Coronavirus, aka COVID-19, is wreaking havoc on the world as we know it. Businesses are suspending operations, hours are being slashed, schools are closing and grocery store shelves are bare. In many ways, it feels like the end of the world as we know it.
As always, our primary concern is with the low income people across America who live paycheck-to-paycheck.
This is our master list of resources for those affected by coronavirus. Even if you avoid getting sick, you will probably not be able to escape being affected by the closures, cancellations and other consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.
In this list, we are aggregating all of the coronavirus-related resources we can find. We’re looking for freebies, deals, financial assistance and anything that can make things a little easier for you during this difficult time.
If you need something specific, please let me know and I’ll see what we can do.
Best of luck to you!
-Nicole
Get more cash in your pocket.
Got questions about the stimulus checks? We’ve got answers! Check out our stimulus check FAQ here.
Expensify has announced that they are going to help all food stamps households with up to $50 in reimbursements. If you have food stamps, you need to read this.
If your job is affected by coronavirus…
Some people are out of work entirely and others have had their work impacted by the crisis.
There are 100,000+ jobs available right now.
We’ve found a list of companies that are hiring more workers during the crisis. Here’s our list of nationwide and state-by-state businesses that are hiring during the pandemic.
If you are a trucker, you need to read this!
Truckers are our heroes. As a thank you, many businesses and government agencies are stepping up to help. Can you take a moment to share this post about freebies for truckers?
If your hours have been cut because of coronavirus…
You may be eligible for partial unemployment. Click here to find out if you’re eligible and how to apply.
Please note that many state unemployment websites are crashing due to the extreme amount of traffic they are receiving. If you are unable to access the website right away, please try again later. I personally recommend trying at lower-traffic times, like the middle of the night.
If you are a college student affected by COVID-19…
There are several companies offering assistance to impacted college students. Get the full list here.
If you need help with your bills because of coronavirus…
There are many companies that are recognizing the disastrous financial impact of the COVID-19 threat.
If you need help with rent/mortgage payments, read this.
Avoiding homelessness is the main concern that many people have in this difficult economic time. If you need help with rent or mortgage payments, we’ve found relief.
If you are renting, try this tactic to negotiate with your landlord for rent relief. It doesn’t hurt to try – and we’ve had a lot of success with letters like this!
Many areas are enacting eviction moratoriums. Here’s what you need to know.
A moratorium on evictions means that your landlord cannot start the eviction process until the moratorium ends. However, rent is still due and you may be subject to eviction when the moratorium ends if you don’t pay the full amount due. If you can pay rent, please pay it. If you can’t, though, these moratoriums can be a lifeline.
Here’s the full list of areas we’ve found that have halted evictions.
The HUD has offered rent and mortgage protection for people who receive HUD assistance.
If you live in public housing or have an FHA-backed mortgage loan, then you are protected from eviction until the end of April 2020. President Trump has ordered the US Department of Housing and Urban Development to halt all evictions and foreclosures on HUD-controlled properties until the end of April 2020. About 8.1 million households are protected under this declaration.
Please be aware that this does not apply to everyone. The HUD declaration does not affect people who are renting without assistance, people who use Section 8 vouchers in the private market, or people who have mortgages that are not backed by the FHA.
If you receive housing assistance like Section 8 from HUD, you may be able to request a recalculation of your rent. For Section 8 vouchers and other forms of assistance, your portion of rent is determined based on your income. If you receive help from these programs, check out this helpful guide from How To Get On.
Mortgage payments have been deferred by four of the five biggest banks.
Citigroup, JP Morgan Chase, U.S. Bank and Wells Fargo have agreed to put off collecting mortgage payments for up to 90 days. During this time, they will not report late payments to the credit bureaus, assess late fees or begin foreclosure/eviction processes. An additional 200 smaller banks and credit unions have also agreed to do the same.
Please note that you cannot simply stop paying your mortgage. You will need to contact your mortgage servicer for details, so that you can complete the necessary process to receive the forbearance. You will need to state that you are in financial distress because of coronavirus.
However, the terms may vary by lender. Some may expect you to work out a payment plan for the payments you’ve missed. Others may extend the length of your mortgage by the amount of payments you’ve missed. Be sure to discuss exact terms with your lender so that you know what will happen when the forbearance period ends.
This announcement was made specifically for California residents, but it appears that similar relief may be available nationwide.
You may be able to skip your utility payments.
Many utility companies have decided not to disconnect customers for non-payment until the coronavirus threat subsides. Some providers are also not charging late fees during this time. Here’s the list of utility (water, power, natural gas) providers that have said they will not disconnect customers for nonpayment.
That’s not all! We’ve also got a complete list of internet and cell phone providers that will not disconnect your service for the next 60 days.
If you do not currently have internet service from Comcast or Spectrum, you may be interested to know that they are offering 60 days of free internet service for eligible households with K-12 or college students! If you aren’t eligible for that deal, you may be eligible for one of these other low income internet programs.
You may be eligible for help with your student loans.
Many people have misunderstood Trump’s announcement regarding student loan relief. The amount you will pay monthly will not change under this announcement, but your entire payment will be applied to the principal instead of a portion going toward interest. This does not provide any immediate relief for those who may be struggling during the outbreak.
However, there are other ways to get student loan debt relief. If you are disabled, you can apply for a total disability discharge. If you lose your income due to the coronavirus outbreak, you may even be eligible for lower payments based on an income-based repayment plan.
If you’re running out of food or supplies because of COVID-19…
If you’ve run out of toilet paper and can’t get more, Della wrote a great guide about what you can do if you run out of toilet paper.
Living on pantry staples? We’ve found fun and innovative recipes for many cheap staples. Check these out!
If your kids’ schools are closed because of coronavirus…
If you rely on free or low-cost student meals, the closures can be extra stressful. Fortunately, the federal government is considering expanding SNAP to accommodate the extra costs associated with feeding your children at home.
We’ve also found free meal sites and even restaurants offering free meals to children. Please note that both of these lists are currently being compiled but we have made them public during our research phase so that we can help as many people as possible, as quickly as possible.
We have found free online educational programs. Some of them must be claimed by teachers and then distributed to students, while others can be used by the family without requiring a teacher to set it up.
If you’re bored or lonely because of coronavirus…
National Parks are waiving entrance fees during the coronavirus outbreak. Social distancing is important, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your quarantine in nature. Some of the most beautiful places in our country are inside National Parks. If you want to wait until the outbreak is over, be sure to check out this guide to getting a free or cheap National Parks pass!
Della wrote an article about how to not go crazy during social distancing, and Belinda followed up with a great post about how to stay connected with other people while social distancing.
Save money and get free stuff!
Get Freebies & Deals Sent to Your Inbox!
Get Freebies & Deals Sent to Your Phone!
\
Judy Martin
What about others that do not have school kids and don’t get food stamps or anything. I know these programs are great for those that do but the rest of us are just as effected by the Virus but no proposal at all on this has been mentioned like We don’t have bills or hardships due to having to spend money to buy extra to stay inside while coronavirus goes around. I do have concerns though about utility company offering not to disconnect during this does this mean the bill from the date they started this till the end will be forgiven or dismissed or is this just a delay and when this is over power bills will be adjusted to recoup the money owed or a huge power bill for excessive use during this? I would really appreciate an answer because I live on disability and can’t afford extra bills.
Linda
Are cell phone companies helping
Breann
Hi i was wondering if you know of any type of help during the coronavirus for families who are currently homeless?