The giveaway has ended. Thanks to everyone who has participated. The winners will be notified shortly.
Thanks to the team at Intuit, Consumerism Commentary has “extreme finance” packages to give to our readers. This is a complete package that covers personal finance management, tax filing, and even business accounting. Five of these packages are available. Although the company balked at my initial idea of giving away free tax filing for life, I’m happy to say we were able to come up with something just as extraordinary.
This has the possibility of being a popular giveaway, so I am offering Consumerism Commentary readers a number of ways to qualify. But first, here is what is included in the “extreme finance” package, worth up to more than $300 each.
If you win, you will be able to select your choice of tax software, personal finance management software, and business accounting software.
The winner will choose one of the following options for filing taxes:
- TurboTax Online Deluxe
- TurboTax Online Premier
- TurboTax Desktop Deluxe
- TurboTax Desktop Premier
- TurboTax Desktop Home & Business
The winner will choose one of the following options for managing personal finances:
The winner will choose one of the following options for handling business accounting:
I’d like to point out that in addition to the above software, Intuit provides these free options. For filing your taxes, you may qualify for the TurboTax Online Federal Free Edition and for managing your personal finances, you may be satisfied with Mint.
In order to win this giveaway, readers can accumulate points. Each point represents one chance to win one of five of these “extreme finance” packages. The maximum number of points is 20. In other words, if you follow each of the suggestions, you will be 20 times more likely to win than someone who just leaves a comment below. Here is what you can to in order to increase your points:
- Leave a comment below (one point)
- Include in your comment a Quicken or TurboTax tip (two points)
- Subscribe to the Consumerism Commentary RSS feed (two points)
- Follow @flexo on Twitter and let me know that you have in a comment below (one point)
- Retweet the giveaway on Twitter: “Pls RT! Awesome TurboTax/Quicken giveaway from @flexo! http://bit.ly/aH8vnR” and let me know that you have in a comment below (two points)
- Become a fan of Consumerism Commentary on Facebook and let me know that you have in a comment below (two points)
- If you have a blog or other website, link to this article (three points)
- If another reader mentions in their comment that you referred them to the contest, you will receive up to seven matched points as the referrer
Of course, if you already subscribe to the RSS feed, if you already follow @flexo on Twitter, or if you are already a fan on Facebook, let us know in the comments. You do not need to re-do these actions in order to receive points.
When you comment, don’t forget to let us know what additional actions you have taken to ensure you’re awarded all your points. Also, if someone referred you to the contest, let us know who referred you so the referrer can receive their matched points.
This giveaway will remain open until Friday, March 12, 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Your comment must be posted and all actions must be complete by that time in order to be awarded your points. You will need a mailing address in the United States and must be at least 18 years old to qualify.
Now for some fine print. Intuit is providing this software directly to Consumerism Commentary readers. The software is being provided independently of the recent review of TurboTax Online and any other software reviews posted on Consumerism Commentary. Consumerism Commentary is an authorized affiliate of Intuit.
The giveaway has ended. Thanks to everyone who has participated. The winners will be notified shortly.
Check out the Intuit product blogs for QuickBooks, TurboTax, and Mint.
If you enjoyed this article, stay up-to-date with more like this for free! Use your favorite RSS reader to subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails.
About the Author
{ 71 comments… read them below or add one }
Giveaway: 5 Extreme Finance Packages – I follow @flexo on Twitter. My twitter id is @scmossyoaks.
I retweeted about the giveaway!
I just became a fan on Facebook – FB name: Elizabeth Elston! I so need this.
My husband and I sure could use everyone of these softwares.
Subscribed to the Consumerism Commentary RSS feed.
I follow @aflexo.
tweeted
http://twitter.com/sohamolina/status/10176351677
FB fan
My TurboTax tip is to try the Basic version. With the 25% Fidelity discount, it’s only $11.20 and will handle both investment sales and self-employed income. (They’ll try to get you to upgrade, but still accept the data and calculate everything necessary. You do need to provide the cost basis of investments sold, but my broker provides that for me.)
I am already subscribed to the RSS feed, a fan on FaceBook, and I started following on twitter. So 1+2+2+1+2 = 8 point.
Thanks for the offer and the tips. I subscribed to the RSS feed. good luck to me!
Great blog! Hope I win. :)
Here’s my comment. Howdy!
RSS subscriber.
Loyal Twitter stalker @getalonghome.
Tweeted: http://twitter.com/Getalonghome/statuses/10185433933
I’m a FB fan! Cindy Dyer
Love the contest. My Turbo Tax tip is to keep using it every year – so much of the information can be imported from the previous year and it saves me a lot of time and frustration typing it in. That makes it easier for me to concentrate on the rest of the return!
