15 copies of QuickBooks for small town businesses

Here's why we're giving away 15 copies of QuickBooks to small business people who aren't using QB yet: I want you to get a better handle on your business.

QuickBooks Premier BoxI've taught QuickBooks courses dozens of times. When we get to the section on reports, I see eyes get wider. Most small business people actually improve their finances, once they learn how to track the money coming in and going out. Seeing those reports, with the results of bad decisions or lack of discipline instantly available, can motivate you to change. I've watched it happen.

So, if your business has outgrown your current accounting system, but you've been delaying shelling out a few hundred dollars for the top of the line version of QuickBooks, it's time to do something about it. That's why I'm glad that Intuit has arranged for us to give away 15 copies of QuickBooks Premier to people who do not currently have QuickBooks. We have 10 downloadable copies, and, knowing that some of you are on dialup or other unreliable connections, we also have 5 boxed copies. 

If you don't have QuickBooks, but you have been wishing for it, I want you to enter. Especially if you are a small town business person. Now, QB Premier is not the right choice for most tiny or one-person businesses. It is great for larger small businesses, say, those with a few employees. So check out the product specs for QuickBooks Premier, and make sure you can use it before you enter.

How to enter:  
  1. Leave a comment on this post with your name, business name, how you are doing your accounting now, whether you are in a small town, and feel free to tell us a sentence or two about your business, just don't get carried away. And if you need one of the box copies, say so.
  2. Send an email with your name and phone number to blog@smallbizsurvival.com. (We'll need that to have Intuit get you the download code or arrange shipment.) 

I have arranged two judges to make the choices. This giveaway will last until all 15 copies are given away, or until June 3, 2009.

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Posted by Becky McCray on Thursday, May 21, 2009
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27 comments:

  1. Neal Rohrbach - Dixie Design.us
    I'm currently using Freshbooks for our accounting as far as estimates and invoicing goes. We can track some of our expenses through Freshbooks also, and I love that we can access our accounts through the world wide web. But it's not a "complete package." I've got a handful of excel spreadsheets I have to maintain where freshbooks can't provide, and my CPA cringes when we talk about my tax stuff.

    Dixie Design.us provides marketing, graphics, and web work for individuals, small businesses, and even Fortune 500 companies.
    ReplyDelete
  2. Lisa Minney - Stumptown Publishing
    www.twolanelivin.com

    I'm currently using "the manual" method. Dealing with numbers is a challenge for me so, this method helps me "connect" with my figures so I feel more comfortable. But, I really don't feel more comfortable, because I'm constantly checking myself.

    I know I'm making it harder on myself this way, but I absolutely hate Excel. I've looked at other accounting programs, but just haven't felt compelled to switch my system -- until now.

    We're a monthly print magazine, free to readers in 15 rural counties in Central WV, funded by local advertising.
    ReplyDelete
  3. Brad J Ward - BlueFuego.com. Live in Fishers, Indiana.

    We help colleges and universities use the web to meet their marketing and recruitment goals.

    My current accounting method?........

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluefuego/3551611740/

    A folder and a TON of receipts. A few unorganized Google Docs here and there.

    I need help!!! Downloadable QuickBooks would rock our world.
    ReplyDelete
  4. My current account method is a large shoe box, an accordion file and ebay, paypal and bonanzle's "accounting" section. ha I guess I am too unorganized for words.

    I have always tried to do it monthly to keep up with it all better, but I work full time outside the home and run the business w/ my hubby at night and on weekends. Makes Jill very dull and tired!

    QuickBooks would make my life much much simpler and help us find the bottom of our desk!

    I'd be forever grateful!!

    Finally, I'd be able to catalog and inventory our soaps, purses, and everything else we sell. We actually have two online businesses (Nee Nee's Soap Shop and The Hall Tree), so this would be a great boon!

    My husband might even be able to help me! :-)
    ReplyDelete
  5. When we bought our restaurant 5 years ago the previous owner was using Quicken, making deposits every third day, and payroll was done via time cards and manual entry. There was no automated tax reporting whatsoever.

    We had been using QuickBooks over the years for my husband's landscaping business as well as a couple other small ventures, but they were always 'one-man-shows' - no payroll, no corporate tax filings.

    In doing lots of research I knew three things: I was going to use a chart of accounts created specifically for restaurants, I was going to use QuickBooks, and I was going to sign up for the payroll services. The previous owner (who is still our manager) couldn't believe that it was only taking me a few minutes to process payroll each week; it would take her a couple hours. And now I have everyone (finally!) on direct deposit so I don't even have to print checks. It has served us very well over the past 5 years. The only problem is that, unlike most software where the upgrades are available at around 50% of retail, QuickBooks only gives you approx 10% off the full purchase price. It's like buying the software new with each upgrade, so I don't upgrade unless I absolutely have to.

