In my last post back in April (oh my, it’s been that long?! ) about making money online through online contests, I have laid out some facts, reminders and tips about participating in these promos. I also shared my success stories and some outtakes while joining some of the contests over the web. So, if you haven’t read that post yet, click here. I bet I can convince you that joining online contests is fun. Think of all the free stuff you’d get!

Now, if my post about how you can make money online from joining online giveaways didn’t influence you enough, I’m hoping that with my next posts about this topic, I’d be able to encourage you to jump in and participate too. I’d be telling you about my experiences in joining contests, including the frustrations of not winning or being cheated in the hopes that you’d be better educated when you do join contests.

By the way, before I start, do you know that there’s now a term to refer to online giveaway joiners?

Professional Contest Joiners

I can’t really consider myself as a professional contest joiner. This title is usually given to those who have a dedicated blog, Facebook, Twitter or email account for participating in online giveaways and really spend most of their time (and, sometimes, even money) and wide network to enter.

Some giveaway hosts though frown upon the practices of these professional contest joiners that’s why they have strict qualifications for the participants. They’re also usually the ones who have multiple, fake or spam Facebook or Twitter accounts.

I’m not a hater. I know how fun it is to win something so I understand why they do what they do. But, I’d usually not allow them to join in my major giveaways so I can provide quality exposure to my sponsors.

Online Contests Post Series

This will be a series of posts so I hope you stay tuned for the next parts:

• Part 1 – This will focus on my most expensive prizes SO FAR. This will be updated from time-to-time. Read my stories about my experiences as well as I share tips on how you can increase your chances of winning.
• Part 2 – Prizes that are priced Php 500 or lower and some that I didn’t bother or haven’t claimed or received yet. Will be updated too whenever I win something new.
• Part 3 – Stories from my fellow online giveaway / contest joiners.
• Part 4 – Hosting your own giveaway / contest where I’ll give tips on how to gather sponsors (especially when you’re just starting), and everything else you might need to know about holding contests, all based on my experience and some inputs from friends.

Without further ado, let’s start with my major winnings…

Part 1 – My Top Prizes

These prizes may range from gadgets to gift certificates from different online contests I’ve joined.

Nokia 5230 – DJ Mo Twister’s Twitter Giveaway

Me and a friend were avid blog and Twitter followers of DJ Mo Twister of Magic 89.9. When we saw him hosting a giveaway, I jumped right in. It was a daily giveaway for a month, I think.

After a couple of disappointments, I thought that possibly, if I blog about him and his giveaway, I’d get his attention. So, I did that and informed him through Twitter, not really expecting he’d notice ‘cause of the hundreds of participants.

Guess what… I won! Eerrr… okay, it might just be coincidence and I was actually picked at random, but still, I was ecstatic. Well, it was mainly because my old phone just gave up on me and it was the PERFECT timing that I won this new phone.

TIP: Yes, a little brown-nosing may help you win SOME contests / giveaways. Remember that whenever you write or prepare your contest entry.

Are you thinking of quitting your job and want to know how you can wisely invest your earnings to earn passive income?

Or maybe you just want to know more about various money-making fields like the stock market, real estate, global funds, forex, franchising, e-commerce, and information marketing, among others?

Then, you SHOULD join the Money Summit & Wealth Expo 2011!

Take note, just like all of the money-making programs I’ve featured here on my blog, the strategies you’ll learn from this conference won’t make you an INSTANT MILLIONAIRE. They won’t teach you get-rich-quick techniques. This is a LEGITIMATE business and investing conference where experts will share with you TWELVE (12) different ways to earn more money.

Specifically, you will learn how to:

• Invest in the stock market using fundamental and technical analysis.
• Invest in bonds and pooled funds such as mutual funds and unit investment trust funds.
• Buy gold, silver, and other precious metals.
• Trade in the forex market.
• Buy and sell real estate properties.
• Make money from foreclosures and rehabs.
• Buy and manage rental properties.
• Build and sell houses, townhouses, and apartments.
• Make money online.
• Earn from blogging and affiliate marketing.
• Sell on eBay and other e-commerce sites.
• Create information products and membership sites.
• Earn from royalties, licensing, and subscription fees from your intellectual property.
• Make money in network marketing.
• Franchise your business and earn franchise fees and royalties.
• And more!

