New Year's Resolutions

The Westfield Insider Fashion Blogger Competition

Getting paid $100,000 to shop and blog for a year? Where do I sign up?

Westfield shopping centres recently ran this dream job contest and I jumped at the chance. With such a covetable, glamorous prize, it was obviously going to be a hard-fought competition. Eager entrants posted their favourite shopping tips on the Facebook page, an advertisement was posted on job-seeking web sites and fashionistas flocked to Westfields around the country to audition/interview for the role.

Here's the lowdown from the web site...

The Westfield Insider will...

• Share shopping information on the Westfield Insider blog, Facebook page and through email, video and other channels.
• Create engaging online content to help others get more from their shopping.
• Research new products and trends both in centre and online.
• Be a presenter and contributor for online video content.
• Encourage online participation and respond to requests from shoppers through social media channels such as Facebook.
• Travel interstate for key events, and report their experiences online.
• Act as a shopping spokesperson for publicity purposes.

Personal Skills & Attributes:

The winning applicant will:

• Have a genuine love of shopping - particularly in finding great value.
• Be technology savvy and preferably active in social media, such as Facebook, Twitter or their own blog.
• Possess excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Have strong and engaging written skills.
• Demonstrate a flair for style and the ability to advise others.
• Be motivated, self-confident, positive and professional.
• Possess a genuine passion for sharing their shopping knowledge with others.
• Have full Australian work rights.

And here's my entry, clueing you in on my three best fashion recommendations this season...

Bonds trackies are the must-have buy this season. While your finger is hovering over speed dial for the Fashion Police, hear me out. Comfy? Obviously. Stylish? Yes! Snap up a slimline cuffed pair from Harris Scarfe for $49.95, push up to mid-calf and team with heels and a structured jacket. Then strut confidently as a crowd parts around you, marvelling at your sartorial genius. Ease into the trend in black, grey marle or denim versions, or permanently blind suckers in the street with fluoro pink. And yes, I am trapped in an 80s time warp and I’ll thank you to smile and nod indulgently. ; )

You may have guessed, but no one could accuse me of being a fashion wallflower. I like my colours bright, my heels skyscraper and my jewellery uber-pimped. I’m a sucker for an obnoxiously large cocktail ring, me -- the bigger the better, IMHO. However, if you prefer something a little more demure, fancy a purr-worthy bow-shaped ring from Diva for $4.99? Guaranteed to go with everything in your wardrobe and not cause a fight with your boyf/mum/bank manager when you reveal the price. If you don’t fear the ire of the shopgirl, give her a fiver and tell her to keep the change. Run, don’t walk, to snap up this bargain.

Just what type of boots are made for walkin’ this season? Well, I’ll be Amsterdamned if I’ll be wearing clogs, that’s for sure – they’re just not flattering on me at all. Instead, I’ll be hot-stepping it this summer in Sportsgirl’s Desiree camel-toned wedges for $69.95. An instant style update in the walkable alternative to stilettos, with all the flattering height of their excruciatingly tiny-heeled counterparts. Team with the sorbet-and-candy-coloured threads of the season and lick your lips for some retail refreshments!

Sadly, I wasn't the eventual winner, despite making it through to the interview round. Congratulations to Alyce, who promises to be a excellent bargain hunter and ambassador. Meet her here and discover her latest fashion finds. : )

Celebrating 100 Followers!!!

Thanks to I LOVE WINNING'S merry band of followers for joining this blog. There are now 100 of us!


Actually, when I woke up this morning, it was 101. An especially warm welcome to our most recent additions, Coupon Mamacita, shining2save and Couponista (I'm pretty sure one of you was the 100th follower). : )

I will be glowing all day with the achievement!

Next stop, global domination?

The Morning Show Update

Well, I didn't fart, hurl or hiccup during my TV appearance, so I'm calling that a win. If you haven't seen it, check it out: Morning Show appearance.


