Greetings! Hopefully life is turning somewhat back to normal post-Frankenstorm Sandy and that you and your families are safe and with power. In terms of Hurricane preparedness, other than the staples of water, flashlights, canned goods and sweet candles, one thing Sandy made us all realize, is that having some semblance of a home office is pretty important (at least for when the power is back on).
Whether or not you work for “the Man”, chances are you are ponying up your own precious bills to purchase a home computer. Whether it is a Mac or a PC, this purchase can be quite expensive. On top of that you will obviously also need the latest version of Excel (and the rest of Microsoft Office for that matter) so that you can continue spreadsheeting in cutting edge fashion. The office suite of programs typically retails for around $300 for PCs and just under $200 for Macs. Who wants to drop this kind of coin on these programs that many feel should be included with the purchase of a computer already?!?!

Well here is some good news my friends… There is a good chance that you can save some hard earned smackaroos through the use of Microsoft’s Home Use Program!!

In addition to healthcare and maybe a 401K, your employer may offer interesting discounts to places such as the local gym (eh) or tickets to off-peak Broadway shows (snooze). In addition to these so-so discounts, companies that have a corporate Microsoft Office license may offer their employees this Home Use Program, where they can purchase Microsoft Office for a mere $10 for their home PC or Mac!!! We are talking the latest version of Excel here for TEN DOLLA DOLLA BILLZ Y’ALL! Trust me, if you are hyper ventilating from excitement, you are not alone. Just take a deep breath and get ready to spreadsheet your brains out on your home computer! (Note: This is a totally legit benefit that is offered by many but not all companies)

So, here is what to do:
– Go to this website
– Select the appropriate region
– In order to avoid asking “you know who” in HR or IT about the availability of this discount, I suggest just clicking: Don’t Know Your Program Code? Click here. (as circled below)

– Then enter in your Work Email Address. The site will validate if you’re a member based on your email domain (like @WellsFargo, @CreditSuisse, etc.).
– If you are able to get the discount, you will get an email verifying your Program Code. If you receive an error, you may want to check with your HR or IT department to see if this discount is offered through your company.
– Then you can forward the email to your personal email address, click on the link and purchase it for $10. You are also able to order a backup disc for an extra $13.

Not bad, right? Now if only you knew how to better harness the amazing powers of MS Excel and Access… Well, I think we can help you there wink…

Are you spreadsheets looking a little unfurnished? Contact Excel Rain Man and we will have you living large in no time!