Free Money News February 2017

February already! Valentine’s Day is coming of course. But before that is the event that is practically a national holiday: Super Bowl LI. Could the Falcons really edge out the Patriots? Or will Tom Brady pull it off once again and silence his (jealous) critics and detractors?

Later the Academy Awards — another “holiday” of sorts. The odds look strong for La La Land to walk away with somewhere between 11 and 16 Oscars. Emma Stone seems a good bet to take Best Actress but faces tough competition from Natalie Portman as Jackie. And how about Denzel Washington maybe winning his third Oscar for Best Actor in Fences? That would make him one of very few to win more than two Oscars — well deserved, we think…

Betting on football or the Oscars? You might have better odds with our latest update on missingmoney.com. Good to know who is making money on the $billions held (by the states … and Xerox. Huh?!). Some of it could be yours. We show you how to do a thorough, free search for your unclaimed money.

This month’s issue also includes some great new grant contests and resources for small businesses, a new article aimed at helping women entrepreneurs, tips on paying for college, help for kids and more:

There is a treasure trove information in our article Grants For Housing. This month we also update Assistance For Rent with tips for getting an apartment even if you don’t have a credit history. Not necessarily easy, but there are ways it can be done!

Frustrated trying to find the money you need to go to college? And especially to go to college and graduate without a mountain of debt? Take a look at a couple new updates new this past month. Our Scholarship Information review shares scholarships offered by H&R Block. Their Budget Challenge can not only improve your financial skills but also give you the chance to win a $20,000 (5 winners at the end of each semester!). Discover more in Scholarship Information.

You know how important the FAFSA can be to your ability to afford college. Did you know that fafsa on ed.gov also provides lots of other useful tools and information? This month we highlight one that can help search and fine just the right college for you — and you’ll find some pretty strong encouragement to stick with it and get that degree!

The University of California at San Francisco announced the largest gift it has ever received in the history of the school: $500 million! A large portion of that gift will go toward providing more scholarships. So if that school is of interest to you, you might want to move it up your priority list and increase your chance of winning some scholarship money. See Scholarship Information.

Always a big topic — and for very good reason! Do you realize the states are holding almost $60 billion in unclaimed money? And they make a ton of money off of it. They say they try hard to find rightful owners but sometimes one has to wonder. Often the website missingmoney.com is recommended as THE place to go. But you should be aware of some of its features, shortcomings and perhaps even conflicts of interest. Don’t be afraid to use it, just be sure you know what you are looking at and what other efforts you should make to be sure you’ve done a complete search. See more in our review and update of missingmoney.com. And for great tips for finding your own treasure (without paying anyone) also check out Find Unclaimed Money and Free Unclaimed Money.

What do Sam’s Club and the SCORE organization have in common? They’ve announced new business grant competitions that could mean a lot to you if you’re starting or managing your own business. Grants for business can be hard to find but these are for real — and worth applying for. Find out more in our most recent update to Grants for Small Business!

Help for Women Entrepreneurs comes in many forms — and women are taking advantage as they move new businesses forward. You may think you’ve seen it all — but in these days of fast change maybe not! Our newest article about Business Help For Women gives you the low down on five important resources that are making a positive difference for women entrepreneurs.

Black Business News Highlights: Check out some promising trends recently reported by the Wall Street Journal and reviewed in Black Business Resources. The gap between business ownership by blacks vs, whites and other minority populations is narrowing! We expect that will only get better in an improved business environment!

A couple of important updates could mean a lot to parents and help lots of kids! First of all check out our discussion of Block Grants. See what major (like $billions) Trump has proposed to help all kids be able to go to the school of their choice in order to receive a good education. If the president’s first week is any indication we should expect it to happen… Be sure to read our update in Block Grants.

Widows and Widowers: You have so much to deal with after losing a spouse, trying to make ends meet shouldn’t be one of them. Be sure that you are getting all you’re entitled to from Social Security. You and your children should be able to receive payments based on your spouse’s account. Find out more in Widows With Children: More Resources. And also be sure you understand the basics of Social Security.

Are you stressed because you don’t think you can afford to get your kids the dental care they need? It’s unfortunately a big issue in this country. In our latest update to Free Dental Care we provide some important information and tips about finding free dental clinics for kids.