Win it Wednesday: What I've Won Recently (And My All-Time Best Prizes!)

As you know, I can rarely tell a short story! So, here’s another little long story about how I started another fun, non-traditional side hustle.

When I was a stay-at-home mom, I used to browse a forum called SlickDeals. While I initially went there for the free samples (which were great for trying products I couldn’t afford!), I stumbled upon a section called "What did you get in the mail today?" Most users were posting about samples, but one user was always posting about prizes she won on Twitter.

When she posted about winning a $50 Marshall's gift card, I signed up for Twitter, entered the daily Marshall's giveaway, and I won! 

My Biggest Wins Over the Years

I started entering giveaways whenever the kids were napping or I had spare time. Over the years, I won a lot of cool items! My best wins included:

• A stove from Sears

• A ping pong table

• An iPad

• Numerous gift cards and other prizes

Once I started working full-time, I stopped, but I picked the hobby back up about two years ago. Now, I focus on blog giveaways, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter) contests, as well as occasional major brand sweepstakes.

Win It Wednesday is Back!

Since many of you follow me on X, I figured it would be fun to start a "Win it Wednesday" post each week so we can cheer each other on!

I'll start: I recently won a beef jerky prize pack on X from @ChooChooRSnacks (which I've already received!) and $30 from @Four_FORM_ (payment due in 30 working days).

The Final Piece of Advice

A quick word of advice on entering: don't be greedy! The best way to keep this hobby fun and clutter-free is to only enter contests for prizes you genuinely want, will use, or would gift to a loved one. Winning is exciting, but if you win something you don't need, it often just becomes junk you have to store, sell, or donate—and someone else may have really needed or wanted it. By focusing on prizes you truly value, you keep your motivation high and make every win a great one.

Now it's your turn!

• Have you won anything recently?

• Do you have any sweepstakes referral links to share?

Let me know in the comments!