Free Money News July 2017

Happy July and the upcoming holiday on the 4th! Strange that it kicks off with Nathan’s Hot Dog eating contest. Will Joey Chestnut win once again? 30 dogs (and buns!) in ten minutes last year…yikes. Can’t quite stomach it ;)

We can stomach Wonder Woman’s success — and the Golden State Warriors, NBA champs. Now the craziness of the free agency period. Will the Clippers sign Blake Griffin? Will Andre Iguodala stick with the Warriors?

There are crazy things going on in the country and in the world. It’s easy to get caught up in news like Dr. John Bello shooting up a hospital, or — in a much lighter vein — a dust-up between Jay-Z and Eric Benet (with Beyonce in the mix). But that doesn’t — and shouldn’t — stop us from celebrating the 4th of July and the freedom it so proudly represents!

We are making America great again — protecting our freedom and boosting the economy. That takes effort like it does to make your life better, including finding the benefits and assistance you qualify for. Check our July Free Money Highlights for important updates and new resources.

Think benefits and financial assistance are going away just because Obama is no longer president? Think again! The federal government continues to spend well over $1 trillion (yes, trillion) in benefit and assistance programs. Getting rid of programs that duplicate others gets all the headlines, but there’s plenty of positive news as well. Catch up with an updated overview of what’s available in our newest article about Government Benefits.

There are lots of new ways to get cash to start or grow your business. Not all of them will work for you. But at least one of them probably will - and there’s very likely a new source that you haven’t heard of. Like using your IRA to start your business — without getting a withdrawal penalty or even being taxed on your withdrawal no matter what your age. Discover more in our latest update to Fund a Startup Business.

Online borrowing platforms are also available, many of which can get cash in your hands really quickly. But they’re not all just alike, and it’s important to know the differences. Take a look at Small Business Loans to see a comparison of two of the most popular options.

Just for Women: Looking for a grant for your small business - or the one you want to start? Get the low down on a new source in Small Business Grants for Women. And check out Business Help for Women to learn what microfinancing is and what it can do for you.

Do you have a child with a disability but some impressive dreams and goals? Take a look at foundation grants specifically for kids who fit this description in Disability Grants. Could make a big difference in your lives.

If you are a non-profit — or know of one — that provides programs and services for seniors, our recent update to Grants for Seniors describes Foundation Grants that could be right up their alley. And also see our latest tips about writing a good grant proposal.

Lots of students ignore scholarships because they think they have to be brainiacs or super athletes or musicians to get one. But that’s really not the case — there are thousands of scholarships, which are real “free money.” And many of them could be won just with luck, for entering. Others could be targeted for a specific skill or trait you jus happen to have. To avoid getting overwhelmed on some of the big scholarship sites take a look at our article about where to find scholarships — and put your summer to good use!

Did you know that summer is a good time to look for a job? If you want to earn some extra cash to offset school or other expenses, see our latest update to our review of benefits.gov. You might be surprised at the job-hunting help that’s available.

Last but certainly not least, be sure to make submitting your FAFSA your top priority. There are changes for the coming school year — discover more about those and what they mean to you in our updated FAFSA review.

Lots going on in Silicon Valley on the topic — out of necessity! It’s gotten crazy expensive and even folks making over $100,000 can be at the new poverty level. Google is taking steps to ease the pain by building over 300 units to use as temporary housing for employees in its near future San Jose “village”. Discover more about that plan in Grants for Housing. And more innovation from the same area: Google is teaming up with private non-profits and local county government to come up with $3.5 million in grants to help those threatened with homelessness. The funds will go beyond just financial aid to help ensure longer term benefits. A great idea that could spread: find out more in Home Grants.

Need home repairs? You have so much company — it’s a need that is critical to many. Grants for Home Repair has lots of good tips for how to find and pay for repair help. Our latest updates include tips for finding help from your state, where to look for emergency aid, and potentially low cost help you could find in your area.

This month’s updates include news about new security measures being taken for Medicare patients in our review of healthcare.gov and new dental services being offered for veterans detailed in our article about Free Dental Care.

A final note - and a serious one. Our June update to Free Grants covers a new warning from the government about scams involving grants. Please remember that the government will never call to tell you you are the lucky winner of a grant. And no real grant requires you to pay a fee to get it. Read the update and also read our article about Free Money Phone Call Scams to find out more — including a nasty new trick fake callers are using.

Enjoy the rest of your summer — make it a fun and productive one!