# What is a lifetime supply? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 20, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452 "2005-12-20T14:03:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnegee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b2d939/32.png) [@Johnegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnegee)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/1 "2005-12-20T14:03:05Z")
Every so often you hear about contests in which one of the prizes is a lifetime supply of something or other, usually, I would think, a product the contest sponsor sells. What the heck is a lifetime supply? Does it vary by contest or product? Is the winner’s age accounted for? How would one calculate a lifetime supply of Twinkies or toilet paper or golf balls. As to golf balls, for example, my brother can go a week of Sundays playing the same ball, whereas I rarely go more than a few holes without losing one. Does the winner go out and buy the product and then submit receipts for reimbursement? Is it prohibited to buy 10,000 rolls of toilet peper and sell 'em on eBay? Guesses are welcome, but does anyone here know? ---
**Author:** ![BlueLine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/f19dbf/32.png) [@BlueLine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueLine)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/2 "2005-12-20T14:33:57Z")
> [@Johnegee](#): > > Every so often you hear about contests in which one of the prizes is a lifetime supply of something or other, usually, I would think, a product the contest sponsor sells. > > What the heck is a lifetime supply? Does it vary by contest or product? Is the winner’s age accounted for? How would one calculate a lifetime supply of Twinkies or toilet paper or golf balls. As to golf balls, for example, my brother can go a week of Sundays playing the same ball, whereas I rarely go more than a few holes without losing one. > > Does the winner go out and buy the product and then submit receipts for reimbursement? Is it prohibited to buy 10,000 rolls of toilet peper and sell 'em on eBay? > > Guesses are welcome, but does anyone here know? I’m certain that the term ‘lifetime supply’ does not mean ‘unlimited’ supply (or you’d in effect become the company CEO!), so I’m sure that each manufacturer has some credible basis on how much a person could reasonably be expected to use each day, and calculates out from that. I bet it is always hedged to the low end, and you can bet that the amounts vary widely from item to item. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/3 "2005-12-20T14:34:15Z")
WAG: They base “lifetime supply” on average criteria – average age, average height/weight, average product usage over a specific period of time by said average person, etc. In the case of foodstuffs they likely base usage (consumption) on “serving size” being that this would define how much the average person would consume in one sitting (which is usually an absurdly low amount.) As for how it is supplied to the consumer – manufacturer’s coupons, most likely. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/4 "2005-12-20T14:45:08Z")
I once entered lots of sweepstakes. In the ones that gave away a year’s supply or a lifetime supply, the rules were specific about just what that meant. It didn’t matter if you had fourteen kids and used boxcars of paper towels, you won what the rules said you won. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/5 "2005-12-20T14:55:01Z")
Not quite off-topic: I saw the fine print (on TV) for some giveaway involving gasoline in a recent come-on. There was a dollar amount in the $2,300 range which led me to think they would spring for a tank a week at roughly current prices. So the “Free Gas For A Year” label was at least misleading. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/6 "2005-12-20T18:34:51Z")
It seems to vary by company etc that is offering the promotion, such as in this one… [http://www.sillyputty.com/silly\_contest/usa/usarules.htm](http://www.sillyputty.com/silly_contest/usa/usarules.htm) . They define lifetime supply as being one silly putty egg per month till the winners 72nd birthday. Others I’ve seen tend to be more non-specific as to exactly what they mean by lifetime supply. Russell ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/7 "2005-12-20T19:55:21Z")
> [@Antinor01](#): > > They define lifetime supply as being one silly putty egg per month till the winners 72nd birthday. That’s totally unfair. What if I can eat more than that? ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/8 "2005-12-20T20:01:56Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > That’s totally unfair. What if I can eat more than that? No problem - just recycle until the next month’s supply arrives. (You’ll no doubt find the fact that Silly Putty resists digestion quite helpful.) ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/9 "2005-12-20T20:14:35Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > That’s totally unfair. What if I can eat more than that? Then you probably won’t have to worry about making it to your 72nd birthday. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/10 "2005-12-20T20:17:08Z")
> [@Xema](#): > > No problem - just recycle until the next month’s supply arrives. (You’ll no doubt find the fact that Silly Putty resists digestion quite helpful.) BWAHAHAHAHA! ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/11 "2005-12-20T20:18:38Z")
Apparently a lifetime supply of toilet paper is 3,840 rolls of toilet paper – enough to last the average person 75 years! [http://www.prbop.com/archives/000378.shtml](http://www.prbop.com/archives/000378.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/12 "2005-12-21T01:22:20Z")
> [@iamthewalrus(:3=](#): > > That’s totally unfair. What if I can eat more than that? The real question that begs to be answered, if you crapped off the side of a 7 story building, would your poop bounce? ---
**Author:** ![Jurph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/50afbb/32.png) [@Jurph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurph)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/13 "2005-12-21T01:24:35Z")
This could be the next “pan-fried semen” experiment! ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/14 "2005-12-21T01:34:23Z")
> [@Zeldar](#): > > Not quite off-topic: I saw the fine print (on TV) for some giveaway involving gasoline in a recent come-on. There was a dollar amount in the $2,300 range which led me to think they would spring for a tank a week at roughly current prices. So the “Free Gas For A Year” label was at least misleading. Was it BP (the gas station chain) who ran the contest? I recently heard a radio ad for a contest they were running. One of the top prizes was “free gasoline for a year.” The legalese at the end of the ad mentioned that this prize would be awarded as a gift card with a couple thousand dollars on it. I presume that this amount is based on the average person’s gasoline usage. If the card has $2300 on it, then that works out to $44.23 per week. A pretty decent allowance in my book. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/15 "2005-12-21T01:41:00Z")
Any competition I’ve ever seen offering “lifetime supply” prizes has always carefully described exactly what this amounts to somewhere in the small print. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/16 "2005-12-21T02:19:59Z")
Good question, **Johnegee**! I remember some old game show where the losers won prizes including “a year’s supply of Turtle Wax.” What is that, one jar? Whooopeeee! ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/17 "2005-12-21T14:15:26Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Was it BP (the gas station chain) who ran the contest? I recently heard a radio ad for a contest they were running. One of the top prizes was “free gasoline for a year.” The legalese at the end of the ad mentioned that this prize would be awarded as a gift card with a couple thousand dollars on it. I presume that this amount is based on the average person’s gasoline usage. > > If the card has $2300 on it, then that works out to $44.23 per week. A pretty decent allowance in my book. Best I can recall, it was more a car company commercial, although it may have been one of the local TV channels plugging something of theirs. I agree that $44 a week for gas would work for me. I have started driving so little that I can go weeks on a tank of gas, which I refuse to pay over $20 for at a time, even when gas was near $3 per gallon. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/18 "2005-12-21T14:21:40Z")
> [@Green Bean](#): > > Good question, **Johnegee**! > > I remember some old game show where the losers won prizes including “a year’s supply of Turtle Wax.” What is that, one jar? Whooopeeee! There used to be a measure for whether a marriage was going to work out or not: if the couple bought their second bottle of Tabasco sauce. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/19 "2005-12-21T14:30:44Z")
Of Will Ferrell DVDs? None, and that may be one too many. ---
**Author:** ![FilmGeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@FilmGeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FilmGeek)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-a-lifetime-supply/336452/20 "2005-12-21T15:16:53Z")
I saw a ‘free gas’ offer if you bought a certain car. You get $2200 in gas money. Even when I was commuting at the height of recent gas prices, I spent $20-22 a week. That’s still only $1200 or so. Of course, I’m pretty sure the gas offer was for an SUV, so the $2200 wouldn’t cover 6 months.