Lost your job? Can’t pay your rent or mortgage? Upset? Worried? Think the worst is going to happen? Can’t even afford to buy my book, “Free Money To Pay Your Bills” (www.howtogetagrant.com/grstarpaybills12)?

Here are some quick and easy sources to turn to without buying my latest book (which identifies 4,000 similar sources all over the country).

First of all, don’t, I repeat, DON’T contact a credit counseling agency like those you see advertised on TV or other places, before you find out from the sources below if you really need such help. If you do need these services, the sources below will help you find a reputable one. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the IRS warns consumers that many of these “non-profit” counseling agencies are ripping off consumers every day (http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/10/ftcirs.htm). And if you want to know more about how even the so-called legitimate collection agencies get their money from the credit card companies, go to http://www.consumerfed.org/fairshare.pdf. This is why they never talk to you about a bankruptcy option. They don’t get paid if you choose bankruptcy!

Remember, the government may consider you poor and you don’t know it. If you think you make too much money to receive help, put that out of your mind until you review all the programs below. You may not be eligible for every one, but you may be eligible for some. Some programs are aimed at people in financial trouble that have income requirements that to go up to $30,000 or $40,000 a year.

Help With Mortgage, Rent and Credit Counseling…
...Contact one or many of your local U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Counseling Agencies. These groups can help with problems concerning your rent or mortgage and some even have grant money to get you through tough times. They can also help with your credit problems or direct you to an organization that can help you without ripping you off. To locate an office near you go to http://www.hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hccprof14.cfm. Remember, if the office near you is not helpful enough contact one a little further away. It could be worth the drive.

Get Extra Money to Train For a Better Job…
...You may be able to get up to $10,000, plus travel money, day care money, clothing allowance and more to take a few months to upgrade your skills so you can get a job that pays more. Contact your local One-Stop Career Center to see what money programs are available in your area for training. Go to http://www.servicelocator.org/nearest_onestop.asp and look for the nearest center.

Extra Money to Live on While You Look for Work…
… You may be eligible to receive an extra 7 weeks of unemployment insurance money. Check if your area is eligible at http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/extenben.asp. You can also collect your unemployment money while you start your own business. See http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/self.asp. If you don’t know if you are eligible for unemployment insurance money, check out http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov/unemploy/uifactsheet.asp.

An Extra $20,000 for All Kinds of Problems…
… Everyone won’t get $20,000 for just anything. But there are over 1,000 community action agencies that offer money to people in need for all kinds of reasons: day care, food, rent, housing, fuel bills, repairs, auto, etc. To find a community action agency near you contact Community Action Partnership, 1100 17th St., NW, Suite 500, Washington, DC 20036. Phone: 202-265-7546, fax: 202-265-8850, email: info@communityactionpartnership.com, website: www.communityactionpartnership.com.

$800 for Food, $2,000 for a Short Term Emergency, Day Care, Health Care & More…
… Every state has a number of programs to protect people in financial trouble. There are programs to help pay for food, help pay for day care, help pay for medical expenses and even programs that give you extra money so you don’t wind up on welfare. To see which of these programs you may be eligible for go to http://www.cbpp.org/1-14-04tanf.htm. This website lists all the major programs along with eligibility requirements for every state.

A Fast $500…
… Catholic Charities and the Salvation Army have thousands of local organizations that offer a verity of services and money for childcare, elder care, elderly services, emergency financial services, food, shelter, housing, job training, health care, and even a fast $500 to get you out of a jam. Many of these services are for families making less than $25,000 per year. Find Catholic Charities USA locations near you at http://www.catholiccharitiesinfo.org/states/ and Salvation Army locations at http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/www_usn.nsf/vw-dynamic-index/85256DDC007274DF80256B800038A2CB?openDocument.

Help for Seniors…
...Need $7,000 for a new roof, or $300 for eye glasses, $1,000 for dentures, or a ride to the doctor or even legal help or a new living situation? You can contact the government’s Eldercare hotline for almost any problem concerning a senior. Contact www.eldercare.gov or 1-800-677-1116.

Free Prescription Drugs…
... Drug companies will give certain people who cannot afford their medications their drugs free of charge. Your doctor will likely have to sign a form, and then the company will ship the medications to you or the doctor. I just checked the web site for Phizer and you can have an income up to $25,000 and even get Viagra for free! See http://www.helpingpatients.org/index.cfm.

To receive a listing of drug companies, go to http://www.phrma.org/pap/ and put in the name of a pharmaceutical company to find out about their program. They are all there except Tap Pharmaceutical. You call them at 800-830-1015.

You can also contact your state department of health at www.govengine.com. Many state governments also have financial help for prescription drugs free through the Patients Assistance Program. See http://www.helpingpatients.org/index.cfm.

Help When the System Beats You Up…
… You have elected officials who can operate the system for you to help you locate money, services or anything else you need. Or they act as your advocate when the system does not seem to be working for you. They all have people on their staff whose job it is to help people in their district. This is why over 95% of politicians who run for reelection win. If they do a favor for you, you will vote for them forever, no matter what they do. Remember:

They are all getting a government salary to help you and they all have access to different resources. The worst that can happen is that more than one person solves your problem. Go to www.congress.org and search for your federal, state and local elected officials.

4,000 Additional Government Grants…
… My latest book, “Free Money To Pay Your Bills” (www.howtogetagrant.com/grstarpaybills12) is loaded with over 4,000 little-known government grant programs for people of all ages and all incomes.

The Most Important Thing is to Keep Looking…
… No one person knows everything that is available out there for people who need money. Not even me, and I have been doing this work for over 25 years. So when someone tells you that there is no help available that just means they don’t have help available -- there is no way they know all the programs that are out there. Most people working in government agencies barely even know what programs are available in their own agency, let alone anywhere else.

You are your best advocate. No one knows your needs better than you. So, don’t give up. There are countless sources of money out there. It just takes some effort and the desire to feel more in control of your life. Keep trying. You’ll never know what you might have found if you give up too soon…