Free Money News November 2015

“National Day Calendar” has proclaimed November National Gratitude Month in the U.S. and Canada. They've also arranged a 30 day “global gratitude challenge.” It includes daily tips and strategies to increase your satisfaction with every area of your life.

We’re all for gratitude but we’ll skip the emails — even it they do come from a “Certified Advanced Law of Attraction Practitioner.” (Apparently for $47 you can download the course and get certified too…). We actually suspect many people are already feeling plenty grateful anticipating the next episode of the tv show Empire. You hooked yet?

One Daily Beast writer called this show a hip-hop soap opera that’s a “crazy-sexy-cool concoction that’s part My Three Sons, part King Lear, some Glee, a lot of Dynasty and a little Hustle & Flow.” That’s quite a concoction!

Empire — with black leading characters, producers and creators — is getting lots of marketing and prized time slots. And its popularity goes way beyond race. One reviewer called its popularity “the mainstream embracing of diversity.”

We are grateful for that — for you — and for our November Free Money Highlights. We think you will be too:

Looking for Grants Online?

That’s where most of them are these days - so you’re not alone! A big percent of the U.S. is on the internet. And every business, school, charitable foundation and non-profit is anxious to cut costs, paper waste, and time spent going through printed grant applications. Almost everyone from the government to the smallest non-profit has gone 100% online in terms of grants. That includes providing announcements about funding opportunities, sharing information and requirements about goals and eligibility, and completing and submitting grant applications online.

Most of this is good news. The only downside is that while it’s easier to find grants, there are a lot more people and organizations applying for them. That’s fine too — as long as you know where and how to look for grants. It can be confusing because a lot of people confuse grants with other forms of financial aid. But it’s not impossible. We clear things up and show you how to look for grants and other types of financial help in our latest article: Grants Online. Take a look at it today and you might have lots to be grateful for by Thanksgiving!

There’s been a lot of news lately about important free money topics. For those who don’t follow us on GooglePlus or haven't spent time checking for updates lately, here’s a a guide to some of the best organized by category:

Business Updates

Some of the best Grants for Women-Owned Businesses can come from your state rather than the federal government or individual companies. Your state is always a good place to look — especially since not everyone knows it! In our recent update we highlight the “Smart Women Grant” offered to women in two states. Awards of $3000 each are given out each year in business as well as in other categories. It’s too late to enter for 2015 but you can check it out and be ready for next year. See the State Specific Grants section of Grants for Women Owned Business.

Looking for ways to finance your small business? We describe a surprisingly simple idea that can help get you start-up money as well as expertise and contacts you might not have on your own. Take a look at Small Business Financing Opportunities in the section called Small Business Financing Programs.

Hispanic businesses and entrepreneurs are taking off! Growing considerably faster than other segments, they’re among many who have benefited from government programs designed to spur small business of all kinds. Of particular interest for Hispanics and other minority groups is - or should be - the support offered by the Minority Business Development Agency. Take a look to see why.

Trying to nail down that great idea for your small business? You might be surprised where good ideas can come from. Our Small Business Ideas update could give you some profitable inspiration!

Home and Housing Updates

Yes we’re still harp, harp, harping on HARP. Seriously, it’s the best deal that’s come around from the government for homeowners in a long, long time. You probably know the deadline for applying has been extended ’til the end of 2016. But that doesn’t mean you should keep putting off looking into it. Check out our Assistance for HARP Eligibility update to see what you could be missing out on - like increasing your cash flow - if you wait.

If HARP doesn’t apply to you because you don’t own a home, now could be the time to change that. New home ownership numbers have decreased in the U.S. recently and the government and the economy don’t like that. Take a look and see what they’re offering to help you buy that first house in our Grants for First Time Homebuyers update.

Like many homeowners you may be struggling trying to deal with important home repairs you can’t afford to make. Our Home Repairs update offers a novel way to handle some of them…

Speaking of grants from your state (like we were in the Business Updates section) — if you’re in Texas, definitely check out their extensive programs for homeowners and renters. Take a look in our recent update to Grants in Texas.

Money for School Updates

Hopefully you already know about our Quick Six Pell Grant quiz that shows you quickly if you could be eligible for this real “free money” Grant. But have you shied away from applying because you read something about a low percentage of graduation among those that have received Pell Grants? Don’t believe it! An amazing update in Qualify for a Pell Grant tells you why!

And speaking of Pell Grants: now you’re going to be able to get one not just for authorized colleges, universities and career schools. Want to go to a short term “boot camp” for coding? Or other similar “career accelerator” programs that have not in the past qualified for Pell Grant help? That’s about to change - and it’s pretty exciting! Check it out in our update to Qualify for a Pell Grant.

A Month to Give Thanks

Get ready to set your clock back an hour on November 1 — an extra hour of sleep is definitely something to be grateful for. And that’s what November is all about. Take a look at some of these updates and maybe they’ll help you improve some area of your life. If you want to learn about these things as they happen, tear yourself away from Empire for a bit and follow our (brief!) daily posts on GooglePlus.