Unsure if you should attend?

If you are looking for shortcuts, get-rich-quick schemes, this conference is NOT for you.

If you say YES to any or ALL of the questions below, then, you should consider attending the Money Summit and Wealth Expo 2011 conference.

Are you an employee…

• who want to get out of the rat race?
• exhausted with your 8 to 5 job?
• tired of paying too much in taxes?
• who want unlimited income?
• who want to earn extra income without quitting your job?

Are you a self-employedprofessional orproprietor…

• frustrated with self-employment?
• who want cut back on your time working?
• overworked with non-stop servicing of clients?
• who want to profit from your expertise?
• interested in new sources of income?

Are you a freelancer or consultant…

• tired of endless bids and pitches?
• getting overworked and underpaid?
• not enjoying a reliable source of income?
• who want to continue freelancing but earn more?
• who want to own your intellectual property?

Are you an executive…

• happy with your job but want to prepare for retirement?
• who want to replace earned income with passive income?
• considering transitioning into a consulting career or entrepreneurship?
• interested to explore investment opportunities?
• who want ensure your nest egg outlasts you?

Are you an investor…

• looking for other investment vehicles?
• who want better returns for your money?
• interested in investing or trading full time?
• who want to create a more profitable portfolio?
• wanting to meet like-minded individuals and strike possible partnerships?

Are you a business owner…

• looking for more business opportunities?
• who want to be more successful in your business?
• interested in exploring other markets?
• who want to generate more passive income?
• who want to build income-producing assets?

When is this happening?

There are 2 venues for the Money Summit & Wealth Expo 2011:

Money Summit Manila

Date: July 22-23, 2011
Event Times: 8.30am to 5.30pm
Venue: Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati City

Money Summit Cebu

Date: August 12-13, 2011
Event Times: 8.30am to 5.30pm
Venue: Waterfront Cebu City Hotel & Casino, Cebu City

Take note that these summits will feature different topics. Check the list below.

It’s been ages (read: over a month) since I last updated this blog. My apologies, I’ve just been really busy. Anyway, I’ve got topics already lined up so I promise to keep this more updated, especially after I’ve met a couple of people who have told me they’re actually following this blog. What a surprise!

Back in 2009, I’ve been seeing a lot of contests / giveaways online. At first, I ignored them. I’m a li’l paranoid when it comes to online security, you see, so I thought they were a bunch of scams.

If you’re still a non-believer like I was back then, YOU MUST READ ON! I’m starting to sound like one of those ads you’d see at PTC sites.

When did I start getting addicted to joining online contests/promos? Late in 2009, one of the blogs I follow, Yugatech, hosted a Christmas giveaway. I joined and won Php 500 worth of prepaid load.

The realization that winning that prize actually saved me money from buying load made me want to join more online contests. And that’s when I started scouring the web for local and international giveaways that I can join to win gadgets, Paypal cash, etc.

Whoever said that getting anything for FREE isn’t awesome is just crazy. I know a lot of people who are rich and hold high-paying jobs who still love joining contests. Participating in online contests can be a lot of fun and getting freebies is just as exciting.

Making Money Online Through Online Contests

There are tons of online contests where you can win straight cash prizes AND gadgets or items that you can sell or keep for your own use.

Would you believe that ever since I started joining online contests in December 2009, I’ve already won over Php 50,000 worth of prizes?! I might have even won more, but I already lost count. I will share with you all the prizes I’ve won so far in my next post. Keep posted for that!

Now, how exactly can you make money online by joining these online contests? Let me explain that part better through sharing my experiences…

• I’ve hosted 2 blog contests already on Just Another Pixel – Make a Wish and Thirty on 30. In both contests, Paypal cash was a major part of the prizes for the winners.

  
  Most contest hosts have also recognized how much Paypal cash as prizes can draw in more participants so expect to see more Paypal cash giveaways/contests.

