With the cost of gasoline rising to over $3.00 per gallon, Americans need to save money where possible. But is there really such a thing as free money? I will not insult your intelligence, no, nothing is absolutely free. However, there is "free money" available BUT the catch is it does take your time and filling out some internet forms or paperwork to receive it. If you are willing to put in a few minutes you can have some money in hand!

1 – Money for College

With the cost of college rising yearly about 5-8% and the average tuition, room and board reaching $15,566 for four year public and $31,916 for students at four-year private colleges and universities, students and parents can use all the assistance they can find. There are 1.3 million scholarships and over $3 billion in grants, scholarships and financial aid. There are some sites that will take student information and perform a search of scholarships available. The top two sites are

http://www.fastweb.com and www.collegeboard.com.

2 - $20+ Billion in Unclaimed Money

There is over $20 billion in unclaimed money in the US. On the Oprah stated 8 out of 9 Americans have unclaimed money. This money comes from many places. For example it could be an old checking or savings account your forgot about, an inheritance, savings bonds, uncashed checks or money orders, the list goes on and on.

This money is yours and just sitting there waiting for you to claim it. A simple search in a quality database that includes all states and federal unclaimed money could mean a check in your mailbox!

www.cashunclaimed.com is the largest unclaimed money site and is a great place to conduct your unclaimed money search.

3 – Coupons! For stores you actually shop at!

Coupons are available for most of the major stores frequented. Before making an online purchase visit

www.allonlinecoupons.com and www.dealcatcher.com. Enter the store name at these sites and it will show you the coupons available for the store. Sometimes the discount will be a "coupon code" which you enter when ordering online to receive your discount. The sites also offer printable coupons for in-store purchases. Discounts include free shipping, 5%-25% off total purchase and dollar discounts on purchases. There are great coupons that can save you hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

4 – Free Money for Buying, Selling or Repairing Your Home

There are assistance programs for people who are buying homes, selling homes or even trying to repair their home. HUD offers information on local homebuyer assistance programs, including money for down payments and closing costs at

http://www.hud.gov/buying/localbuying.cfm. HUD also offers assistance programs for people who own homes that are in need of repair as well as Veteran’s assistance at http://www.hud.gov/owning/index.cfm.

5 - Cash Back Credit Cards

Cash back credit cards are not simply a gimmick from credit card companies but can truly be cash in your account. Cash back credit cards are particularly beneficial for people who use their credit cards frequently and then pay the balance off monthly. People who manage their credit cards in this manner are not benefiting from low interest or 0% interest rates and can reap rewards with cash back credit cards. Cash back benefits can range from 1-5% and have other dollar amount benefits ranging from $20-100. You can compare cash back credit card offers at

www.creditcards.com. http://www.creditcards.com/cash-back.php?a_aid=1004&a_cid=1020&a_did=1790

Although these "free money" places make take a little personal administration to get, they are worth the small amount of effort for some potentially big gains. In a world where nothing is free, these are pretty close!

Nicole Anderson offers more information about unclaimed money at

www.cashunclaimed.com. Would you like to receive your lost funds check without searching 100+ individual databases? A simple unclaimed property search could mean a check in your mailbox. Click on www.cashunclaimed.com for a free money search, that includes all state and federal databases, and locate your missing money today!