The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio Read Along. Chapter One

FTC disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links.

This is a new series.  A friend and I are reading through The Prize Winner of Defiance Ohio by Terry Ryan and I am adapting my thoughts on the book here for everyone.

The book opens and there is no shortage of jingles.  I don't really get why a lot of them won.  I think this encouraged me big time when I was just beginning to enter contests and sweepstakes because I read some of these entries and I was just dumbfounded at things that won.  I realize that some expressions are now just archaic, like rhyming I'd with denied, but some I just cant' make hide nor hair of why they won.  I expect that is was just part of the era, as I'd hear my mother sometime make similar rhymes, but for my mind, now in the 21st century, I'm a bit confused as to why they won.  She was certainly talented, but I always think, "What is the company wanting?" and I can't imagine companies wanting some of these today.  Still, she was certainly talented and it very much worked for her, so I can't criticize too much.  

The coding of entries was brilliant for ones that you could enter multiple times.  However, if it was one entry per person, it was technically against the rules, but I understand why she did it if she did break the rules.  I mean, this was her only income to feed 10 kids.  

$10 ($103 today according to historical currency conversions) for a sexist jingle about Dial soap.  I mean, it's cute, but I don't think it's anything that special.

A couple off the top of my head entries:

I'm glad I use Dial, 

My hubby too,

For smells won't come near,
and neither Covid Mu.

(Okay, so that was bad and Mu is history, but. . )

I'm glad I use Dial, the golden bar is worth its weight by keeping me smelling fresh all day.

I'm glad I use Dial, gold, white, or spring water, keeps me smelling fresh, same with my daughter.  

Again, these are just first thoughts and I'd likely throw them out and work more.  Rule #1 is always "What's good for the company".  I think "What do the judges want to see?" then start from there.  Dial.  What are the reasons the judges want to hear you use Dial?  Freshness, cleanness, antibacterial properties.  Dial brings up pictures of flowers, showers, health, refreshing showers of a morning,  Then I think what might I be able to rhyme.  I have a rhyming dictionary, but usually I'll just sit and rhyme through the alphabet. 

Dial.  Bile. Kyle. File. Gile, Hile, Jile, Lyle, Mile, Nile, Pile, Rile, Sile, Tile, Yile, Zile, Chile, Shile, Plile, strile, style, while, 

Then I might pull out the words that might be useable.  File, Style, While, 

I'm glad I use Dial,

Keeps me fresh all the while,

I'm at school, work, or play,

Keep me clean through the day,

and the price is just my style.

(See how that's a bit better than the ones above?)

I had to laugh at "Hmm! Wonder what This Is" poem.  Reminds me of my days  of refunding.  I literally had an entire room filled with proofs of purchases.  In December 1993 or 1994 I was given a 30 year stash. Sometimes I would take labels off cans or remove them from boxes if I was needing to complete an offer quickly.  I sure am glad for savings apps now and not having to play dinner roulette and wonder if you are opening a can of green beans or sauerkraut.  

Also, it is still legal to require a proof of purchase for a skill contest, but not a sweepstakes.  

On page 25 she mentions a great thing to keep in mind -- who is it being marketed to -- such as you don't want to mention kids in an alcohol entry (unless you say something like both you and baby need a bottle at 2 AM, just with different refreshments -- even then I'd be cautious).  

I do remind myself reading her entries that it was a different era.  What was clever then makes people 70 years later wonder what on earth she was talking about.  There was a cuteness and charm to the 1950s, a whitewashed look where all faces were scrubbed and hid the pain just behind the surface.  But sometimes exaggerations or plain out lies help win.  Making an entry seem like every other entry, then leaving the judge laughing has worked for me.  Timing is something I consider, too.  An essay / video needs to be interesting enough at the beginning to keep you watching, but personally I like to think of it as a joke.  You want the punch line last.

Stay tuned for Prize Winner Chapter 2 Read along, and in the meantime, feel free to read all my blog posts on Sweepstakes and contests.

What is Fetch Rewards? Is it worth it?

 Very few people see their smartphone as a savings tool.  But that is how I view my device.  Why?  Savings apps.  I have several, and snap receipts from different places, but the one I want to talk about today is Fetch.

Savings apps are just that -- savings.  You won't get rich from them because you are getting something that you paid refunded to you.  But they can help you save on your grocery bill and help you out with saving for something special, be it Christmas gifts, a Disney trip, or just back to school shopping.  And good news, you can earn rewards from those purchases as well when you use Fetch!

With some savings apps, you have to go into the app before you go to the store,  add offers, see what the limit is etc.

The best thing about Fetch is you just snap your receipt after you are done shopping.  Really!  Usually most brands get you about the value of 1% back in points.  BUT most receipts will give you 25 points.  That's about 2 1/2 cents.  That's not a lot, but then there are times you find something you will use a lot of on sale, and you might earn quite a few points on those receipts.

ANY receipt works.  Fast food, grocery store, home improvement store.  Plus, there is a feature when you download the app where you can attach your e-mail for them to check for Amazon receipts.  

Another thing I like to do is see what the "pop up offers" are.  While these are things I have to remember to look for, and living in a rural area like I do, my stores may not have it.  Sometimes the pop up offers are for 100% of your purchase price back in points.  A few things I've gotten totally free are certain types of bread, Reese's Klondikes, Back the Roots growing kits (which my guinea pigs loved having some fresh sprouts!) 

I don't look at apps as a way to get rich, but I did cash out about $50 of rewards from Fetch last year.  That's a Christmas gift.  Or my phone bill for one month. Just from snapping receipts that I would have otherwise thrown away.  Of course a number of these came from offers I got totally free, but sure, I can eat a certain kind of bread that week to get the purchase price back.  

If you download Fetch Rewards on the Google Play or App store and use my code of NP7PE you will have an extra $3 put into your account and I will have $2 put in mine.  

Bottom line:  Fetch Rewards is a must have savings apps because all you have to do is snap receipts.  No adding offers to your account before shopping, and all receipts are accepted.