If you're struggling financially and have been able to take advantage of government assistance such as food stamps, you may also qualify for a free cell phone and minutes through SafeLink Wireless.

We've told you about the Lifeline assistance for landline phone bills, but starting this week, low-income Marylanders can sign up for free cell service through SafeLink, an affiliate of TracFone Wireless. The company offers the free service to low-income residents in 19 states and Washington D.C. thanks to a federal subsidy, according to this story by Sun tech blogger Gus Sentementes.

You might be able to get low-cost mobile phone service through other companies, but SafeLink provides a free phone and 64 free minutes a month with no activation fees or contracts to those who qualify.

The phones will have Caller ID, call waiting and voicemail, and they charge you 0.3 minutes to send or receive a text message. Customers who run out of minutes can get more by purchasing pre-paid TracFone calling cards.

To check your eligibility or to enroll, go to the Safelink Web site.