October 2019 Free Money News

Happy October and Happy Autumn! There is definitely a chill in the air, though it may still be warm where you are. Hopefully hurricane dangers have past but stay tuned as the season isn’t totally over!

By now you must be used to having kids back in school — yay! But financial pressure may still be present as Halloween spending approaches - or maybe, like many, you’ve already started preparing. In fact Halloween is the second larget retail holiday of the year. Halloween spending is expected to be close to $9 billion dollars! We can help you spend your money wisely … See our highlights for tips on spending wisely on Halloween….

Among other benefits, October is National Pizza month AND National Dessert month….. Yom kippur, one of the holiest of Jewish holidays is also this month. It’s a big sports month too, with the World Series kicking off on October 22 (Astros? Yankees? Dodgers?). The NFL has of course already started its 2019 season. Who will we see in Superbowl LIV in Miami? We'll have to wait until 2020 to find out! Meanwhile the NBA and the NHL both kick off their seasons this month so enjoy!

Last month we highlighted the fbo website for those businesses looking for government contracts. And that’s still valid but there’s another resource you may find more useful, especially if you’ve been overwhelmed or intimidated by that website. Check it out in our update to the very valuable sba.gov.

Grants for Small Business

The Visa Foundation has jumped into the game providing some interesting amazing multi-year grants relating, not surprisingly, to payment systems and more. Though they have closed applications for this year it would still be very worthwhile to take a look at what they’re looking for, previous winners, and more in order to be ready to consider applying next year! There are lots of them — by the year 2022 they expect to have helped support more than two million businesses! Learn more in Grants for Small Business.

Did you catch our great tip last month for increasing your success with crowdfunding campaigns? If not go right now to the Programs section of Small Business Financing Opportunities - you'll be surprised how easy it is!

Is owning your own home your dream? Prices are currently dropping for home sales, even in pricier areas so this could be your opportunity. If you’ve had a tough time qualifying for a home loan because you couldn’t provide some “traditional” proofs of income, this could also be your time. Income requirements and acceptable proofs are changing and getting easier, so don’t miss this opportunity to try again! See more in Home Grants.

Is coming up with a down payment holding you back? We detail lots of assistance programs that could make all the difference for you in Down Payment Assistance.

Don’t ignore Pell Grants even if you think you can’t qualify. Lots of money gets left on the table by fairly well to do families. You’d be surprised how much — and it’s well worth you time to fill out the FAFSA — and do it as early as possible to maximize your award. Start on that today

Grants in Tennessee The state of Tennessee has set aside $35 million (!) dollars in grants to improve school safety throughout the state! If you’re in a line of work that can contribute to this very worthwhile goal go check it out in Grants for Tennessee.

October 7 is Child Health Day. Observe it by taking a look at our review of Free Dental Care. It’s so important to your health and that of your kids! You can also get more great tips in the federal healthcare site.

We promised some tips for wise Halloween spending. some of the most important:

*If you haven’t already started your Halloween shopping, do it now! *Look for coupons and put them in your wallet so they’re handy when you shop. If you’re still giving out full size candy bars, stop! Go for the miniatures instead. Check sites like Pinterest for great ideas for low-cost home decorating ideas — you don’t have to go crazy buying stuff! By the way, share with your spouse or significant other. Men apparently spend more on average than women on their Halloween costumes (men spend about $96 for their outfits and women just $77, who would have guessed? An extra note: take a look at our great article about earning extra money!

On other topics:

*Are you making the most of your Social Security benefits and all that the SSA site lets you do? Check it out now in our review of the SSA’s website.

*Free Money 2015 Don’t ignore this article just because it’s a few years old. The info is still good! And its highlight is a great review of crowdfunding and how you can use it for business and personal needs, including paying for medical bills.

*Applying for Grants?* Be sure to take a look at our most recent update to Writing A Good Grant Proposal. It will definitely help you keep your application out of the discard bin!

Do you want/need to apply for food stamps (SNAP) but you’re embarrassed to show up in person in case you get turned down? Your problem is solved: find out how to check your SNAP eligibility beforehand so that doesn’t happen — and you get the help you need! Take a look now at our latest update to Federal Assistance in the United States.

What’s the Federal Register and what can it do for you? You could be amazed! Take a look at our Quick Guide to the Federal Register.

Have you seen our article Apply for a Grant? It’s often updated with interesting new articles and opportunities. For instance, Travel Grants, Grants for NonProfits, Land Grants (they exist!) and more. Take a look!

Whatever happened to that Recovery and Reinvestment Act — and where did all that money go? It’s a little harder now than it used to be to get that information, but we show you where you can get some of it. Just be aware that there are no longer any awards that ares till open.

Hey, the week of October 9 is Fire Prevention Week! Honor your local fire department by baking them some cookies. Better yet, let them know about Grants for Firefighters!