I am a Member of the National Consumer Panel….My Purchasing Data Will Shape the Consumer Future!!!!

Ok, perhaps “shaping the consumer future” is a bit dramatic…..but I am giving my input!

So a few months ago I was looking for ways to get free stuff and earn a little extra “fun’ money, as we have none of that, so I joined a few different opinion type groups.  Most, like “Opinion Outpost” and “ShadowShopper” are easy to get in to and you can start right away.  But The National Consumer Panel took a little more time to be a part of.

So what is the NCP, you ask?

Well…..

The National Consumer Panel is an operational joint venture between the two leading longitudinal consumer insights providers in the United States – IRi and Nielsen.  By recruiting, incenting, and equipping a representative sample of U.S. consumers with handheld scanning devices as well as alternative methods of data collection, the National Consumer Panel provides the highest quality, actionable consumer data to support the needs of both IRi and Nielsen. This consumer data is the raw material that powers the insights and solutions that IRi and Nielsen individually delivers to their respective clients.  

That sounds fun!!  I buy things and I love to scan things….I would be perfect.  So I filled out a survey to become a part of the NCP and waited.  Then a month later I filled out another survey for them and waited.  Then I had another survey to fill out for them to send me my stuff if selected.  A few weeks ago the packaged arrived….I was in!!!

The way it works is I get this scanner and we have to scan in EVERY purchase we make.  Gas, food, clothes, coffee, etc.  To be honest, I am still getting use to scanning every minuscule purchase in.  For each purchase you say who in the household shopped, whether discounts were used, where you shopped, then you scan the barcode and entry quantity.  (if there isn’t a barcode, they have a handy book with barcodes!) 

When you are done you enter the total spent and how you paid.  Then at least once a week or more you transmit the data to the NCP.  Then within a couple days some points appear in your account!!  You get points for weekly transmissions, if you transmit every week during the month, and for survey’s you complete.  You can then use those points for gifts or gift cards.  I have yet to make enough points to get that far, but looking forward to making even a little money for Christmas, by spending no more than normal and doing nothing more tracking my purchases!!

It can be a little time consuming because I don’t carry the scanner with me so I have to write down little things I purchase.  But for grocery trips I just lay out all the groceries, scan everything in, enter my totals, and put things away.  I usually do multiple small trips during the month at different stores to get sales; like Aldi’s once a month to stock up on canned goods, Walmart for weekly basics, Kroger when I have good coupons, and the meat market for all our meat. So scanning this stuff in take no more than 10 minutes each trip plus all those stores are on the list of stores!!  Easy.

I am getting nothing from this post, I just thought it was pretty cool and wanted to share!!

For more information or to join, click HERE.

Side note: A year ago we got selected to be a part of the Neilson TV survey for a week and record what we watch and we got $50!!!  I like to think what we watch shapes the future for TV programming everywhere!  Too dramatic again?!  Eh….

Feeling Lucky

Earlier this week I found out my name was one of a 100 people’s name drawn as a finalist for a $10,000 kitchen give-a-way! WHAT?!  I never get picked for anything!!  Now, before I get too far into my story and keep you on pins and needles to the outcome, no I didn’t win….but more on that in a bit :)

Seriously folks….I am so unlucky in raffles/drawings or anything that is about chance.  This is one reason why I do not gamble, I increase other people’s odds because I am that unlucky.  If there were 5 people and 4 gifts and names were selected randomly, I would be the one who did not receive a gift.  If I pick a checkout line and you are behind me, then just go to a different line as I will get stuck there (*most recent example below). If I were to play scrabble I would pick one vowel and mainly “X’s”, “W’s”, and an “S” (of course I only spell 3 or 4 letter words so it isn’t that big of a deal….but still I would get all the shit letters).  And let’s not even talk about what my outcome would most likely be in Russian Roulette.

So my point, dear readers is this….I am not known for being lucky with this stuff.  So when I randomly filled out a drawing ticket to win a new kitchen I never thought twice about it. (I filled it out because I like to write my name on tiny pieces of paper.)  Infact, when I got a voicemail from the radio station that I was one of a 100 finalists I had to think for about 10 minutes when I signed up for a drawing because I could not remember!  I never thought for a minute I would win anything, but I was very excited to actually get picked in a drawing. 