I am already an RSS subscriber
I already follow you on Twitter – @KarmellaS
I Tweeted your message – http://twitter.com/KarmellaS/status/10186591808
Blogged – here’s the link, feel free to delete it before approving the comment, I’m including it for your convenience not for promotion :)
http://winthis.wordpress.com/2010/03/08/5-extreme-finance-packages-turbotax-quicken-and-quickbooks/
Hey! I’m commenting, and follow Flexo, and have retweeted. I also subscribe to the RSS and am a Facebook fan.
Confused. Is this for the US or Cdn markets?
Turbo Tax tip: Make hard copies of your tax files. Dont rely on digital memories as they can “crash”. You’all know what I mean.
Linkey will be made from theinsurancestandard.blogspot.com when I’m not all thumbs.
Adam: Thanks! This contest would be for U.S. versions of the software for any that differentiate by country.
I tweeted about the giveaway. I’ve been looking to pickup a copy of Quicken Premier for awhile so hopefully, I can win it from you for free!
My Quicken tip is to choose easy-to-remember categories and don’t double up on categories. For example, do not have a “Food” category and a “Groceries” category.
I am an RSS subscriber
I am a twitter follower @collegemoneygal
Thanks to everyone who has commented so far! You can list all of your point-bearing actions in one comment — no need to leave repeated comments from the same person.
Hey Flexo,
I’ve been an RSS subscriber for a long time already. :)
My Turbotaxt tip is to save all of your returns in PDF files. There have been times when that had come in very handy for me!
TurboTax Tip: Automatically import all your trades from your broker, something TaxAct can’t do!
Subscribed to the RSS feed.
Started following you on Twitter.
Tweeted https://twitter.com/mrtrend/status/10198825966
1+2+2+1+2 = 8 points. Thanks.
Blogged here: http://getalonghome.com/2010/03/contests-today-6/
I would love to win any of these!
Quicken Tip: Quicken’s savings goals is a great way to virtually allocate your savings to different causes, of course you can always sign up for Ing Direct and separate with actual accounts.
I’ve been subscribed to the RSS feed for some time now
I’m a fan of Consumerism Commentary on facebook
I’m following @flexo on twitter
I’ve retweeted about the giveaway
TurboTax Tip: If you itemize your deductions, copy the categories in TurboTax and create a separate spreadsheet which you can update throughout the year. This may not help you on your 2009 return, but will save you a lot of time and effort when you do your 2010 return.
I have been subscribed to the RSS feed for some time as well.
Thank you for offering the contest and for maintaining a great blog!
I have been an RSS feed subscriber for a long time, and I just signed up to follow you on twitter, and I tweeted about the giveaway, and I signed up to be a FB fan… WHEW!
I have been a RSS reader for a while and follow you on twitter.
When setting up Quicken, take your time at the beginning, it makes everything flow easier, and prevent having to go back and redo something.
I used Quicken once upon a time, until Intuit pulled the plug on downloading transactions through Quicken 99. At that time, I jumped shipped to MS Money that came free with a computer. But since Microsoft is ditching Money, I need to find a replacement. While there are free replacements for Linux, none of them import MS Money files like Quicken does.
I love Quicken/Money because it does three critical things. It creates a central check register for all my accounts, provides reminders for upcoming bills, and downloads transactions from my banks. I don’t like Mint.com for the simple reason is that it really isn’t a register, it only provides a snapshot while simple budgeting.
In Quicken, you should add everything you can to your budget and bills, even groceries. It makes tracking your expenses much easier and clearer.
I am now following you on twitter (@edwardra3), a fan on fb (Edward Antrobus), subscribed to the RSS, and RT’ed the tweet.
I was just talking to my wife about how badly we needed something like Quicken to manage and plan our finances, and Quickbooks would help me keep my business expenses and income organized.
I’m already a subscriber to your RSS feed, and I just followed you on Twitter and RT’d the tweet…
http://twitter.com/SMTblog/statuses/10255633013
thank for the generous opportunity!
I’d love to win these for my new starting small business. Thanks be to thee.
One tip is to import tax info into turbotax from quickbooks or quicken. It makes doing the taxes soooooo much easier!!
Thanks for the entries!
Ooh, what a great prizee!!
Giveaway: 5 Extreme Finance Packages – I follow @flexo on Twitter. My twitter id is @scmossyoak@grannyhoff.
I retweeted this giveaway.
I became a fan on Facebook – FB name: grannyhoff.
RSS subscriber.
I’d love to win this contest. My Quicken really needs to be updated. I like being able to download from my bank.
