You get a call at 2 in the morning. One of your friends has gotten in trouble and need you to bail them out. You peer into your wallet only to have a few tiny white moths to fly out. The truth is when you live pay check to pay check you just don’t have money to bail someone out of jail on demand.
At this point, the panic sets in because you want to get your friend out of jail as soon as possible. We’re here to tell you that there is a way to do it and it will barely cost you a thing.
Here are just a few tips on how to bail someone out of jail without money and if those options are unavailable to you, a few quick ways on how you can raise the bail money quickly.
1. Get a Private Bond
The first thing you can do is to get a private bond to bail your friend out of jail. This bond won’t cost you a thing as long as your friend makes all of their court dates. If they miss a court date, the court keeps the bond and warrant will go out for their arrest.
To begin, you need to find out if this option is even available in your state. If it is, you will go on to the second step which is to gather all the information the bondsman will need. This includes the full name of your friend, where they are being held, their booking number, the charges against them, and their bail amount.
You will have to put something up for collateral in case your friend doesn’t show up for their court dates. This is because if they don’t show up, the bondsman will have to pay the bail back. This collateral could be a car, jewelry, anything of value really.
Once this agreement is met, you will meet up with the bondsman at the courthouse to fill out the necessary paperwork. After this is done, your friend will be released.
2. Get a Public or Signature Bond
You may qualify for a signature bond. This means that you will sign for the bond and will only have to pay it back if your friend misses a court date. Keep in mind that rather you get the bond or not is completely dependent on the court.
They largely look at your friend’s criminal history, if they don’t really have a horrible record, or if this is their first offense, you’re more likely to get the bond. It’s a good idea for you to go to an attorney to get started. They know how the process goes and will do a good job in speaking in your favor towards getting the bond.
If you can’t afford an attorney it’s okay. You can go straight to the court to begin the process.
If you have to do this it might be a good idea to bring a co-worker, second friend, or family member along to co-sign. This demonstrates a strong community bond which the court holds in high favor.
3. Get a Property Bond
If you really trust your friend to go to their court dates, you can get a property bond. This is a process in which if you own a home or a piece of property, you can put it up as collateral for your friend’s release.
Just like the private bond, the property bond isn’t available in all states. You need to be sure your state offers it beforehand. When you make the request the court will ask you to present the following documents, the deed to your property, the appraisal or tax assessment on the property so they can see how much it’s worth, and a statement from your mortgage company showing how much you still owe.
Please note that everyone on the deed will have to show up to sign the agreement. Go here to find out more about bonds and how you can get them.
4. Have a Garage Sale
If all of these are out of the question either because they aren’t offered in your state or because you were denied, don’t fret, there are ways to raise the money. For one, you can have a garage sale.
Having a garage sale is a great way to get rid of any old items that you’re no longer using and help your friend too. It’s a pretty fast way to make cash.
5. Sell Items Through an App
If your garage sale didn’t go off as well as you hoped, you can sell items through apps like Letgo. All you have to do is take a picture of the item or items, wait for someone to take an interest, and then meet up with the person to make the trade.
It’s recommended that you take someone with you during the trade process, just in case.
6. Get a Few Odd Jobs
If you’re not in a huge hurry or the garage sale and selling through an app flopped, you can get a few odd jobs to raise the money. This could be going door to door to mow grass, doing a few construction jobs if you can, or even take up driving for companies like Uber.
You can go to online job websites or places like Craigslist to see what is available to you.
Tips on How to Bail Someone Out of Jail Without Money on Hand
When one of your closest friends is arrested time is of the essence. You want to get them out as soon as possible. Use these tips on how to bail someone out of jail without money to grant your friend the gift of freedom.
Life is hard but we can make it easier. For more advice like this, visit our life hacks archives.