• I’ve won two (2) Nokia 5230 cellphones last year. The first one, I won in DJ Mo Twister’s Twitter giveaway. I’ve been using it for months when I won another of the same model from an international contest, by F-Secure. We decided to sell that phone for Php 10,000. Minus the Php 2,000 I paid customs for the shipping of that phone, I got a profit of Php 8,000. So, it’s like I won that amount from that international contest.

  
  You can choose to sell or use the prizes you’ve won. That’s one way of making money through it.

• I’ve always wanted an iPad so when I saw Sulit’s blog contest with that as grand prize, I decided to join. I won. Yes, I got my iPad for FREE. It’s like I won Php 20,000+ cash to buy me that iPad. Cool, huh? One of my friends even won a brand new Mac computer in Sulit’s Christmas card-making contest (shout out to sis Grace!).

  

• Winning gift certificates from my favorite restaurants saves me money. Just like when I won Php 1,500 worth of gift certificates from Pizza Hut. My long-time friends and I have been planning on a get-together. We got to enjoy free pizza and just paid for our booze instead.

  

That’s just a few of the perks of joining online contests. Did I say it’s a lot of fun, especially when you start winning?!

About Contest Alerts Blogs and How Pinay Reviewer Started

In June 2010, I finally decided to start my own contest alerts blog – Pinay Reviewer. It was initially just a review blog, but I decided to transform it to my own contest alerts blog.

Pinay Reviewer was inspired by these blogs that I still follow. They are the other contest alerts blogs that I’m currently subscribed to. Make sure you check them out since promos or contests that I’ve already seen on them, I usually no longer post on Pinay Reviewer.

• Boy Kuripot
• Mukhang Pera
• International Giveaways
• The Products Blog
• Manila Life
• Promo Blitz

Make sure you subscribe through email to all those blogs’ feeds, including Pinay Reviewer’s, so you’ll be updated with the latest promos online and offline.

Aside from the above-mentioned sites, where do I find out about other promos/online contests? Well, I happen to follow hundreds of Facebook pages and I’ve categorized them depending on which ones usually offer promos or online contests to their fans/followers. When I see an ongoing contest / promo, I immediately bookmark it for posting later on Pinay Reviewer.

I also check out what other people in my Facebook network (read: friends list) are doing. There are times I find out about a contest because someone in my network posted a status or shared it on his/her wall. I also see what FB pages they follow / just liked. Stalker much?

Lockerz is holding 5 redemptions for all their members! Yes, that’s 5 redemptions! The first one went live a couple of hours ago, but you still have time to join the other redemptions.

Tip: For Philippine residents, the redemption usually happens at around 5-8am.

If you’re eligible to join any of the redemptions, you should’ve received an email notification. If got lost in your inbox, here’s the list of eligibility rules for each redemption:

• Redemption 1 – Members who joined Lockerz before August 1, 2009
• Redemption 2 – Members who joined Lockerz before December 1, 2009
• Redemption 3 – Members who joined Lockerz before August 1, 2010
• Redemption 4 – Members who have not redeemed in 5X Redemption and who joined Lockerz before March 7, 2011
• Redemption 5 – Members who have never redeemed at PTZ Place and who joined Lockerz before March 7, 2011

I’m not really sure where I belong. I forgot when I started with Lockerz so I’ll try my luck with redemptions 2-4.

Lockerz New International Shipping Rules

If you’re an international Lockerz member (meaning you live or your shipping address is outside the USA), there’s some bad news. Well, actually, for me, it’s good news since you don’t have to worry about having to pay for duties and taxes. I completely understand why they had to change the Lockerz international shipping rules. Here’s a quote from their FAQ:

Why don’t you ship to countries outside the US?

International shipping has proven too costly. Members often have rejected items once they have arrived because they have refused to pay for duties and taxes. Lockerz ends up paying to ship such items twice or abandoning them. Everyone loses as a result.

Now, how can you redeem using your PTZ then? Straight from their FAQ:

Do you ship to my country?

