by M Kayo

Created on: January 05, 2010

So how do you get your cash for appliance clunkers rebate and make some energy-smart purchases at the same time? You may be able to get up to $200 dollars for your old refrigerator or other home appliance. The U.S. Government has set aside $300 million dollars to buy your old home appliances. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 was recently signed by President Obama as another way to jumpstart the U.S. economy. The Recovery Act is supposed to modernize the nation's infrastructure and place us on the road to rely less and less on foreign energy sources.

The Cash for Clunkers Program for cars was a huge success and the funds set aside were quickly depleted, so you'll need to act fast and early if you want to cash in. The amount of cash you can get for certain appliances will vary so you'll need to contact the U.S. Dept or Energy and find out more information.

Do all your homework and preparation now so when the money becomes available, you'll be ready to act quickly. Follow these steps to get yourself ready to get your cash for appliance clunkers rebate:

1) Determine which appliances you'll be replacing. The amount of money available for appliances will depend upon the appliance. For example, a refrigerator will most likely get more of a rebate than a room air conditioner.

2) How much money will you get? Individual states are responsible for selecting the actual appliances which qualify for rebates so be sure and start checking with your state authorities now. The best place to start is go to the DOE website (http://www.energy.gov/news2009/7634.htm) , click on "funding allocations" and check your state's allocated funds.

3) Determine if your appliances are eligible at the DOE website (http://www.energy.gov/news2009/7634.htm).

4) Check with the retailers where you will be shopping and find out how they are going to handle the rebate plan, and what are the best appliances that will have the biggest rebates.

5) Shop around and see who has the best buy for the appliance you're going to replace from retailers that are participating in the Recovery Act program. This is a place where you need to spend some time and really do your homework. You could save hundreds more just by shopping around for the best deal.

6) Your old appliances may need to be turned in order to get your rebate, but this has not yet been determined - so don't send the old washer, dryer, or fridge to the dump just yet. Check with the retailer before you buy the new appliance because you may be required to turn it in for cash.

7) Stay on top of the situation by checking the websites and/or calling the phone number listed below in the resources section - or checking with your local retailer.

Find more information at the U.S. Department of Energy website for the Recovery Act of 2009 here: www.energy.gov/recovery/

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