worth having a go I will share with you a few of the prizes I have won...



Seeing as I seem to be in the mood for confessing some hidden secrets, I will tell you about the first prize I ever won in a competition. Now you have to bear in mind I was only 14 and it was the 'mid nineties'. But excuses out the way, I will admit that I was absolutely ecstatic (at the time) to find out I'd won a competition in 'Sugar' magazine to get tickets to go and see '5IVE' at the MEN Arena! I was my first 'gig' and I loved it! I screamed so loud I lost my voice!



AHEM!!! You can STOP laughing now!



So almost 13 years later I am no longer a 5ive fan, but still have a love of entering competitions. The ones I enter now are usually centred around my children, and recent wins include a Driver Dan DVD (MadeForMums facebook page), a pretty Anita 'Cherry Blush' nursing bra (Thinkbaby website) a merlin Annual family pass (baby expert website), a beautiful 'Little bird told me' Softly Snail infant rocker (Mummys news facebook page - pictured below), a haircut at a local salon (best of.. Bury facebook page) and tomorrow I am being flown to Surrey to take part in a 'Flora Cuisine cooking day' with a champagne lunch! (Flora hearts facebook page - more details coming soon...). And these are just in the last month!

It's so easy to enter competitions these days, so many are just a few clicks on the computer! There are a wide variety of competitions available to enter from ones where you have to make a purchase and ones where you answer a simple question to just following a 'blog' or 'liking' a facebook page. Then there are what has to be my favourite at the moment, and that's the photo competition! These can be on websites, on facebook or in magazines, and you send in, or upload a photo of your little ones! Often there's a theme such as 'cute smiles', 'making a mess' or 'fun with mum' (this was the theme of the baby expert one we won) and a popular theme at the moment on the run up to fathers day is 'Me and My Dad!' It's a lovely way of sharing your photo's and of course it's a bonus if you win a prize!



Now sometimes the prizes you win my not be something 'appropriate' for yourself or your own children but keep them in the cupboard for christmas and birthday presents, and think about all those saved pennies!





Of course mymummyspennies will be giving you these chance to win some fab przes very soon...I can't wait to reveal what's up for grabs!





And don't forget I (and other lovely fans) share any good comp's we find on the 'mymummyspennies' facebook page so like it to hear about whats up for grabs at the moment!



So 'penny pinching' mummies now it's your turn to share, please tell us what prizes you have won, or what comps you have entered at the moment and would love to win? I can't wait to hear about them!