    If you've never used QuickBooks it can take a bit of getting used to - like any application, it works best when you use it every day.

    I know I'm not eligible but if QuickBooks finds it in its heart to send a free upgrade my way I'd be eternally grateful.
    ReplyDelete
  6. Gina Kelly- Hot For Chocolate
    Owner/Chocolatier
    www.hotforchocolatephilly.com

    I am a young, female entrepreneur who just started a chocolate company this year in Philadelphia, Hot For Chocolate. Everything is hand made, locally sourced and organic. Right now, I'm doing a lot of grassroots marketing, getting to know the local business owners and partnering with them to build strong relationships. Money is tight as I am on my own, doing the marketing, production of chocolates, sales and accounting. It's exciting and I am loving every minute of it!

    I downloaded the free version of QuickBooks thinking it would help me in the interim as my business has grown, but the number of clients I have has far exceeded what I'm able to use on the free version. I enjoy using the product and like how simple and easy it is to analyze my data quickly, which has helped me grow the business much faster.

    Having this version of the software now would be so wonderful and I would be so appreciative if I was lucky enough to receive it :) I'm so passionate about what I'm doing, but not having the right tools and software is forcing me to put focus on things elsewhere.
    ReplyDelete
  7. Julie Vander Pol
    Remembered Moments
    http://www.Remembered-Moments.com
    Creating professional scrapbooks, portfolios, and personalized gifts

    I am in a very small town of about 1000 and loving my location and life (especially since another little boy was just blessed into my life two days ago on Tuesday!).

    I have been trying to use a very old version of quickbooks that someone generously gave us-but it is quite old (2000) so there is no support for it, but I am trying to learn-but basically I use the 'accordion file folder method' with the help of excel. We have several businesses to keep track of: mine (remembered moments), we have a farm, my husband sells seed corn, and we have a contract for hogs, not to mention our personal stuff on top of that-so a good accounting program would be wonderful!

    great giveaway-thanks for being so generous!
    ReplyDelete
  8. Jeffrey Kafer
    Jeffrey Kafer Voice-overs
    http://Jeffreykafer.com

    I'm a Seattle based voice-over artist specializing in audio books, commercials, and narration.

    Currently, I use Microsoft Money for my accounting needs and I'm not very satisfied with it. There are those nagging little usability issues with invoicing (advanced payment doesn't appear on invoices you send to clients) etc. etc. Would love a copy of QB to see if it meets my needs!
    ReplyDelete
  9. Scott Cooksey
    CookseyConnects.com

    Speaking Professional, Corporate Trainer, One-Man-Office

    My current accounting system is as basic as it gets- two accounts (or as my banker calls it, "pockets")...One for "ME" one for "The Business". When one or the other needs cash, I move it. To keep track of receipts (especially from my clients which have me traveling quite a bit), I use "NeatWorks". It does an okay job (for the items that get scanned) helping organize receipts, but I have other invoices, income, etc. that isn't always so clear. I have a feeling I might do a better job on "estimated taxes", too!

    I'm incorporating this year, and need to make sure my records are all compliant so I can get help from my banker when I'm ready for it and stay legally protected! QB would CERTAINLY go a long way in helping get that done!

    (Oh, and I ALWAYS tell people to follow Becky McCray!---shameless plea)
    ReplyDelete
  10. Is this the windows only or can I get a Mac version.
    A counting has to be my weak point along with a dislike of excel. I am just starting my business and really want an account package, just not sure which one.
    ReplyDelete
  11. Andrew, right now, we only have the Windows version. I've sent a request to our Intuit contact Sharna to see about a possible Mac copy. If that happens, I'll update this post.

    Thanks to everyone for the terrific entries! I love reading your stories, seeing familiar names, and meeting some new folks! Keep 'em coming!
    ReplyDelete
  12. Sorry, forgot to mention we are in a small town of less than 5,000 in East Texas. :-)
    ReplyDelete
  13. Melissa Hudak
    Mulberry Bee Photography
    http://mulberrybee.com

    I'm a baby/child/family photographer just getting my business off of the ground. I current have a 'paper file' accounting system and I'm really in need of some technical help in that department.

    I'm in the small town of Paso Robles, CA. It's a great wine-growing area on the Central Coast. A beautiful place to live and if I can build my business up to support myself full time it will also be a beautiful place to make a living doing what I love.
    ReplyDelete
  14. I am a big fan of Quickbooks. I use it and like it.

    Funny fact - about 30 to 40% of the companies that come to us for financing don't have an accunting package... or do financial reports for that matter. This includes some of the big ones!

