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When the money runs out
For anyone in the United States who can’t cover the basics or the bills this month, and for the people helping them. What to do first, what you can apply for, the words to say to a company you owe, and your rights when a debt collector calls. Running out of money is not a failure of character.
Right now
- Need food, a bed or a doctor today? Food, a place to stay, a doctor you can afford.
- Need local help with rent or a bill? Call 211. Free and confidential.
- Power or gas about to be shut off? National Energy Assistance Referral, 1-866-674-6327, and call the company today.
- Too much to bear? Call or text 988, any hour.
More help
- Not enough to eat? When you need food.
- Behind on rent, or facing eviction? When you need a place to stay.
- A medical bill, or no insurance? When you need a doctor and can’t pay.
- An offer that sounds too good? Is this a scam?
- Everything feels too big to start? One step at a time.
- Might not have signal? Save our tools on your phone.
- All our free tools and Get help now.
This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). The facts come from the government’s own pages (USAGov, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the Internal Revenue Service and the Department of Labor’s CareerOneStop), and the phone numbers and websites were checked on each service’s own site, in September 2026. Dollar figures and rules change, so check with the service. This page saves nothing: no account, no cookies, nothing you tick is stored or sent, and no analytics (privacy). Scarlet Beast is not a government agency, a lender or a counselor and can’t give out money or advice about your finances. Found a mistake? Email [email protected].