Free Money News May 2019

Yay, it’s May! Spring is in full gear and warming up as we approach summer! 
March Madness is over (congrats Virginia!) but there’s no shortage of sports excitement. NBA Semifinals are underway … can the Golden State Warriors win it again? There’s action on the ice too as Hockey’s Stanley Cup Playoffs progress. We won’t know the winner ’til June … (go Sharks!).

May hosts a number of celebrations and holidays. First is Cinco de Mayo coming right up on May 5. That same day is the first day of Ramadan. We celebrate moms on May 12 and wrap up the month Memorial Day Weekend, honoring those brave men and women who have died defending our freedom.

There are promising new movies opening in May a well — maybe not summer blockbusters but definite improvements over some recent releases. Long Shot opens May 3, featuring romance between Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen; Pokemon Detective Pikachu debuts May 10 with Ryan Reynolds as Pikachu’s voice, and The Hustle brings lots of laughs with Anne Hathaway and Rebel Wilson, also opening May 10.

Real Grants for Business can be tough to find. But you can go a long way with loans backed by the Small Business Administrations. Check out our latest update to Government Loans for more on those loans and how to find the lender that’s best for you.

Did you know you can sometimes find grants for small businesses on the grants.gov website? They’ve also made some improvements and taken on a new look, making it easier to navigate and find what you’re looking for. And you can stay on top of things with their mobile app!

Non-Profits: have you taken advantage of the Common Grant Application? They can sometimes be used to apply to several foundations and/or private organizations for grants. Check out our recently updated review of the Common Grant Application.

At last there’s some good news about student loans. The Wall Street Journal reports some surprising benefits for those students who do take out such loans. Discover more in Student Loans — and feel better about taking on that debt.

Get up to date on the latest in Pell Grant awards. And remember, you can now apply Pell Grants to summer sessions as well - Take advantage of a great opportunity to graduate faster!

Do you dread filling out your FAFSA? If you’re tempted to skip it because you think you can’t qualify for any assistance, stop and think again. Lots of people leave money on the table because they wrongly make that assumption. And now there’s a great new tool that lets you get a preview of your eligibility and how much you might be able to receive before you fill out the FAFSA. Take a look at the latest in our review of FAFSAonEd.gov.

Hey high school seniors, do you love ice cream? That passion could win you a scholarship of up to $15,00 if you’re also clever about sharing your favorite flavor … Find out how at Scholarships for High School Seniors.

Looking to buy your first home? A lot of people go looking for federal help, but your state could be your best friend! Many if not most states encourage people to buy homes in their state by providing them with some assistance. Whether it’s your very first home or you just haven’t owned a home for at least three years, you could qualify for state support. And they provide help beyond just financial aid as well. Discover more in Grants for First Time Home Buyers.

Want to buy a home but you don't have all the money you need? How about trying crowdfunding? There's now a platform specifically for raising money to buy a house – and you can even make extra money off that house by renting out a room. Find out more in Grants to Purchase a Home.

Do you keep hearing about the $millions (even $billions!) of unclaimed property there is out there? If you’ve read that MissingMoney is the best place to start your own search for property in your name yes sure to read our review of missingmoney.com. Get the low down on what to look out for and tips for how to best use this site —and others— to do your own strategic search for money that should be yours.

We were amazed to discover some new and easy ways to sell stuff — and we’re not talking about the effort that goes into a garage sale. Get the details in Low Income Help.

Do you and your family suffer from “food insecurity”? If you’re using all the federal assistance you can find and you still are short on cash for food, try a private program you mightn’t be aware of that is helping people in every state plus puerto Rico. It’s free, confidential, and you don’t have to prove anything to be eligible. More details in our lates update to I Need Help.

Ladies — and guys too — take a look at an interesting and easy way to sell the clothes that no longer “spark joy” for you. Get the scoop in Free Money.

And here’s an amazing tip: did you know you can now make money on your junk mail? Think that’s not possible? There’s a company that’s discovered a great way to use it so don’t laugh. Discover how to get rid of — and make cash from — that mail so many people hate. See our update to Free Money 2015.

Help for Addiction: Are you or a loved ones fighting to overcome an addiction? There’s an innovative new program that’s helping people overcome opioid addiction. It’s new, it’s free and you can find out more in Help for Addiction.

Longing to travel but you can’t afford it? There’s a program funded by the State Department that could be just right for you. See what’s new in Travel Grants.

New for Feminists with a passion for the arts as well as for their cause! Learn more in Grants for Women.

For Widows: discover a support program that focuses on the positive rather than on grief. See Widows with Children, More Grant Resources.