Free Money News November 2016

Happy November! Get ready to change your clocks: Spring Ahead, Fall Back. Mark your calendars and on Saturday night, November 5 set your clocks back one hour. Enjoy the extra hour of sleep Sunday morning — and start getting used to an earlier sunset.

Was your Halloween a scary one or has this year’s election got you used to the feeling? Never before has a U.S. presidential election been a choice between two hopefully capable but so vehemently disliked individuals. Whatever your feelings, be sure to exercise your precious right to vote.

Here’s a scary number: the presidential candidates and super PAC’s have raised more than $1.6 billion. Wow, could that money do a lot of good for people. Too bad we can’t put it together with the more than $6 billion spent on Halloween candy!

Those numbers are hard to imagine. But both candidates have plans to help turn things around and maybe things will change for the better in the coming year. In the meantime our November Free Money Highlights will point you to resources that can help you in the shorter term.

You probably are very interested in this topic. We understand! Along with many others you may also be very confused. Like how come you’ve had people try to charge you or your friends for allegedly “free grants”? That’s a good question - and an important one. The clear fact is they shouldn’t.

Our newest article Free Grants will help clear up your questions and confusion about grants. It clearly defines grants and free grants and other terms often confused with them (as well as how to get free information on those topics). It also explains where the hundreds of billions of dollars (!!) that the government awards every year in grants actually goes - and how it could actually get to you. You’ll discover how (or if) you can use the government’s grants website and your state’s to find grants. And you’ll see what non-government organizations also give out lots of grants — including to churches, farms, kids and even felons. So check out free grants. See if you can use the information to find some that will help you get ready for a happy new year!


Another big holiday coming up in November is Veterans Day. It’s a day when we honor and give thanks to those men and women — and their families — who work and sacrifice to defend our freedoms. Our review of va.gov provides a useful look at the benefits, services and programs available to vets and their families. It also shares our view of the site’s strong and weak points, and provides tips on how to use the site.

Several recent article updates also provide important information for veterans. One reviews a new focus on suicide prevention. There are some alarming statistics about the number of veterans - relative to the general population - who take their own lives. The Veterans Administration is putting a special emphasis on raising awareness both about how to identify those having serious problems and about how to seek help. See our review of va.gov for more information.

Another update highlights a news bulletin that could mean a lot to veterans who are homeless. In Grants for Veterans we report on a recent VA announcement involving $13.4 million dollars in grants. Find out how these could help you or those you love, especially if they have special needs and if they need a home.

There are many local organizations that encourage people to write and send letters and cards to to vets and active service men and women. Do an internet search for your local area, see if your church has such a drive going, and see if you can get your family or social group involved.

Last but not least mark Veterans Day — Friday November 11 — on your calendar. Be sure to thank veterans that you know. Maybe take your family to a parade so they understand what and why Veterans Day is. And remember, freedom isn’t free…

Need home repairs? Who doesn’t? Grants for Home Repair shares a great news story about home repair help in North Carolina. The information is useful whether you live in North Carolina or not. It’s all about the North Carolina House Financing Agency and how it’s helping local folks. They focus especially on seniors needing home repairs, those who wish to stay in their homes rather than going to a nursing home, and anyone who needs major repairs to their single family home. It’s an excellent example of what to look for locally. We show you how to look in your own area for similar programs so take a look at Grants for Home Repair.

If you’re looking for help for improvements to your home, Home Improvement Grants has some tips for you as well. Check out some ideas about financing your improvements, especially if you plan on using credit cards…

Need dental help for your children? Find out more about a program provided by the American Dental Association. See how it can improve your child’s dental health. Check out “Give Kids a Smile” in Free Dental Care.

Take a look at lots of other ideas for doing all you can for your family in Grants for Kids.

There are also several new resource reviews we’ve added to help your children:

• New and important medical grants for kids in Texas;
• new grants in five states providing innovative learning programs for disabled students are discussed in our review of disability.gov;
• if you’re a widow with children, discover a new resource for widows that could be helpful;
• find out more about the presidential candidates' plans to help single moms and all families with childcare.

Women’s Business Grants: Women, want to find some government money for your business? Take a look at some sample research results we got on grants.gov, the government’s mega-website for all kinds of grants. You’ll see what’s possible for women and for small businesses and find out how to search it yourself in Small Business Grants for Women.

SBA Business Loans Find out what they are and what they are not. Discover the pros and cons of considering these loans at all versus others. See our recent update to Grants for Small Business.

Check out Microfinancing News 
Read an example of one entrepreneur’s experience with a micro-lender — and find out why he highly recommends microfinancing. Find out more in Mircrofinancing Opportunities.

Folks, scholarships really are “free money” — and they can help you keep your or your kids’ college debt down! We review new scholarships for the LGBTQ community in Where to Find Scholarships. And in honor of Thanksgiving, in Scholarship Information we tell you all about the National Wild Turkey Federation Scholarship. Don’t miss it!

Speaking of Thanksgiving — if you need some extra income, Amazon is hiring big time for the holiday season this year — even more than last year. And last year a lot of those temporary jobs turned into full time employment! The jobs are available in Amazon sites all across the county — go get some extra cash! Discover (much) more in Low Income Help.

Happy Thanksgiving — and Thank You Veterans and Active Service Folks & Families!