Where Can I Ask for Financial Help Online?

If you’re going through a hard time, you may be wondering “where can I ask for financial help online?” Fortunately, we’ve found five websites that can give you cash when you’re broke.  

Today we’re going to talk about five sources of funds. Some of these you may have heard of before, but several will probably be new to you.

Reddit

Reddit is an interesting site where users can join subreddits, which function like groups, and chat with one another.

If you have never used Reddit before, I highly recommend that you create an account and start using it today because many subreddits have rules regarding account age and activity. There are legitimate reasons for this. The people who are offering help don’t want to be scammed, they want to help real people.

The best way to show that you are a real person is to have an active account that has been using reddit for a while. It’s important to start building that reputation right away so that you can ask for financial help on Reddit when you need it. 

r/Assistance

If you have a last-minute or emergency need, you may be able to get help on Reddit from the subreddit Assistance. The r/Assistance group has been able to help people all over the place with their basic needs.

I’d like to share some of their stories real quick so you can see what this is all about.

A user known as Creature of Tea was able to get help with some items they needed to help with their disabilities. They wrote, “I suffer from chronic migraines, fatigue, polyneuropathy, and dystonia, all are kinda grouped into one thing called Functional Neurological Disorder. There isn’t really a cure to FND or even a lot known about it… It’s very painful and debilitating at times… I need help. I have an Amazon wish list with items that could help either with pain or just everyday tasks… I tried to keep everything cheap.” Within just a few hours, users had started responding to this person’s request.

In another post, a user named Song of Storms 5460 was able to get some help with the funds for their cat’s cremation. Their post said, “I spent almost every penny I had on the bills but I am just not able to afford the remaining for the euthanasia and cremation. The thought of him just being whisked away is complete torture to me.” Again, within just a few hours, donations started rolling in from concerned users who gave what they were able to and this user was able to almost completely fill their requested GoFundMe amount in one day.

Another user, named rip your lungs dave, was able to get the $25 they needed for their bipolar medications. Multiple people offered to help within just a few hours of the post being made. 

Again, this is all happening on the r/Assistance subreddit. 

Assistance has some strict rules about who can ask for financial help on their group.

• You must be over 18 years old.
• You must have an active reddit account that is at least 60 days old.
• You must have at least 400 comment karma.
• You must NOT have a suspicious posting history.

You can post wish lists and other specific needs, but you cannot ask for loans, video games, illegal items or anything like that. You can ask for financial help to help pay for medication, but you cannot ask for someone to buy medication and send it to you. You also cannot ask for a cash transfer, which is when someone sends you money and you send them money, because that’s often used for scams or counterfeit issues.

In order to use this service, you will have to review all the terms and conditions on their website. 

r/Care

r/Care is another subreddit similar to r/Assistance, where people help other people. It does seem to be less popular than Assistance but many people are still able to find help there. 

For example, Square Secretary needed help with groceries. They specifically asked for a $20 Walmart gift card. Another user named HiyaCrabby stepped in and sent an e-gift card to help. Square Secretary wrote, “Gift card received. Thank you so much! I am smiling from ear to ear. I deeply appreciate your kindness.” 

In another post, a user name dEelSauce_Roll91 from Texas was able to get donations toward the mobility aids they need. Donations from users in r/Care helped them get 40% of the way to their fundraising goal in less than two weeks!

Just like Assistance, Care also has some user requirements.

• You must have an active Reddit account.
• Your Reddit account must be at least 6 months old.
• You must have at least 100 comment karma.  

Comment karma is something you earn on reddit when other users upvote your comments, so you will need to be active on reddit and participate in conversations there in order to be able to ask for financial help in Care. You will also need to include your state and country if you are asking for physical items or money

r/SantasLittleHelpers

The subreddit r/santaslittlehelpers comes alive every holiday season to connect families in need with generous donors who are willing to help. This is a seasonal place where people can ask for financial help online and receive holiday gifts for their children.

The group opens on November 1 each year and remains open until Christmas. The group then closes until the next November.

This group is specifically for requesting holiday gifts for those who cannot afford their own. It has specific posting requirements and it is very important that you review all the rules carefully before you post anything.

ModestNeeds

ModestNeeds is a great place to turn for assistance but it is not immediate. Modest Needs is an organization that helps low income people get small emergency grants for specific needs. 

In order to receive help from Modest Needs, you will need to fill out an application. You will be required to file either your most recent tax return or you most recent bank statement for all the adults in your household. The overall application takes 30-45 minutes to complete and includes questions about your households and your needs. The more information you give them, the more likely you are to be approved and receive help. However, the organization says that they will hold confidential any information that you don’t want shared with potential donors. 

In order to be eligible for help from Modest Needs, you need to be at least 18 years old, a resident of the United States or Canada, and you must be applying for assistance for yourself or someone in your household. You must have at least one active bank account or a recent tax return filed in the last two years. You will need to be able to upload the required documents, which may include a lease and other information. 

The average grant from Modest Needs is $750 to $1,250. The organization states that completed applications are funded within 10-14 days on average after they enter donor review. Some are funded instantly, others may take up to two months, and some may expire without being funded at all. It just depends on your unique situation and application. 

GoFundMe

I know a lot of people have strong feelings about GoFundMe right now, but it’s still the most popular crowdfunding platform in the world. Due to its universal brand recognition, it is a lot more trusted by donors than some other platforms. A lot more people are comfortable donating on GoFundMe than other places. 

If you create a GoFundMe, one of the biggest challenges is knowing where to share your link to raise awareness. If you’re eligible to participate in some of the subreddits we discussed earlier, you may be able to drop your links there. We have a list of other GoFundMe tips, tricks and hacks in another video, so if that’s something you want to consider please check that out. 

Summary

This article reviews five specific places that users can go to ask for financial help online. Three of the websites are specific subreddits, one is a grant-based organization and the last one is a crowdfunding platform. These are important resources for low income people who are struggling to meet their basic needs.

Nicole Thelin

Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.