Mint Buffs Up Bank Accounts With Weekly $500 Awards

Offers five tips to recover from a holiday spending hangover

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Mint, the leading personal finance app from Intuit Inc. (Nasdaq: INTU), is beefing up the bank accounts of eight lucky people. Each week through Jan. 31, 2014, two Mint users will receive $500 awards for simply updating or creating a new budget within Mint.

To get started, download the Mint app and log in between January 1 – 31. Select “Create a Budget” to adjust your current budget or create a new one to be automatically entered to win a $500 gift card. Mint links users to more than 20,000 different bank, credit card, loan and investment accounts, making it easy to view most financial statements in one place and get a better understanding of where their money is going.

Mint is free to download and use from the App Store on iPhone, iPad and iPod touch as well as for Android smartphone and tablets at Google Play and on the Amazon Appstore. Mint is also available in the Windows Store for Windows 8.1 and the Windows Phone Store for Windows Phone 8.

"Every January, I commit to get my personal finances in shape and by February, I've blown my budget," said Mike Tolliver of Pasadena, Calif. "This year, I've downloaded the Mint app to organize my accounts in one place and see where my money is going – at home and on the go. I'm confident that with Mint, 2014 will be the year I actually stick to my budget and save money."

How to recover from a holiday spending hangover

Throughout January, personal finance experts from Intuit’s Mint and Quicken, the No.1 rated personal money management software will share tips on getting your money in shape for the New Year. Here are five ways to recover from excessive holiday spending:

• Hide credit cards: The best thing to do in order to avoid overusing credit cards is to hide them or get rid of them. Can’t live without them? Reduce the number of credit cards carried to one. Out of sight is out of mind.
• Avoid post-holiday temptations: Many people are lured by sales in January and think that it’s a good idea to get a little more shopping done. Then reality sets in and the bills arrive. The truth is succumbing to these temptations just ends up digging an even deeper financial hole.
• Start tackling debt: Take a look at credit card bills and focus on the cards that have the highest interest rates. Paying down debt on these cards is the first step. With Mint, users can create budgets, track expenses and set a goal to pay off credit card debt.
• Return the unneeded and unwanted: Return or sell unneeded or unwanted holiday gifts and get cash for them instead. Use the cash to pay down holiday credit card debt.
• Start saving for the 2014 holidays now: Put away some money early, even $20 a month, to build up a cash reserve and avoid credit card use during the holidays. Quicken’s “Your Savings Goal” page and debt reduction tool helps track progress toward specific targets, such as building an emergency fund or holiday shopping. An easy-to-read chart lists all contributions made toward your goal.

“For 30 years, Intuit has been helping millions of consumers manage their money and improve their financial lives,” said Barry Saik, senior vice president and general manager of Intuit’s consumer ecosystem group. “The New Year is the perfect time to resolve to establish better money habits. It’s easy to get started with Mint or Quicken so you can make sound financial choices in 2014 and beyond.”

Resources:

Mint

• The Mint.com Blog - Mintlife
• Mint.com
• Mint.com on Twitter
• Mint.com on Facebook
• Mint.com on Google+

Quicken

• Better money management starts at Quicken.com
• Quicken on Facebook
• Quicken on Twitter

About Intuit

Intuit Inc. creates business and financial management solutions that simplify the business of life for small businesses, consumers and accounting professionals.

Its flagship products and services include QuickBooks®, Quicken® and TurboTax®, which make it easier to manage small businesses and payroll processing, personal finance, and tax preparation and filing. Mint.com provides a fresh, easy and intelligent way for people to manage their money, while Demandforce® offers marketing and communication tools for small businesses. ProSeries® and Lacerte® are Intuit's leading tax preparation offerings for professional accountants.

Founded in 1983, Intuit had revenue of $4.2 billion in its fiscal year 2013. The company has approximately 8,000 employees with major offices in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, India and other locations. More information can be found at www.intuit.com.

Intuit Inc.
Holly Perez, 650-944-6482
holly_perez@intuit.com

Source: Intuit Inc.

Released January 2, 2014