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For a long time, I’ve wanted to host another contest here at Get Rich Slowly. Not a “leave a comment to win” contest (those bring hordes of random people from across the internet, which means the winners aren’t usually actual GRS readers), but a contest that rewards folks for doing something cool.
Well, now seems to be the time. To celebrate the upcoming fourth anniversary of Get Rich Slowly and the imminent release of my first book, Your Money: The Missing Manual, I’ve decided to do something a little scary and exciting. We’re going to have a video contest.
GRS readers are awesome
The reader stories I’ve been featuring every Sunday seem to be a hit. And, in fact, I’ve always maintained that what makes this site so awesome has nothing to do with me and everything to do with you, the readers. Your tips and stories and suggestions are what make this one of the best places on the internet to discuss actual personal finances.
As proud as I am of this site’s growth, of the income it has provided, and of having now written a book, I think my favorite achievement came last year when The Wall Street Journal wrote: “The strength of [Get Rich Slowly] is that, along with plenty of advice from financial experts, he opens the site up to input from readers so they can learn from each other…Much of the value of the blog comes from readers’ comments.” Amen.
Well, it’s time to get open this site up for even more reader input. Here’s how it’s going to work.
The Get Rich Slowly video contest
I want you to create videos of under two minutes in length that provide personal-finance info in one of two categories: Personal Finance Tips or Success Stories. You can use anything you want to record the videos, and you can be as creative (or non-creative) as you’d like to be.
Since I’m the judge for the contest, I’ll tell you right now that although content is king (meaning the quality of your tip counts for a lot), I’m going to be pre-disposed to hands-on, how-to type videos: “Here’s how to change your oil”, “Here’s how I use coupons to save at the grocery store”, and so on.
Here’s a sample of what a video in the Personal Finance Tips category might look like:
Chris G. with his tip for planning an end-of-year vacation
And here’s an example of what videos in the Success Stories category might look like:
Adam Baker with his personal success story
As you can see, your videos don’t have to be anything fancy. While you’re certainly welcome to get creative, what I really want is for you folks to make something by hand. I want you to take risks, get creative, and share your ideas with other GRS readers. I think it’ll be awesome!
Prizes!
What’s a contest without prizes? For the 2010 Get Rich Slowly video contest, we’re giving away cold, hard cash. The winner in each category — Personal Finance and Success Stories — will receive $500. And ten runners-up in each category will win an autographed copy of Your Money: The Missing Manual. That makes 22 prizes in all!
How to enter
If you’re over 18 years old and this contest is legal in your state (sorry, this contest is for U.S. residents only), you’re invited to submit an online video no more than two minutes in length. To do so, follow this procedure:
- Make your awesome video.
- Upload the video to your YouTube account.
- Head to the video contest page and click the “submit your video” button.
- If you have any questions or have problems submitting your video, email videocontest@getrichslowly.org.
You can submit videos in two main categories: Personal Finance Tips or Success Stories. (You may submit one video in each category, for a total of two possible entries.) And, as mentioned before, if you have a website, you can flag your video to be entered in the bonus Website category.
The contest is open until 15 April 2010. I’ll announce the winners on 01 May 2010. Once submissions start coming in, you’ll be able to view the most recent entries — I’ll post the place to view them on the video contest page soon. (Plus I may highlight a few videos between now and April 15th.)
Join the fun!
It takes guts to put yourself out there on video. Trust me, I know. But please don’t be afraid of looking like a dork. Be enthusiastic, share your knowledge, and have fun! (And if you’re worried about the juvenile YouTube commenters, simply turn off comments on your videos.)
What are you waiting for? Pull out your cameras and start recording. I hope you join in the fun, not only for the possibility of winning a prize, but to also share your stories and ideas with others — and to make something by hand.
This article is about Administration, Reader Stories Tuesday, 16th March 2010 (by J.D. Roth)
Well, I love to enter giveaways as a hobby, but I really do read your blog! I’ve been reading for a looong time (in blog years). ‘Fraid I’ll have to pass on this contest. I stink at video.
Good luck, happy vloggers!
Yay - should be fun!
Darn, I live in Canada so I can’t play. I will look forward to seeing what everyone else comes up with though!
I am going to be a smarty pants, but say it anyway: since I am so frugal, I don’t own a videocamera to make a clip. I also have no clue how to upload it if I do figure out whom to borrow it from. No prize for me - can you say some success stories cut out chances to win? Like, if you don’t buy a lottery ticket, you never get a million? :)) Have fun, looking forward hearing those stories!
Wow!!
This is great JD. Count me in.
Well I guess I’m out since I live in Canada
To international readers and young pups: I would still encourage you to make videos. Though sticky legal stuff prevents the contest from awarding you prizes, it doesn’t prevent you from sharing your knowledge and experience with other readers…
I just finished an ARC of your book, and it’s great!
I’ll be entering in the personal finance tip and website category. Should be fun - and a good reason to finally do some more video!
Oh, this is a neat contest. I’ve got a few ideas - I’m going to have to think hard about my best tip!
Olga, I bet you know someone with a camera. Borrowing or sharing community resources is a frugal action.
JD, your announcement video is great. But not so great to deter us from sending in entries.
Totally am all over this, writing my script now and just bought my new pro-sumer camera I use for my wedding videography side biz! …and I pay off my house in 1 month so the timing is PERFECT
I might just take a shot at this. Even if I don’t, I am looking forward to the entries of others. I like seeing putting faces to names.(I even enjoyed your video introducing the contest.)
And, one question: Do you have to have a Kermit painting to have a successful blog? (See Chris’s video.)
Wow, I don’t have the first clue about getting video uploaded, but it’s an intriguing contest idea! I DO know someone who recently got a Flip. hmmmmm.
I love this idea and can’t wait for the tips.
Plus you’ll be filtering them to give us all the good stuff.
I imagine this clause from the official rules will concern some people. This gives you all rights to the work. Seems a bit excessive to me:
Once a contestant has submitted a video for the Contest, such contestant agrees that Sponsor shall own the entry submitted (including all rights embodied therein) and that Sponsor and its designees may exploit, edit, modify, display and distribute the entry and all elements of such entry, including, without limitation, the names and likenesses of any persons or locations embodied therein, in any and all media now known or not currently known, throughout the world in perpetuity without compensation, permission or notification to entrant or any third party.
I am also from Canada and really wonder about ’sticky legal reasons’. I normally feel like North Americans are all one - but distinctions like this really hold ‘Canadians’ back. (It is not just this contest, but many other ‘US’ contests.) Couldn’t you send a book to a best international entry? We have the same financial pressures/problems and I am sure we have creative, intelligent ideas too.
Robyn
Real fast, do we need to mention “GRS”? I am happy to work it into the script, but if it isn’t a requirement it would help to not use it. Saying “Get Rich Slowly” 3 times fast can get ugly
@Anon. If you have doubts, don’t enter. He is giving away $500. Don’t expect him to get nothing out of it. That’s business.
@Jay STemple (#17)
No, there’s no need to mention GRS in the video. I’d certainly appreciate a link back to the site (from your site, if you have one), of course, but even that isn’t a requirement.
Thanks… last question (yeah right). The time limit of 2 minutes… assume a video is 2:09… or 2:02… or 2:17. Is this a HARD 2 minutes or a “soft” 2 minutes we are talking about here?
this is fun