In fact, it was kinda exhilarating when I wasn't hyperventilating. I showed up at the Radelaide studio opposite the brewery mega-early and then spent a whole heap o' waiting-around time with the cameraman, Rick. Occasionally someone from the Sydney studio checked I still had a pulse by small-talking to me down the earpiece and I could hear the hosts as the time got closer. I was particularly weirded out by a stretch of silence being broken by someone's joke about nipples during an ad break (I think it was Larry Emdur, but don't quote me!).

The actual segment flew by. Once I got going, I actually crapped on too long and was a bit thrown by being asked questions veering away from those planned the day before. I felt massive relief afterwards and raced to my friend's place nearby to catch myself live on the tube (we have a 30-minute delay here). I also called my work so they could check it out too.

It sure was a rush, but I'd have a coronary if I was on TV too often. I have a new-found respect and empathy for the CommSec guy, Tom Piotrowski, who I dubbed "Nervous Guy" years ago for his anxious on-air persona. Sorry Tom, I now see why!

I LOVE WINNING on Channel 7's Morning Show!

Television's The Morning Show contacted me after reading my Femail.com.au article on winning and asked me to appear on the show. So, it's showtime.


I will be appearing tomorrow (Wednesday, 12 May 2010 -- about 9:50am, Adelaide time) to discuss the wonderful world of comping -- how I began the hobby, prizes I've won, and tips on winning. I can't wait to chat with Larry Emdur and Kylie Gillies, 'cos, you know, I'm just wild about Harry (Larry) and Harry's just wild about meeeeee (Larry). (Does anyone else remember that advert?)

Now, just praying I won't embarrass myself Bridget Jones-style. Luckily there are no fireman's poles to slide down. And apparently I'll wear an earpiece, but won't be able to see myself or the hosts on a screen. I think this is for the best, as I can kid myself into thinking no one can see me. Nerves aside, I am ecstatic about this opportunity. I haven't been on TV before, so I'll try to relax and have fun.

Will let you know how I go!

Alice in Won-derland

Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland were two of my favourite childhood stories. My copies had holographic covers and bright, whimsical puppet illustrations. Later, a high school Maths assignment asked me to profile a famous mathematician and I chose Alice author, Lewis Carroll. He was actually a maths professor, explaining the twisted logic puzzles in his writing. When I recently watched Tim Burton's new movie version, my fascination with the story returned in full force. Is it any wonder(land) that I'm desperate to lay hands on Alice-themed prizes?


If the movie of your dreams hits the cinemas (and afterwards, is released on DVD), it's time to pounce on some magnificent merchandise. Think tickets to the movie or the new DVD, soundtrack CDs, T-shirts, watches, caps, books, computer games and holidays. Then there's tie-ins specific to the movie itself. For Alice in Wonderland, I've spied a giveaway of tea sets, but the possibilities are endless -- croquet set, alice band hair accessories, playing cards, chess set, garden flamingoes, fabulous hat, vibrator called "The Rabbit" (or maybe not)...

From a Google search of "Alice in Wonderland win" I enter to bag:
*   OPI nail polish
*   "Almost Alice" CD of songs inspired by the film
*   Nintendo DS game
*   Alice-themed prize pack, including double pass to the movie

Everything from fashion to music to video gaming has gotten the Alice treatment lately, but jump on the fad before it tumbles back down the rabbit hole forever. Visit web sites for cinemas, magazines and radio stations and the promotional site for the movie, and see promotions in stores, supermarkets and magazines and anywhere else you can imagine.

Be moved by a movie today and start entering. Soon you'll be frollicking in Won-derland too!

Surviving off Contests. Is it possible?

Could you survive entirely off winning contests?

A comedian nicknamed Nasubi (translates to "eggplant" in English) shot to fame on a Japanese reality show in the late 1990s by surviving off contests. He was locked in a bare apartment without food, clothing or toilet paper. He was given stacks of magazines and postcards, a radio and a telephone and forced to start winning for his supper. He could only stop once he reached one million Yen (roughly US$10,000).

Torture? Inspired television? Probably both.

So how did Mr Eggplant go?

It took him a couple of weeks to win his first prize, some jelly, his first food since his imprisonment. After another two weeks, he won rice, but still had no utensils. Various other foodstuffs followed (including pickled eggplant, his namesake!), although at one point he was reduced to eating dog food. Poor fellow.

