Why I Enter Every Contest I Find

As I was answering the unscientific survey that sometimes repeats itself on the Women's Health Magazine website one morning as I do every morning, I thought, huh, I bet no one ever wins anything. These surveys sometimes have a blank choice. Not like "Other." A blank, like a programming snafu. Sometimes the survey asks a simple question that applies to everyone and will list answers in a way to make the question not apply to you. Or it will offer a "Doesn't Apply To Me" choice when it has to apply.

Like it will ask: Do you have any tattoos?

The choices would be:

(a) Yes and I regret it

(b) I really want one

(c) No way

(d) They are nice for others but not for me.

(e) Doesn't apply to me

First off, where the heck is the choice for "Yes, and I love it?" or "Yes, and I don't regret it."

Secondly, how doesn't it apply? Either you like them or you don't.

In any case, I go through these surveys almost every day. Every day, they offer a new prize according to that month's theme. Sometimes the theme is clothes, sometimes accessories, sometimes beauty, sometimes fitness. Every daily entry puts you in the running for winning a vacation.

I also enter contests like HGTV's Dreamhome Giveaway, and as I fill in the info every day, I think--would I move into this house? Would I sell it? Would the additional prize money be enough to cover the taxes I'd have to pay on winning the house? Would I use it as a rental?

Every day until their deadlines, I fill out forms for vacation contests sponsored by AAA. Sometimes I enter contests from The Travel Channel and on PLJ's website. I've even called in to PLJ. Once I got through. My guess was Donnie Osmond. The right answer was Bob The Bachelor.

A few days ago, I received a Polar Fitness Cross-Training Monitor in the mail that I'd won from Women's Health Mag. Despite their awkward phrasing and lack of scientific method, they came through. I had received an email saying I'd won something and asking me for my size. I had no idea what I'd won and I wrote back that I'm an extra-small anything. They'd sent me a link to the winners and what they'd won, but the link didn't work. Turns out, I'd won during a good theme month--gadgets or fitness or fitness gadgets. In any case, it's a great gift to get for free. We like free. We like contests.