Confession: I really don't want to win a trip.

I would love a trip. I recently started sweeping, and I had my first really big win in the first month-and-a-half. Four day trip to the Olympics worth $25k. Got the prize details, and wouldn't you know it, the days they selected wound up being the only days during the Olympics I can't be out of the country. So disappointed.

Originally Posted by Tricia316 Can I say, for myself who LOVES to win trips, I am happy to see people who have THOUGHT THROUGH their circumstances and know trips aren't for them right now. How many times have we read threads where someone wins a trip but then doesn't want to take it because they either didn't read the rules carefully or didn't think it through and then declined it? Trips cost time and money. Even if cash is part of the trip, you will most likely spend it before you even get to your destination on pre-trip stuff. I am leaving in 2 days for my HOF trip to Brazil. It included a $1000 check (Which turned out to be a AMEX gift card which CAN'T be used out of the US!) and we have spent over $1,000 getting ready for this trip. We needed visas for Brazil (already have passports), we needed to get vaccines that were strongly suggested ,our 8 year old daughter is being cared for by friends so we are giving them money and a week's supply of food for her and their kids, we have to pay our next door neighbor to watch the house and our four pets, ect ect. And then when we get to Brazil we are going to have to pay for most of our meals, souveniers, tips, tours ect on our days we aren't with the group for the trip winner stuff. But I knew all of this by reading the rules and knowing my family situation when I entered and I knew we could do it. Sweepers are not the general public people who randomly enter something never believing people actually win stuff. We knowingly do this as a hobby and KNOW people win because we read the thread. And if you enter you have a chance of winning. So THANK YOU to everyone who knows their personal/situational limitations and doesn't enter for trips that don't work for them! I hope everyone wins things they want and will enjoy! GLTA! Tricia

Ditto this (minus the going to Brazil) trips ALWAYS cost you, but they are the only way we can afford to take nice vacations right now. Very few have enough cash to pay all your expenses + taxes, but they are a great deal when you are fortunate enough to be able to win and go. It hurts me when people say well I asked for cash they said no and they weren't picking an alternate because most people, if they just thought it through and read the rules would know if they could make the trip or not (NOT ALWAYS, but mostly.)

I dont know how you guys do it! A lot of trips have specific dates and they need to be taken like...within 3 weeks! Work would never let me just up and leave I wish they were all super flexible.

Im usually entering trips for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th prizes

i would love to win a trip but i seldom see any for 1 person to NYC or Alaska my dream spots so unless cash options i do not enter

Originally Posted by oddbawl I dont know how you guys do it! A lot of trips have specific dates and they need to be taken like...within 3 weeks! Work would never let me just up and leave I wish they were all super flexible. Im usually entering trips for the 2nd, 3rd or 4th prizes

I am a stay at home mom with friends and family that can keep our daughter on a moment's notice. My husband works for his family's company and he is one of the bosses so he can take time off at the last minute. We are very very fortunate and we know this. We live 10 minutes from an international airport and have our passports in hand for all three of us. That being said, I look at the dates. There were lots of sweeps for trips for the first week of July this year. But I knew I would be on a trip win to Brazil those dates so I didn't even bother to enter. I also know when we will be traveling already in the next 10 months so I will skip trips that would overlap with those specific dates and let others enter. Otherwise we are able to go anywhere, anytime!
GLTA!
Tricia

Originally Posted by LadyCat i would love to win a trip but i seldom see any for 1 person to NYC or Alaska my dream spots so unless cash options i do not enter

If it's a trip win for 2 or 4 you can still take it alone. They will redo the ARV for you as well. So enter where you want to go!
Tricia

Originally Posted by LadyCat i would love to win a trip but i seldom see any for 1 person to NYC or Alaska my dream spots so unless cash options i do not enter

I see a lot of trips for 1 person to NYC, but they usually involve some kind of makeover. I wish there were more trips to Barcelona; that's where I really want to go.

Originally Posted by Tricia316 If it's a trip win for 2 or 4 you can still take it alone. They will redo the ARV for you as well. So enter where you want to go! Tricia

ok i had no idea they do that hm will check out more trips then thanks for the tip-wanna see my Yankees in NYC -been to Toronto not the same- before i die-lol i am 62 better hurry

Have won 14 trips since joining OLS, and never had a bad experience>

I would love to win a trip! I want to win a trip to Napa Valley and to Hawaii! The only place I do not want to win a trip to right now is Mexico.
It is so dangerous there with all the gang killings and drug wars. I would not chance it at this time.My kids are grown now so I can go anywhere
I please as long as its a WIN with some spending money. LOL!

Originally Posted by mrtdst I would love to win a trip! I want to win a trip to Napa Valley and to Hawaii! The only place I do not want to win a trip to right now is Mexico. It is so dangerous there with all the gang killings and drug wars. I would not chance it at this time.My kids are grown now so I can go anywhere I please as long as its a WIN with some spending money. LOL!

The Cancun area of Mexico is safe. There is only one drug cartel there and they have such a strong hold on the area that other cartels don't come in to battle with them. And they are not on the usual drug trail to the US border. The west coast of Mexico and the US border are the areas with the drug murders. We are going to Cancun with our 8 year old daughter in February 2013. She and I won a 3 night stay at an all inclusive resort on FB because she decorated an easter egg and we posted the photo on their FB page. There is violence everywhere just use common sense and know your surroundings.
Tricia

I love winning trips...How many of my friends have been to the Latin Grammys or an all expense trip to talladega lol. However, this year I slowed up on entering....I got killed in taxes last year. My trip win last year was valued at 12k..Worth every cent I paid in taxes, it was a once in a lifetime experience. However, I need to get money back this year, not pay again..

Our kids are grown but we paid for them to go with us on a NYC trip win. I would LOVE to win more trips! Only two under my belt so far....

I don't go for the trips either, to many problems with passports, airports, I do enter contests that the main prize is a trip but I would have to turn it down if I won, unless there is a cash choice for it, which most of them aren't. I take care of my twin 2 year old grandsons for 2 overnights a week and my son doesn't have anyone else to do it so trips are out of the question for now. It seems an awful lot of contests that are the main prize are trip prizes. I would like to see more first, second, third etc. prizes, and make them worth while.

When my kids were little I stayed away from the trip sweeps too. They are older now, but a weekend for two would still be impossible. I enter for family oriented trips now.