So last night I went to Abuelos for the chaotic drawing.  Seriously, the event planner in me came out big time as they obviously did not think this location or the way the raffle would work through at all.  Very disorganized, too many people, not enough room, and a fantastic place to do my favorite thing – people watch!  So I just sat patiently in my little corner, sipping on water and waiting for the drawing to begin.  I don’t really get out much and even though I do not generally like people or being in places with lots of people, I tried to relax and enjoy watching some of the crazies present.

It was a reverse drawing, so if your name is called you are out.  Last person left wins. As the names begin to be called you listen carefully for your name but hope it is not called. And you definitely do not want to be the first person called….I am glad I was not that person.  After they got through about 50 people and the place started clearing out, it started getting more exciting!  Then they were down to 20 people and you start to wonder if #1 you missed your name and #2 that maybe you could win!  

Then they asked for the final 10 to come forward. WHAT?!  I made it to the Top 10?! I don’t think I have ever made it to the Top 10 of anything before!!  This was the point that I actually started getting nervous.  Before I just figured I would go there and hang around for an hour and go home. If my name got called and I was sent home, no biggie.  But standing there in the Top 10, well you start to think that maybe, just maybe, this was meant to be. Just as I am sure the other 9 people were thinking the same thing.  It is all random and all just chance, but could this chance thing be on my side?  Anyone of us could win and anyone of us could be the next name called….it is sort of thrilling; which was apparent but how profusely I was now sweating!   

Another name was called and I was still there.  I am now trying not to think I could win as I don’t want to jinx anything, but as just 7, then 6, then 5 of us stand there I think to myself: “don’t act stupid if you win; don’t stutter when talking; don’t cry, you always cry & won’t be able to stop; why are your hands shaking; oh my gosh I am sweating so much and going to need a shower when I get home; I hope you don’t have any “bats in the cave”; what is the name of this radio station if I have to say their name; oh I hope I am not on the radio – though I do have a great voice for radio;  focus Jenn…don’t miss if your name is called; oh I am so close and hope my name isn’t called” and then …..Jenn H, I am sorry you did not win the kitchen, but come collect your consolation prize.  Ah, there it is.  5 left out of a 100 and my name is called. 

Now I must say, at that point it was kind of a huge relief. Did I want the kitchen – um hell yeah I wanted that kitchen!  But at that moment I was not thinking about the prize but just the relief of not being the center of attention and not having to keep standing there waiting for my name to be called.  I really don’t think I am the type of person who is cut out for this type of excitement.  My heart was racing, my hands were shaking, I was sweating everywhere, people were staring at me (thank goodness my hair looked awesome that day)…seriously, it was nerve wracking being there!

Yes, I was sooooo close and didn’t get it, but that doesn’t matter at all.  There is nothing I could do about it and there is now some other lady, who maybe is usually even more unlucky than me or that needs it more, who just won a fabulous new kitchen and that is awesome. I got a gift card to Abuelo’s and some CD’s and got to experience the thrill of being so close to winning.  Though I must say, I don’t know if I can handle this kind of excitement on a regular basis, I did have fun and have a story and experience that I feel is kind of cool!

So there it is….out of the thousands who entered I made it to #5!  I am feeling pretty lucky right now and hope that is a good sign for the coming year!

*Example – Monday I picked the shortest checkout line at the Grocery store.  The lady was putting the last of her bags of groceries in her cart and I thought was ready to leave.  I unpacked all my groceries thinking “sweet, I got lucky and picked the lane where the lady is leaving….I will be out of here in no time”. Uh, wrong.  As I was unpacking I hear that the lady had 50 boxes of candy canes in her cart.  I didn’t think that would be that big of a deal as the cashier could scan one and hit “50” but the cashier said she had to scan then individually and proceeded to go over with her little hand gun and scan them all ONE AT A TIME. Then after she paid she realized they miscounted and had to delete two boxes and refund the money. *sigh* I never get mad at this stuff, it is what it is and I think it is comical because it happens all the time to me.  But seriously, if you are on a schedule, don’t get in line behind me. EVER.

*I feel lucky in many areas of my life, this is just a tongue and cheek post.

Tis The Season For Giving.....

So did you here that our friend over at Two Pretzels is having a Give-A-Way!! 

Check it out on her blog HERE!

I love all this holiday spirit and fun give-a-ways!  First Couple More Hours had a lovely contest (check out the winner HERE) and now Two Pretzels.....love all of the giving!

Nice job ladies :)  I have been thinking of my own as well for some time....who knows maybe a give-a-way from me will kick off around the first of the year!  Stay tuned....