=SUMIFS(C1:C4,A1:A4,DATEVALUE("1/1/2008"),B1:B4,"rent") or
=SUMIFS(C1:C4,A1:A4,"="&DATEVALUE("1/1/2008"),B1:B4,"=rent")
or even =SUMIFS(C1:C4,A1:A4,"="&DATEVALUE("1/1/2008"),B1:B4,"="&"rent")

Excel defaults to a comparison for equality unless otherwise specified.
Thats why you can leave out the equal sign as in the first formula.
Column C is summed if the date in column A is 1/1/2008 and the corresponding
entry in column B is Rent. You can also put the date in a cell like E1 and
substitute E1 for the DATEVALUE function and put Rent in, say, F1 and put F1
instead of "rent" in the formula.

Tyro

"Trish" wrote in message
...
I am trying to sum column C using two criteria - dates, column A and text
"Rent" in Column B. Nothing I have tried works with the dates. Any
suggestions.

example

A B C D
12/1/07 Rent $500.00
12/31/07 Misc $100.00
1/1/08 Rent $500.00
1/10/08 Misc $100.00