    Have an awsome weekend.
    Marco
    ReplyDelete
  15. Marco, that's interesting to think about. No reports = no real info to work from.
    ReplyDelete
  16. I apparently didn't read all the instructions - oops! I must be a small business owner with very little time on my hands! :-)

    My name: Mary McRae
    My business: King's Corner Cafe (http://kingscornercafe.com)
    My town: Lincoln NH (population 1472)

    I know I'm already a QuickBooks owner but would love to get the latest version. Thanks again!
    ReplyDelete
  17. Hello there! We're a small design group with about 2-5 people (depending on the time of year - internships).

    We live in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

    As the MONSTERS have grown, I've tried to invest back into the business by purchasing various accounting, time tracking, financial software. Without naming any names, many of the programs out there just don't cut it. The common problem is - they are all weak in some area. That makes it time consuming and a burden to do simple accounting tasks. It would be nice to have a complete package that would serve a majority of our money management needs.

    Please consider us for this giveaway. We are 2MONSTERS creative group.
    ReplyDelete
  18. Hello Entrepreneurs!
    I have been with my small business for almost 2 years now. My kids and I are all helping each other survive with our economy. I heard so much about Qbooks software and it's functions. My company provides services for voice and data cabling and IT support.
    ReplyDelete
  19. I run a small medical transcription company in south florida and I currently use freshbooks.

    I would be really interested to try out Quickbooks.

    Please let me know if I am selected
    ReplyDelete
  20. Thanks for all the entries so far. And yes, we're still taking entries. I'm loving hearing your business stories. :)

    BIG REMINDER: An anonymous comment means we can find you! The requirements are simple, but the judges are picky! So be sure to follow the instructions for entering in the original post.
    ReplyDelete
  21. Frank Spada
    CampusNative Inc.
    CampusNative.com
    Town: Gettysburg, PA (small population of around 7,000)

    Currently we are using excel because I am a college student and unfortunately can not afford to splurge on expensive accounting software!

    But, this would help organize my finances in a big way and hopfully help the overall organization of the business.
    ReplyDelete
  22. Ok, I obviously didn't read the instructions very well either. ha

    Name: Renee Vailes
    Location: Livingston, TX (pop. 5000)
    Business: http://www.NeeNeesSoapShop.com

    We run an at-home soaping and woodworking business, soon to add jewelry! We both work outside the home full-time and our at-home business accounting method is, as I said in an earlier post, done with an accordion file and a shoe box.

    Quickbooks will definitely help us clean up our act! Appreciate you guys (and gals) giving away a copy of that! Very sweet!

    cullenandrenee @ yahoo.com
    ReplyDelete
  23. I work for a company called H & R Service Center, they have been using a program called bookkeeper, I feel that they could get alot more out of Quickbooks. They have 2 to 3 employees and the payroll would be a great help, they also do a mass amount of invoices on a daily basis. They would get a better picture of their company with Quickbooks and they wouldn't have to haul the boxes of invoices and bills to the accountant.
    ReplyDelete
  24. Hi everyone,

    We recently bought an old inn in the small town of Milford, NY. It was built in 1883.It is a bar, restaurant and 6 room inn. Currently we are still keeping track of everything the old way with paper spreadsheets. Quickbooks would be an awesome program and would cut my time in half.It would allwo me to be ablt to spend my time more productively where it is most needed.
    ReplyDelete
  25. The Milford Inn
    Athena Manley
    104 East Main Street
    Milford. NY 13807

    I also goofed on the information portion....We live in a very small town with a population of probably 500. Having recently opened, we are experiencing the shortness of cashflow. Our one saving grace will be Cooperstown, NY's tourist season which is right around the corner.
    ReplyDelete
  26. Ed Baker
    Maple Hills Cider
    Rural Whatcom County, outside Lynden, Washington


    We started a small cider mill four years ago and we operate on a clean-out-the-till and bank statement method. Our weekly sales are kept on a 52-line Excel spreadsheet. Every year when we bring our records into our accountant, he says we really should use accounting software and a chart of accounts.

    We have three full-time employees and we hire 15 people part-time during our peak season. Payroll is hand written and we calculate taxes with the IRS Employers’ Tax Guide.

    We are located next to the Canadian border, and the nearest town is Lynden, which is about 7,000 people.

    We would need the boxed version of QuickBooks because we have dial-up where we are – cable and high-speed internet is not available here. We have not bought accounting software to date due to the cost, but we recognize the potential benefits in helping us run our business.

    It would be nice to surprise our accountant next year, to print something like a monthly sales report or have a balance sheet to show our banker.

    Thank you for considering our entry.
    ReplyDelete
  27. Jonathon Friday
    Hydro Grafix
    I was use Qicken until the computer went up in smoke. Now I am doing by the checkbook.
    ReplyDelete

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