6 Easy Ways To Get Emergency Financial Help ASAP

Nobody has to struggle financially alone when emergency finance assistance is available. The various departments of the American government and private organizations provide quick financial help to citizens everywhere.

Whether you don't have enough money for child care, can't afford to pay for food this month, or need to meet an unexpected payment, there are easy ways to get financial help. Keep reading to learn six ways to get emergency financial assistance today.  

 Six Easy Ways To Get Financial Help

From government-funded programs to privately organized loans, you can get quick financial help— but you need to know where to look. Once you know where you can get quick financial help, you can choose whichever will best help your situation without stressing yourself out! Let's explore your six main options so that you can get the emergency financial help you need.

1. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, often shortened to LIHEAP by officials, is a federal government-funded program that offers financial assistance to low-income households to cover cooling and heating costs. All the grants are issued at the state level. The state governments receive funding from the Department of Health and Human Services. In Louisiana, you must meet the following criteria to get this emergency financial help:

• You must be responsible for your home's energy bills.
• You must have an active heating and cooling account. 
• You can only receive one LIHEAP benefit each season:
• Heating from November 15th to March 15th
• Cooling from April 1st to September 30th
• Crisis from October 1st to September 30th
• It would be best if you also were 60% below the state medium income level, which depends on the number of people in your household. For instance:
• One household member = $26,040 annual income limit
• Two household members = $34,053 annual income limit
• Three household members = $42,065 annual income limit

2. The Child Care And Development Fund

The Child Care and Development Fund financially relieves low-income families with children. It's administered by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, offering states, tribes, and territories money to give to families for childcare. Like most government-given grants, it's income-based and often only provides emergency financial help for households with children under 13 years old. Make sure you apply for Louisiana's Child Care and Development Fund.

3. 0% APR Credit Cards

If you have a good or excellent credit score, you can probably qualify for a credit card with an introductory 0% Annual Percentage Rate (or APR) promotion. Depending on your chosen provider, you can utilize it for emergency expenses and receive anywhere from six to 20 months to repay it without interest. However, it's worth noting that it could take a little while (sometimes up to two weeks) to receive your card once you've gained approval.

If you need emergency financial help sooner, you will likely need to contact the card issuer to enquire about expedited delivery. A few providers, like American Express, could offer instant access to your card information, allowing you to utilize it online before receiving the physical card. That said, as long as you can afford to wait for the card, it's an excellent option for those with ideal credit scores.

4. Home Equity Line Of Credit (HELOC)

Your next option for emergency financial help is a Home Equity Line Of Credit – or a HELOC. A HELOC is a line of credit secured by your home's equity. They often come with single-digit interest rates as they're risk-abated by collateral (i.e., your house). However, you could lose your home if you don't pay back your debt. Make sure you can repay the loan; this will be an excellent option to help you.

5. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is another way to get emergency financial help when you need to go grocery shopping for nutritional food. SNAP is for families who meet Louisiana's income requirements in their state. It assists in purchasing nutritional food monthly through EBT or Electronic Benefits Transfer. It's like a debit card and can be utilized in authorized stores.

6. Online Title Loan

You'll need money quickly if you are going through a real urgent emergency. You can get an online title loan from Cash Cow when that happens. Online title loans allow you to use your vehicle's lien-free title as collateral to get around $300 - $1,400. You need your car, your lien-free title, and your driver's license or state-issued photo ID to determine if you qualify. Please fill out the online form on our website to get started and receive a call from the nearest Cash Cow location.

Get The Emergency Financial Assistance Today

All six options are excellent ways to get emergency financial assistance. So, as you can see, you don't have to handle any emergency alone in Louisiana. However, these options might not get you cash as quickly as you need. If you need money quickly to handle your emergency expenses, an online title loan might be an easy way to get financial help. If you're in a pinch and need cash quickly, complete our online inquiry form to get started. 

 

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.