Free Money News November 2017

Welcome to November and the accelerating slide to the end of the year. Thanksgiving and the holidays will be here soon. But don’t stress: remember it is, appropriately, National Gratitude Month. Amidst all your plans and to-do lists, make a point of setting aside time to think about all that you are grateful for.

Black Friday is coming up too — or maybe we should call it “Black Week” since it seems to start early and go long. Do you fret about it or make it a fun day to spend with friends or family members? It can be a positive thing — it’s all in the attitude. And it helps to know some useful tips. Have you heard of raise.com? It sells discounted gift cards and it’s got some pretty good deals. Check it out before you head out!

Remember: Veterans Day is November Saturday, November 11. Now there’s something to be grateful for. We salute and thank all those who have served in our armed forces to protect our freedom!

Another important date: Daylight Savings Time ends Sunday, November 5. Happily this is when we get an extra hour of sleep. Be sure to set your clocks back one hour when you go to bed November 4, or you can set it back at 2 AM Sunday morning! Here’s more good news:

It’s a good news month for sure, there are so many updates to share! We begin with our newest article about Grants in Tennessee. This is a great state lots of people don’t know too much about except for its famous music stars and history. It also provides lots of grants to its citizens, especially in the areas of music and the arts. There’s lots more: take a look at Grants in Tennessee. We have detailed reviews on grants in several other states as well: California, New York, Florida, Illinois and Texas.

Speaking of veterans: if you’re a veteran and a Native American, or if you’re not Native American but you are a vet and you’re married to a Native American, there’s a great home buying program for you! Discover more in our recent update to Home Grants.

Have you heard about Reverse Mortgages? They’re also known officially as Home Equity Conversion Mortgages. You may have seen that term in promotional mailers that make it sound as if there’s a big secret out there that only they are privy to. But Reverse Mortgages are made possible by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and if they’re right for you they can help increase your cash flow in a big way. They’re not for everyone and you need to know what you are doing. Get more info and some great tips in Reverse Mortgage.

The past several months have been tough ones with hurricanes, floods, fires and earthquakes. If you suffered flood damage during Hurricane Harvey you may be dealing with some major repairs — and expenses. If you’re not covered by insurance — and lots of people aren’t — take a look right now to our October update in Home Repair Help. There are measures you can take to get tax deductions but time is running out so act now…

Are you a senior living at home and trying to make do on Social Security and a little bit of savings? You might be surprised at how some seniors have figured out how to get money out of their house — and we’re not talking about any kind of new mortgage or home equity loan. Take a look at Grants for Seniors to find out more and get some important tips if you want to try getting some extra cash yourself!

This month actually brings some good news from the Social Security Administration. For the first time in many years 2018 will usher in an increase in Social Security payments. It’s just about a 2% increase but still, it’s an increase we haven’t seen in quite a while. Discover when it starts and how much you might expect in Social Security.

More good news, this time from the Wall Street Journal: the lowest 10% of wage earners are seeing their pay increase at a faster rate than any other group! This is very promising as it means the unemployment rate is low and employers have to compete for talent. Maybe a good time to get out there and find a job: discover more in Low Income Help.

There could also be good news for single moms. Trump’s original plans for helping with child care costs were met with much criticism — and as a result they’ve changed, in a good way. More benefits are expected to go to parents with lower incomes. There’s more that should make these plans very appealing: see more in Grants for Single Moms.

Ever considered driving for more cash? Uber and Lyft are two obvious opportunities, but how do they compare, and which is right for you? Check out some useful information about driving for either one — as the article says, if you’re smart about it you can make a lot of money! You need to see the latest update in Free Money 2016. (Don’t let the title fool you, the info is updated for 2017!

Important to know : the 2018 open enrollment period for healthcare opens November 1 and will close December 15. But that period for this year (2017) has already opened and closed. If you missed it, don’t despair. There are still some options for you but you need to act now. Be sure to see our latest update to healthcare.gov.

Some not great news about phone call scams. Unfortunately they are increasing and the bad guys are getting more clever about their tactics. Recent reports show callers posing as being from companies like Netflix and Verizon and conning you into believing you’ve earned some sort of financial reward. Beware of calls like this even if they know a lot about your account. Get more facts and advice in our update to Free Money Phone Call Scams.

Are you still struggling trying to find a way to get a car? That is one of the most important factors in one’s ability to get and keep a job, take care of the family and more. Interestingly, the recent floods and other disasters have resulted in a flood of a different kind: many new used cars appearing in the market and probably in the number available form charitable organizations. And big supply means lower prices. But you have to be careful: some cars have been properly reconditioned, others not so much. Find out what you need to know if you’re looking for a car in Money for a Car.

Don’t miss our latest update to Free Money — see the latest about the possibility of a Universal Basic Income for all.

Have you ever checked out our article Domain Discuss? It reviews many websites, government and private, and helps you make decisions about which ones you can trust. One of those sites is missingmoney.com, a search platform that includes multiple (but not all) states. There are important things to know if you are going to use it if you want a truly complete and effective search for unclaimed money that could be yours.

Speaking of unclaimed money: See our recent update to Free Unclaimed Money and find out what states are getting very creative in finding rightful owners of unclaimed property — yours could be one of them!

Dental care is so important to your overall health — and it’s expensive. We review options for finding free or low cost care in Free Dental Care. Our latest update reports on a new approach being tested in some areas which could help you get the care you need.

Want to start a farm but you’re not sure how to go about it — or you don’t know much about farming? Some major new grants have been announced that are specifically for beginning farmers and ranchers. These could help you out a lot! Check them out in Grants for Farms!

Looking for a small business loan — that isn’t ridiculously expensive and hard to get? You might be surprised where you could find one …. and what companies are predicted to dominate in this area in the coming years. Check out our latest update in Small Business Loans.

Know what’s the most important factor in projecting the growth of a business — and is too often ignored by women? Find out in our update to Business Help for Women.

Fund a Startup Business is updated with more details about how you can use your IRA to fund a new business — without incurring taxes and penalties! It can get complicated but people are doing it successfully — see some examples and tips in Fund A Startup Business.

Lots of news and (bad) publicity lately for venture capital firms and men’s bad behavior toward women. Looks like they may finally be doing something about it, and you may even hear from VC’s if you’re a woman who’s dealt with them lately. More in Small Business Grants for Women.

Grants for Women Owned Business shows you potential grants for women in several different categories. One of those is from private companies. See more about one well known company that’s dedicating part of its operating profit to organizations that promote and support women in business.

Important updates this month to help out students! You don’t get a lot of good news in the media. In case you missed it, the administration has followed through on its promise to offer year-round Pell Grants. This can mean a lot to you in terms of saving money — and you can receive up to 150% of your Pell award. Get more detail in Pell Grants.

Remember, scholarships are very much like grants in that they never have to be repaid! And they’re easier to get — though some think it’s hard. We show you some great ways to find scholarships — including lots that you don’t have to be a brainiac to get. Check out Find Scholarships for tips and tricks to help you out.