Takeaway: Providing mobile phone credits to low-income adults during a crisis significantly reduces mental distress and domestic conflicts, particularly when distributed in regular installments rather than a single lump sum. Key Points Reduced Psychological Strain: Free mobile credit lowered mental distress by nearly 10% and reduced the likelihood of severe mental distress by 24% among low-income adults in Ghana during the COVID-19 pandemic. Installments Outperformed Lump Sum