10 Ways to Get Government Freebies for Low Income Households

– Government Freebies –

Get Government Freebies for Low-Income Households: Low-Income families sometimes need assistance with some household items like groceries. They can apply for assistance from the government or charities around. Keep reading to find out more.

Government Freebies

There are hundreds of items as well as monetary programs that may be provided for free. It can be clothing, household goods, meals, hygiene or cleaning supplies, or food.

Other examples of free items may be for health care needs, school supplies, medications, and much more.

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1. Unclaimed Pension Funds

Government Freebies

If you’ve left a company due to acquisition, merger, or layoffs, you may have been too preoccupied with your next career move to remember pension funds.

Luckily, the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) can help you reconnect with this forgotten money. Visit pbgc.gov to check your name and information against their database. There are currently almost 73,000 names on their unclaimed pensions list.

2. Free Student Loan Help

More than 90 percent of student loans are backed by the federal government, so they have the ability to cut you a break. The Department of Education site explains your options to get on a better payment plan, take a break from payments, or even get your loans forgiven

Of course, this being the federal government, your degree better is in English or maths to understand what they’re talking about.

3. Childcare Expense Assistance

The average annual cost of childcare is $22,658. So if you are employed and looking for assistance with childcare expenses, the government has a program to help.

The Department of Health and Human Services offers assistance in the form of the Child Care and Development Fund, which has state-specific allocations to assist childcare. To find funding options for your area, visit the CCDF’s web page here.

4. Free Paint Aid

Many cities give away free paint, but there may be some catches. Also, your income might need to be under a certain threshold, and you may have to pass a home inspection to get this aid

They often limit color choices to neutral grays and beiges because that’s easiest to make out of paint recycled at hazardous waste sites. But you might get lucky and find somebody donated the perfect color if you check often enough.

5. Healthcare Credits

If you purchase coverage through the Healthcare Marketplace and meet certain income eligibility requirements, you can receive government assistance in the form of a tax credit. You also have options for this credit.

You can either take it in equal allocations, allowing you to reduce (or eliminate) monthly premium payments, or you can “save” it for the end of the year.

If you choose the latter, you’ll receive the credit in the form of a tax return when you file with the IRS. Visit Healthcare.gov to learn more, qualify for your tax credit, and enroll in a health plan.

6. Food Assistance

According to the annual Consumer Expenditures Survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), in 2014 the average American household spent $6,759 on food.

More than 10% of its total income, and more than 12% of its total spending for the year.

Paring that yearly total all the way down to nothing probably isn’t possible, but there are certain government freebies available to get food for free in some situations.

7. Clothing Assistance 

Many of us have clothes in our closets that we don’t even wear – either because they no longer fit, or because they never fit well in the first place, or because we’re simply tired of them.

By joining together with friends for a clothing swap party, you can clear the unwanted items out of your own closet and go home with new-to-you clothes for free.

Clothing swaps are sometimes humorously called “naked lady parties,” but they don’t have to be just for women.

Guys who are into fashion can get involved too, and clothing swaps can be ideal for families with kids who are always outgrowing clothes before they’ve worn out.

By getting together with a group of other families whose kids are a bit older or a bit younger than yours, you can pass on outgrown outfits and pick up new ones in sizes that fit.

8. Free Phone Service

The Lifeline Program is the FCC’s free and reduced-cost cell phone grant. This allows access to cell phones and services for safety, well-being, and job-related needs.

The amount you’ll get per month varies by need. But you can choose from a number of cell service providers if you qualify.

9. Foreclosure Assistance

If you are at risk of foreclosure yourself, there is a program to help. It is Called HOPE (run by the Home Ownership Preservation Foundation), this program offers assistance in setting up plans that allow you to stay in your home.

They also offer advice if you’ve been the victim of a mortgage scam or if you are interested in a mortgage modification. You can call their hotline at 888-995-HOPE or visit 995hope.org to learn more to see how this foundation can help you for free.

10. Free Smoke Detectors

One of the biggest government freebies is in collaboration with the National Fire Protection Association. Several local fire departments offer free smoke detectors, and will even come to your house to install them.

For example, residents of Baltimore City or Fairfax, Va., can call the fire department’s non-emergency number to request a free smoke detector (contact your fire department’s non-emergency number to see if they offer free smoke detectors and installation).

Through its Home Fire Campaign, the American Red Cross provides free smoke detectors to residents of 12 states. You can submit your request through GetASmokeAlarm.org.

We hope this article was useful and educative, do well to share these messages with friends and loved ones. If you have a question, kindly drop your comments below.

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