I have a 94 ford escort with a manual transmission the clutch pedal goes up and down and the car starts but I can't get the car in gear does anyone have any ideas trying to help a friend they don't have money for a mechanic

You have to be a little more specific. When you say the car won't go into gear, do you mean you can't physically put the shifter into a gear or you can but the car doesn't engage that gear?

If it actually will not go into any gear, then you either have a bad clutch or master or slave cylinder.