Some useful information, some anecdotes, some rantings, and some inspiration
from my quest to make my family and perhaps the world around me A Little Greener Every Day

A while back I told you I would really like a new washer and dryer, but they weren’t in the budget. They still aren’t at the end of their life, but the new cash for appliances program makes me wonder if I should at least get a new washing machine that will wash more than four pair of jeans at a time. Or perhaps I should be looking into replacing my refrigerator that sounds like an airplane waiting to take off. Or maybe I’ll buy a freezer so I can cowpool. Unlike the cash for clunker car program, you don’t need to turn in an old appliance to get the rebate for the new appliance.

What you do need to do is know your states requirements for the rebates because the cash for appliances program is being run by each state. Each state has been allotted a certain amount of rebate money, and when it’s gone in your state, it’s gone.

I was sent information about Sears.com and their website that is attempting to help clarify the requirements. From their site you can sign up to be notified when information about your state’s rebate program becomes available. There’s also a link to the Energy Star site where you can learn about all rebates available in your state, not just the cash for appliances rebate. Some states have a separate rebate for recycling your old appliances so it’s possible that you can get a rebate for your new appliance and a rebate for recycling your old one.

It looks as if most states don’t have their rebate programs in place yet, but they should be in place very soon. So keep your eye on your state’s rebates because the general consensus is that the money is going to go quickly.

You might want to be careful about which appliances you buy, however. Consumer Reports reports that some Energy Star rated appliances have lost their rating. If you’re looking to make sure that you replace your old appliance with a truly energy efficient one, you’ll want to make sure you don’t buy one that uses more energy than the sticker says it does.