Free Money News October 2017

It’s officially Fall! We hope that means good news and fewer headlines about destructive hurricanes in the U.S. and elsewhere. But if you live in vulnerable areas don’t let down your guard. Since 1950 the U.S. has been hit by hurricanes in October 14 times. And the hardest hit is southern Florida. If you’re still suffering serious after-effects from recent hurricanes be sure to check out the Personal section of Free Money Highlights below.

Hurricanes are scary and of course October always gets even scarier on Halloween. Still amazing to us — and frightening — is that Americans are projected to spend $9.1 billion this year on Halloween related purchases. Costumes are the biggest spending category and men will spend on average $96 for costumes — about $20 more than average costumer costume spending by women. Yikes.

On a brighter note MLB playoffs for the World Series start October 1. Even if you’re not a fan it may please you to have something other than political controversy dominating sports headlines. Who will be in this World Series, which begin October 23? ESPN “experts” predict Cleveland Indians vs. the Chicago Cubs …. Bets anyone …?

Home Repair Loans is our newest article, just published in late September. And it’s an important one because it could have an impact on a lot of people’s health. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) we spend about 85 % of our time inside, and most of that is in residences. Mold and other cold/wet situations can cause very serious illnesses — so much so that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) have taken an interest. In this article we explain more, including “home improvement loans and grant interventions” designed to help lower income families with needed repairs. Check out Home Repair Loans and learn about some resources for home repair help you may not yet be aware of.

Home Repair Credit Card Options:

If you’ve decided that you’re just going to have to go with the option of using your credit card to pay for home improvements don’t just go for whatever you have in your wallet. There are some great rewards available on the right card if you’re going to be spending a bunch of money. Check out one that’s specifically recommended for home improvements and see how much cash you can actually get back. Discover more in our latest update to Home Improvement Grants.

Assistance For Rent: Employers to the Rescue? We’re beginning to see this more and more, particularly in Silicon Valley and other places with booming economies and scarce housing supplies. Most recently NASA in the San Francisco Bay Area announced that it will be building around 2000 units for rental housing, with 10% of those targeted for lower income folks. We explain more about their plan in our article about Assistance for Rent.

Microfinancing:

Have you looked into as an option for getting the money you need to grow or start your business? There are some major organizations you may be familiar with but there are also local options that are not as well known — and they can often provide both funds and business guidance. And though they may operate locally they don’t necessarily only loan to local businesses. So don’t ignore this possibility — see more including an example in the updated Microfinancing Opportunities.

Grants for Business:

These can be hard to find but sometimes they’re right under people’s noses. Or at least they’re available in specific states where your business may be located. Our September update to Grants for Business discusses a great example that is available within a state and offered by a private foundation spending millions to encourage and support small businesses. Could something similar be an option near you? Read more in the State Level Grants section of Grants for Business.

Increase Your Revenues!

One of the most exciting yet pretty simple advances in today’s business world is how easy it is for a new business — or any business — to take credit cards! Credit cards have been shown again and again to increase a company’s sales due to the convenience they offer to consumers. Some people don’t even carry cash anymore and probably fewer even use checks. Credit cards allow them not only not to give up their cash right away but to keep track of their expenditures. Taking credit cards used to involve having to buy bulky equipment and run transactions manually. That has all changed! You can now easily get up and running taking credit cards without a big outlay of cash — in fact with none at all. Take a look at the recently updated Grants for Small Business and see how easy it can be.

Sometimes the “grants” available to nonprofits (or to businesses) are not provided in cash but instead in “in kind” services. A business or organization may offer things like technical expertise and consulting or logo and other graphics work, marketing partnering or — in this particular case — in web design and building. Getting expert help and services at no cost can reduce your expenditures as well as improve your company’s effectiveness and profitability. And that’s money in the bank! If you’re a nonprofit providing services that build up your community find out more about a business that wants to help you and submit an application at any time. More details in our September 2017 update to Grants for Nonprofits.

Nonprofits working to improve their communities are also eligible for grants from Walmart’s Community Grants Program. Discover more in our latest update to Grants Online.

Scholarship Contests:

These are a great way to get money for college. Yes you have to put a little effort into it — but sometimes not much! Our article about Scholarship Contests reviews a number of them that you can enter and win simply with some luck. And our latest update details a contest to promote women in math — but you don’t have to be a woman to enter (or even be particularly good at math…). If you enjoy talking to people and you’re a decent writer, you could win some cash. The next deadline is January 31, 2018 so go find out more about it now in our September Update to Scholarship Contests.

Scholarship Information:

There’s also some breaking news in the state of New York. The 2018 state budget includes a program that allows students from low income families to attend state college (2- or 4-year) for free. Whoa. And there’s only one pretty minor catch. Find out more at Scholarship Information.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid Most importantly for most students: don’t forget the fafsa!! The improvements made last year are continuing for the 2017-2018 academic year. Do not ignore this — it can make a big difference to you and your family’s finances…

First a warning: remember that there are some very active scammers out there. Nobody from the Government will ever call to tell you that you have won a real grant. Do not give out any personal information and please don’t send the caller any money no matter how legit they sound. It’s easy to be fooled so be on your guard. And check our latest update to Ten Top Things to Know About Grants.

Have you had a hard time trying to get approved for disability benefits? If so you should learn the most important things to know and do when submitting an application. Find out why only three people in ten get approved on their first attempt and how you can do better. See our recent update to disability.gov.

If you have been affected by recent hurricanes you may know where to get physical help — but what about those who suffer from emotional distress? benefits.gov encourages you to seek help and provides a toll free number you can call to be connected with a professional. Get details in the September Update to benefits.gov about this service as well as other options provided by the Benefits site.

Have a safe and happy Halloween!