Free Money News October 2018

October: Autumn is here! You know what that means — Halloween is coming. This year spending on Halloween is expected to hit $9 billion! That’s slightly more than last year, perhaps a reflection of a very healthy economy.

On average men spend more on Halloween than women. One writer claims it’s because men don’t focus on smart shopping strategies. Check out the Grants for Personal Needs section of this newsletter for tips about how to save on spending for Halloween (Remember, Christmas is coming too).

This month we feature Free Money News about grants and resources for seniors, some seriously fantastic new scholarships, travel grants you can win, tips for funding your new or growing business, what you should know about Social Security and more - even earning money by watching videos.

Meanwhile, enjoy MLB baseball playoffs (Wild Card games start Oct. 2!), the World Series (Yankees vs. Dodgers?), and a fired up NFL football season.

Are you a senior facing some housing problems? Take a look at our latest update to Grants for Seniors. There are some great resources available for you along with easy ways to learn more about them. You don’t even have to have a computer, you can call to talk to a real person about your situation. We show you how in Grants for Seniors.

Ever considered a Reverse Mortgage? They can be a great tool to increase you cash flow in your older years and to get some money out of your home without having to sell it. They’ve been considered risky in the past but attitudes are changing and many are now quite favorable toward them. It can be hard to believe that there’s actually a mortgage that pays you. Discover more in our latest update to Reverse Mortgage.

Please don’t ignore one more option that lets you get some money out of your home — even if you’re “upside down” on your mortgage. HARP is still one of the best deals around. Requirements have been reduced and many have qualified even though they had been turned down before. See more about your potential opportunity in Assistance for HARP Eligibility.

Think you’ve exhausted all your options to find the financing you need to get your business off the ground — or to grow it? Don’t give up! There are lots of new and creative possibilities out there to come up with what you need. Some may be surprisingly close to home. Discover more in our latest update to Fund a Startup Business.

Now might even be a good time to give banks another try. See more about a Wall Street Journal report that includes good news about banks getting more flexible and eager to go after your business. See the latest in Small Business Loans.

Calling all female “emerging artists” in silver jewelry: there is a grant just for you! $7500 cash awards each year, long with$1000 for jewelry supplies. Find out more, including how to apply, in our latest update to Small Business Grants for Women. Filling out the application can be a challenge, but it will help you to clarify your business strategy and how you plan to make your brand successful in years to come.

If farming is your interest but you need some help getting started, be sure to check out Grants for Farms. This article not only shows you how and where to get financial help getting your farm started and/or growing. It also shares some great tips about how to learn more about farming. One of them involves what could be a very fun adventure abroad. Check out our latest update to learn how to travel to an organic farm in another country and get room and board. You get these great benefits in return for helping the farmer and learning a lot about organic farming while you do! Sound interesting? See Grants for Farms.

Business Help for Women: Guidant Financial has published the results of a survey it recently conducted of women entrepreneurs. Discover current trends and see who is starting new businesses, how they finance their dreams and what’s their #1 recommendation for funding your business in the latest update to Business Help for Women.

Don’t ignore the possibility of getting some equity cash out of your house to use to fund your business! Even if you don’t have a ton of equity in your house there is a great way right now to get cash out of your house — and even reduce your cash outflow when you do. You may have been ignoring the HARP program because you didn’t want to bother or you assumed you wouldn’t qualify but you could be very, very wrong. The requirements have loosened and you could refinance, reduce your monthly payments, AND take some cash out. Learnmore in our review of the HARP program!

Wow, do we have the biggest news yet for anyone interested in a future in the medical profession! What outstanding university is providing full tuition for all of their medical students? They’re even reimbursing existing students for expenses they’ve already paid! Go right now and see our latest update in Where to Find Scholarships.

Our latest news in this article discusses a specific community grant program designed to provide financial aid to innovative teaching programs. These programs can be for summer or school year projects. While you might not be able to benefit if you don’t live in that particular community it could give you a model to pattern your own program after. Or it can help you to do a search for a similar program in your area. See some more details on this and other potential opportunities in Grants for Kids.

Have you ever checked out usa.gov? It has more useful information than you might be aware of, and not just about grants. For example our September update covers some tips you might not have expected to find there about dealing with kids going back to school.

A Reminder for Parents of Disabled Children Did you know you might be able to get income payments for children with disabilities? If the child is younger than 18 years of age and has some physical and/or mental condition that qualifies according to SSA’s definition of children’s disabilities it may be possible. Your income would also have to be considered “low.” You can get a booklet that explains in more detail on the Social Security website. But don’t stop there…. you will also want to see what the specifics are for the state you live in. Some states will supplement the SSI payment with additional funds. See if this could work for you in the latest in our review of Social Security.

Want to get a grant?


For starters, it’s important to understand the different terms used by grant makers. Our article about Important Grant Related Terms is updated regularly to provide clear explanations about what this specialized terminology means. The latest update explains the meaning of “reimbursable grants.” This is information you need if you have a reimbursable grant or if you want to apply for one.

Looking for tips on writing proposals that actually win grants? Discover the five most important things experts say you should know in Writing a Good Grant Proposal.

Grants are not only for solving problems – they can also help you to learn something new and have a lot of fun doing it! Our articles provide lots of tips to find out how. Travel Grants shows you how to get a grant to help fund your travels – and it's not just for students and teachers. Check out the latest in Travel Grants.And be sure to see our update about news for those interested in farming in Grants for Farms.

Do you get confused trying to figure out what you’re entitled to from the Social Security Administration and how to go about getting it? Check out our latest update to benefits.gov! Their September “spotlight” is on the SSA and your social security benefits. Take a look and see if their overview of available benefits reveals some possibilities you weren’t aware of. And we’re not just talking about the benefits you have earned by working and contributing to contributing to Social Security this year — we’re talking about whole categories of benefits you may not know you’re entitled to: like disability benefit clarification, survivor benefits if you have lost a spouse or other caregiver, and disability benefits. You will also find additional helpful information in our review of the SSA website.

If you’re a veteran be sure to check out the latest about VA.gov. This is especially important if you’ve suffered damage from recent hurricanes. See how to learn about medical center closures as well as the agency’s assistance programs for those who have suffered disasters.

Do you live in New Mexico? They’ve got some great new grants for farmers — and those grants would also benefit non-profits. Check it out in Grants in New Mexico.

Don’t forget our annual articles about Free Money. We’ve recently updated Free Money 2017 with the latest news about “Basic Income” and what it could mean to you. And there’s news in Fee Money 2018 about how you could earn money by watching videos. Seriously…

And if you’re in Tennessee, don’t miss the latest in Grants in Tennessee. New grants could be super important to libraries.

Halloween Shopping Tips

As promised: some tips about spending wisely this month:

• Do your shopping early.
• Be on the lookout for coupons, and remember to use them.
• Don’t give out full-sized candy bars, go for the miniatures.
• Don’t go too crazy decorating your house … there are lots of inexpensive diy projects you can find on sites like Pinterest.
• Have fun!