Mammoth AwardsYou could even get a free phone from it. To see if you qualify for these money-saving benefits, keep reading.
Times are tough right now, and keeping your expenses low is a must if you hope to avoid financial issues. What’s one expense that can take a considerable chunk out of your monthly budget? Your telephone, which could be quite costly if you have both a landline and a cell phone.
How can you reduce your phone expense? Getting rid of your landline is a popular option. So is changing your cell phone provider or downgrading your plan to something with fewer bells and whistles. But another option that may be even better is to see if you qualify for the Lifeline program.
What Is Lifeline?
Started by the FCC, this program helps low-income families and individuals enjoy affordable landline or cell phone service, and even a free phone in some cases. The program also offers discounted Internet service.
Lifeline Eligibility
To qualify for Lifeline, your income will need to be 135 percent or less of the federal poverty guidelines. You can also be eligible if you or someone in your household participates in a government program, such as:
- Section 8
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
- Head Start
- SNAP (food stamps)
Receiving a federal veteran’s pension or participating in tribal programs can also help you qualify.
Applying for Lifeline
The first step in applying for the Lifeline program involves finding a participating company in your area. You can do this by clicking here and entering your zip code or city and state in the fields near the bottom of the page.
Once you find a participating company, call them and ask for a Lifeline application. You will need several pieces of info handy to apply, such as your:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Last four digits of your Social Security number
- Address
To prove your identity, you will need one of the following:
- Social Security card
- Last year’s tax return
- ID (cannot be expired)
Lastly, you will need to prove that you’re eligible for the program, which can be done via a tax return or three consecutive pay stubs if you’re using income to qualify. If not, you’ll need an award letter or card showing that you participate in one of the government programs listed above.
It’s worth noting that you’re limited to one Lifeline discount per household. This means that you can get either a phone or Internet discount, but not both. Discounts are not awarded on a per-person basis.
As for how much the Lifeline discount is worth, the answer is not much. If you qualify, you can expect to receive up to $9.25 towards your phone or Internet bill. While that obviously won’t fix all of your financial issues, every bit helps.
