FYI, There’s Something Called The “Unclaimed Money Database” And I’ve Claimed $350 — Here’s How To Use It

I don’t know about you but I love free money. However, it’s astonishingly hard to come by, which is why I’ve decided to write this PSA.

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If you live in the US, your state has an “unclaimed property” portal. Unclaimed property is money that you’re owed by a business or government that you never collected.

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This could be things like a deposit to the water company you never got back after you moved, or an overpayment you accidentally sent to your phone company on the last month of your service.

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If, for whatever reason, you don’t cash in the money you’re owed (even if it’s because you simply don’t know about it), that money is held by your state’s unclaimed property office.

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Your state’s unclaimed property office also has a portal where you can easily search your name and see if you have any random money owed to you.

I can’t speak for all states because I’ve only had unclaimed property in a few, but it’s a really simple, straightforward process where you just confirm you’re actually you with your birthdate and SSN and if you recognize the address associated with the money. Then, the state sends you a check in the mail when you’ve claimed it.

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Sometimes it can be pocket change, like a 10-cent overcharge for something.

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Other times it can be a shockingly helpful amount of money, like a couple of years ago I found $305 a utility company owed to me.

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It’s actually kind of fun to stop by and search your name from time to time. I was able to find a $27 check owed to me of tips from an old job I had. It bought pizza that night.

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Just now while making this post, I searched and found a total of ~$15 of mine I made a claim for.

Anyway, it’s free and easy, and it’s just sitting there if it’s yours. You can search your name at your state’s unclaimed property website, or the government’s official unclaimed property website below. It’s the closest thing you’ll get to treasure hunting.

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And if you don’t live in the US, I’d recommend googling “unclaimed property [your country].” When I did, Canada, The UK, and Australia also have similar online portals.

OK, good luck! Love you! Bye!

Oh, and if you have any other easy money-earning tips, share it in the comments below!