Friday, December 5, 2008

Government Grants: A Viable Option for Debt Relief?

There are many different ways for an individual to get out of serious debt.  Options include using personal loans, home equity loans, high-limit, low- interest credit cards, and debt consolidation services.  Taking advantage of government grants is another very interesting method with which debt can be diminished.

Advertising on the Internet, television, and radio all claim that debt consolidation is one of many things that money from a government grant can help you pay for.  This however, is not always true.  Even when it is, debtors will not have an easy time putting government grants to use for debt consolidation.

What kind of grants are they talking about?

Government grants are usually released to individuals who are trying to buy there first home or open a small business.  There is not any grant program that was designed with intention to help people pay off the debt that they owe.

A small business grant is the only type of government grant that is in any way related to debt alleviation.  It is conceivable that a person may open a small business in an attempt to earn extra income to be used in the payment of debt.  The government does not give out a large number of these grants, however, and being considered for one requires that the small business being opened fit the government's criteria.

Where Can Additional Grants Be Found?

Apart from the government, individuals can receive grant money from private corporations.  Such corporations have specific requirements that whoever wants to receive their money must be able to meet.  Attempting to eliminate personal debt tends to be unrelated to the needs of a large business corporation and therefore not a valid reason to receive a grant on their part.

Charitable donations, however, are rather commonly made by large corporations.  Acts of charity are done by businesses in an attempt to improve the public's opinion of them or to support the local community.  Giving of this nature is not a reliable and therefore should not be considered as a way for debt relief.

Where Can You Find Help for Debt?

There are several sources of help available for individuals in debt.  Though finding someone to pay off your debt for you would be very unusual, you may be able to reduce your minimum monthly payment and interest rates on credit cards by speaking with the credit card companies personally or by using a credit counseling agency.

Available for free on the Internet is information on how to create a personal budget that will allow you to have extra money each month that you can use to pay off debt.  You can take control of debt yourself, even without the government's assistance.

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