The only clothes he scored were women's underwear, which didn't fit, however he gradually amassed other useful and not-so-useful items: two vacuums, a TV (but no antenna), bicycle, dental care products, set of tyres, tent, shoes, stuffed animals and much more. After almost 12 months, he'd finally met his 1 million Yen quota, but was shipped off to Korea for a further 3-month stint until he earned his plane ticket home.

For a more detailed recount of Nasubi's experience, visit Syberpunk. You'll be pleased to know it all ended happily for Nasubi -- he now tours with his own acting troupe, "Eggplant Way". I hope he thinks his win-carceration was worth it!

The moral of the story: surviving off contests is possible, but not pleasant. Don't try this at home, folks!

I Love Interviewing Myself

My interview with myself about entering competitions...

1. Take me through a typical week of entering competitions.

Luckily enough, my job requires me to work phone shifts where it is difficult to do actual work between calls, as you’re constantly interrupted. Phone shifts are great opportunities to trawl the Internet for competitions and conjure up "25 words or less" entries between calls.

I usually come home and spend an hour or so each night on the Internet entering competitions. Sometimes I’ll skip this if I’m playing sport or I go out and I don’t worry too much about compensating for the nights away from entering competitions.

2. How many competitions do you enter per day/week?

When I’m really dedicated to entering competitions, I’ll try to submit 20-50 entries a day or more. Almost all will be online and many will be for competitions that have unlimited or daily entries.

3. What do you do when you’re not entering competitions?

When I started entering competitions I was studying at university full-time and working part-time. I now work 4 days per week for the government.

4. How did you begin entering competitions as a hobby?

I was bored and lamenting the fact I had no money for clothes and decided to enter competitions on the computer and it just grew from there.

5. What was the first prize you won?

A $200 Kookai voucher. I found out I’d won by a letter with the voucher enclosed. I spent it on a green singlet top, a pair of camel-coloured pants and a sparkly black halter top. It was great fun.

6. What’s the biggest/best prize you’ve ever won?

The best prize I’ve won is a holiday to Japan a couple of years ago. My partner received an email notifying us we’d won at about midnight and excitedly called me into the computer room. I was almost asleep, but the tone in his voice intrigued me. We were so ecstatic we called his parents and woke them up. Because they were half asleep themselves, his dad thought we were the victims of a hoax until we mentioned it again at the family dinner the next week.

I’ve won only two holidays full stop, and strangely enough we found out we’d won the other trip – to Melbourne this time – just after returning from Japan!

7. How much money do you spend on entering competitions?

Apart from my Internet connection, which I would have anyway, hardly anything! I would use one stamp a week, maybe, for mail entries and make a phone call every couple of weeks. Internet is definitely my preferred method of entry.

8. How much do you win per year?

Around $2000 worth each year, on average.

9. Why do you love entering competitions?

There’s no other hobby that is as much fun as entering competitions. It brings real happiness into your life and gives you the opportunity to try new things. Thanks to entering competitions, I’ve visited Tokyo Disney, seen famous comedians in Melbourne, entered a screaming competition, gone on a scavenger hunt around Adelaide and learnt how to do a reverse spin stunt in a Mini Cooper.

10. What’s the best way to improve your chances of winning?

Study examples of winning entries and just keep on entering!

How It All Began...

I began entering competitions as a cash-strapped university student living in public housing a few years ago. I was studying full-time and working hard, at times in two jobs, but had little spare cash to spend on my great loves – clothing, shoes, and travel.

There weren’t enough hours in the day to take on another job and I decided to make my hobbies more profitable instead. I began searching the Internet for competitions and scoured the local supermarket aisles for entry forms. I found a huge range of promotions available and entered as many as possible. Several weeks later, I won a $200 shopping spree in one of my favourite stores, Kookai.

I’ve been addicted ever since.

My competition wins now include holidays to Japan and Melbourne, a $1,000 shopping spree, makeup packs, DVD box sets, movie tickets, clothing, perfume, and electrical appliances.

This blog will be packed full of hints to help you on your way to a winning lifestyle too. I hope you have fun. Good luck!