We will ship Redemption items to members with US addresses. Winners with shipping addresses outside the US will receive a substitute cash equivalent based on the item?s approximate retail value in US dollars (USD) via PayPal or AlertPay only. Please note that the approximate retail value upon which we are basing the cash award is non-negotiable by our members and all decisions are final. Members still will be solely responsible for reporting and paying any taxes, duties or fees.

So, to keep it short, you get a cash equivalent of the item you’re redeeming through your Paypal or Alertpay account. Since I’m actually planning on redeeming Paypal cash only, I don’t have any issues with this.

IMPORTANT: For you to receive cash through the 2 payment processors they’re using, YOU MUST make sure the email address you’re using to login to Lockerz is the same email address you’re using for your Paypal or Alertpay account. Just change your email address on your account/profile settings page and confirm it.

When will be the next Lockerz redemption?

Since there are hundreds of thousands of members on Lockerz, they cannot announce exactly WHEN the redemption is happening in advance. They will only tell you it might be happening this day and you have to wait, like the rest of the members, for the announcement that the redemption is live.

If you cannot enter the Lockerzredemption or PTZ place, that means you’re not eligible to redeem anything. Make sure you read the rules that they post on the main page to see if you qualify.

Want a FREE Lockerz Invite?

If you want a FREE Lockerz invite, leave your email address in the comments section below. I’ll send you one right away!

One of the third party advertising networks where I earn money online is Nuffnang. I love Nuffnang not because of the money I earn from them, but also because of the opportunities they give to their members (called Nuffnangers) to meet-and-greet and the awesome contests they hold from their advertisers. They even have freebies/giveaways to their member bloggers!

Nuffnang is Asia-Pacific’s first and leading blog advertising community. Advertisers can choose between a graphic- or animation-based advertisement. They have offices in 4 countries: Singapore, Malaysia, Australia and here in the Philippines.

I joined their Glutamax "The New Me" blog-writing contest and I won a pack of Glutamax products. The winner took home an Apple Macbook! It was my first blogger event and I went home full and happy. I met a couple of bloggers, too. Read more about that event on Just Another Pixel.

So, now, let me share with you how you could join and make money from Nuffnang. It’s SO easy. What’s best is you get your earnings in our local currency (Philippine Peso) AND the advertisers are local companies. The chances of people clicking on those ads are way HIGHER so your earning potential is higher, too, of course.

Before the guide, here are some important information about Nuffnang that you need to know:

• Minimum Payment: Php 2,000 for Nuffnangers in the Philippines
• They do not pay out through Paypal. They would either mail you a check OR deposit it directly to your bank account. My first payment from Nuffnang was deposited to my Unionbank EON account.
• They will charge you Php 20 every withdrawal or payment request. (Update)
• You can add multiple blogs to your Nuffnang account to increase your earnings.
• They have three (3) campaigns for bloggers and advertisers:

• Cost Per Mile / Impression (CPM) campaign
  • Your earning potential here is based on your average unique visitors.
  • Bloggers are arranged into specific "blogger bands" based on the average unique visitors. The higher your blogger band is, the higher you earn PER ad that appears on your Nuffnang ad unit.
  • Here, you earn immediately when an ad is assigned to your blog. No unique clicks are necessary.
• Cost Per Click (CPC) campaign
  • You earn through the unique clicks by your unique visitors on the ad that are running on your Nuffnang ad unit.
  • Your earnings will be credited and will reflect on your account 3 days after the CPC campaign ends.
  • In short, for this campaign, if the ad unit on your blog doesn’t generate clicks, you don’t earn anything.
• MCPM (Metered CPM) campaign

• In this campaign, an advertiser buys a set of unique visitors from your blog.
• Buffered earnings will appear on your account. You will receive your full earnings from the campaign once you’ve reached the set unique visitors bought by the advertiser.

How to Start Making Money Online with Nuffnang

Making money online with Nuffnang is very easy. I’m going to show you exactly how easy it is to setup Nuffnang ads on your blog and start earning immediately.

1. First off, sign up to Nuffnang. Fill up the form completely.

2. Once you’re done signing up, you can then go to the Blog Manager to add multiple blogs. On this page is where you can see and manage all your blogs that you’ve already added to your account.