52 Money Save Ways: Week 43: Apply For Help

52 Money Save Ways: Week 43: Apply For Help

Welcome to week 43 of our Money Save Ways series to help you in your personal and household financial journeys. This series is a weekly one designed to accompany the 52 Week Money Challenge. This week, place $43 in your 52 Week Money Jar or if you are doing the challenge in reverse, add in $14! Let’s look at another way you can save money; Apply for help.

52 Money Save Ways: Week 43: Apply For Help

This week’s tips might be a hard one for some folks. I know what it feels like to need help and have trouble making ends meet. I want to start off by saying, there is no shame in seeking help for your financial troubles. Sometimes, it’s your only option and sometimes it’s an option you didn’t even know you had.

Let’s look at some programs designed to help.

SNAP– This program is formally known as “food stamps” and can help you get fresh produce, meats and other items you maybe skip out on in order to stretch your grocery dollars. You can use coupons with this program as well. In fact, it is encouraged. For many states, a family of 3 can earn up to 3,000 and still qualify for some help through this program.

WIC– This program is for pregnant women, breastfeeding moms, new mothers and children and infants under 5 years old. You can get help with milk and cheese, some proteins, cereals, and in most states, fresh produce. The income guidelines are much higher than the SNAP program and this can save you 50 dollars or more a month on groceries.

LIEAP-This stands for Low Income Energy Assistance Program and is sometimes called something different in some states. You can get help with paying your winter heating bill, only have to apply once per year and with many electric/energy companies, those that qualify for LIEAP also get reduced rates the rest of the year.

If you make too much for these programs but still need help, there are many ways to still get help. You can look in your local paper or on Craigslist for classes that are free that will teach you about personal finance matters such as budgeting and couponing (along with many blogs like A Mitten Full Of Savings that offer tons of free info on saving money in practical ways). There is also some assistance programs to help you get membership to co-ops so you can get lower prices on organic and local food.

Did you miss previous week’s posts of the 52 week challenege? Check out the links below!

• Week 42:Repair before replacing
• Week 41: Make Substitutions
• Week 40: Gas Rewards Programs
• Week 39: Freezer Cooking
• Week 38: Re-use Everything
• Week 37: A Sale Does Not Equal a Need
• Week 36: Eat out the Smart Way
• Week 35: Carefully Shop the Dollar Store
• Week 34: Take a Second Look
• Week 33: Use Less
• Week 32: Get Amazon Prime
• Week 31: Consider Renting
• Week 30: Skip Disposable
• Week 29: Reduce Your Meat Budget
• Week 28: Borrow Everything
• Week 27: Store Food Properly
• Week 26: Cloth Diapering
• Week 25: Buy Generic Medication
• Week 24: Shop at Farmer’s Markets
• Week 23: Don’t Call in the Experts
• Week 22: Learn to Rebate
• Week 21: Seal up Those Leaks
• Week 20: Always Compare Prices
• Week 19: Watch Your Food Waste
• Week 18: Use Vinegar to Clean
• Week 17: Buy the Smaller Package
• Week 16: Teach Your Kids About Money
• Week 15: Splurge When it Matters
• Week 14: Wash Your Car At Home
• Week 13: Meat Free Mondays
• Week 12: Create  A Price Book
• Week 11: Avoid Fees
• Week 10: Cut Your Own Hair
• Week 9: Watch Your Electricity
• Week 8: Turn off The TV
• Week 7: Drink More Water
• Week 6: Maintain Your Car
• Week 5: Reap the Rewards
• Week 4: Practice the Waiting Game
• Week 3: Buy Seasonings in Bulk
• Week 2: Buy Your Clothes Used
• Week 1: Make Lists
• 52 Week Money Challenge
• 52 Week Tracker