Follow you on Twitter already and Follow the RSS Feed
Retweeted on Twitter
Count me in, I follow you on Twitter, I RT’d the link and a mention is going up on my blog tomorrow, err I guess today at this point.
Thanks for giveaway very thoughtfull
~Look A Comment…
~My tax tip is to save a PDF of your taxes and scans of any w-2′s reciepts or other forms to a disk. Put the hard copes in the attic or something and when you need to just refer quickly you can just pull out the disk.
~ I subscribed to the RSS with google reader
~ and became a facebook fan too
did I need to do separate comments for each of these?
There’s no need to post separate comments. Thanks!
I love Turbo Tax and Quicken
I would love to win one of these packages! I need help getting my business finances organized…
I follow @flexo on Twitter — @HOUcheap
I retweeted on Twitter.
Thanks!
Subscribed to the Consumerism Commentary RSS feed.
Cool giveaway. I’m already follow you on twitter, fan on facebook, I retweeted it and my turbotax tip is that if you are going to do your taxes yourself, use it!
Thank you.
Thanks for the great giveaway. My TurboTax tip is to be prepared. Have all your tax information in one spot, organized clearly. Always keep a hard copy on hand for backup.
I joined as a FB fan too (under Janet Magennis).
Hi Flexo, I’ve done everything suggested above to earn points. Thanks!
Oooo, a contest.
1 Point: Am leaving a comment.
2 Points: I RSS
3 Point: Linked on my blog
2 Points: Turbo Tax Tip: Always try the Freedom Edition first to see if you’re eligible to file for free. If not, check with your bank or other financial institutions to see if they’re offering a discount on the filing fee.
Grand Total: 8 Points
As I continue my financial education and manager my personal finances AND look to start a home based business, Quicken Home & Business were something I had my eye on. Winning a copy would be fantabulous as it meets one of my criteria before spending money: What’s the least I’m willing to spend? No cost is always in my budget.
I followed and retweeted (@briandplunkett), became a fan on Facebook, and I’m already subscribed via Google’s Reader (which is awesome for those of you that don’t have a feed reader). I’ve always wanted a copy of Quickbooks, so that would be a great win!
My biggest tip for TurboTax is to actually use it! There are other services online and otherwise out there, but in my mind ,nothing is better than TurboTax. I’ve been using TurboTax online since the early 90′s when it was first available and haven’t missed a year since!
Thanks for the contest!
I’m in – thanks!
I’m a facebook fan! Thanks!!
Love this giveaway!
I used Turbotax again this year to file, and once again was very pleased with the product. I did have one issue to be aware of if you are a California filer and need to file an amended return (I screwed up and overestated a deduction…long story) and had already received my refund. When I followed the amendment instructions the federal taxes recalculated, transferred the changes to the amended return, and told me how much I had to pay back. The California return did not…I had to manually input the deduction changes and calculate it myself. Not a big deal, but if I would have blindly followed TurboTax’s instructions I would have not paid back the money I owe. Jst something to be aware of (of course I wouldn’t have had to deal with it if I did my taxes right the first time).
I subscribed to the RSS feed. Thanks!
This is my comment!
And I subscribe via RSS. Thanks guys.
I subscribe to the RSS feed.
Would love to win this!
i follow you on facebook and twitter and subscribe to the rss. just wanted to thank you again for the opportunties and all the great work on the site.
as for turbo tax tips…..multiple backups. i always print a copy and keep all my 1099s…etc..together AND i also keep the file itself backed up in a few locations AND i also pdf all the paperwork and keep that backed in several locations as well. the minimal effort required will pay for itself multiple times over if you find you need a copy down the road.
that said……daddy needs an extreme finance package….big bucks big bucks stop! (on post 67)
here I am !!! …… very old RSS subscriber via bloglines …… haven’t jumped on the twitter bandwagon yet …. but i do follow the facebook updates ……
Thanks for the opportunity. I gave up FB for Lent, but will try Twitter!
I am now following you on twitter and have re-tweeted the giveaway.
I have never used Turbotax or Quicken, which is why I am hoping to win this! BUT, I found this list of Quicken tips on a website. I hope this counts ;)
http://www.taxguru.org/qb/quickentips.htm
I’ve been subscribing to your feed for a while now and find it very interesting. Unfortunately, I do not have a blog of mine own.
Thank you for the chance to win!
Thanks!
So, evidently there is a delay in the emails I receive from Consumer Commentary. I received one this morning saying that the contest ends tonight…but I just read at the top of the page that it ended last night :(
Oh well, the late bird never gets the worm! Thanks anyway!