A month ago (February 24th), we brought you the article titled Cash-for-Clunker Program to Extend to Appliances in April. The blog post, now one of our most frequented of all time, covered the first-ever appliance upgrade rebate program. The program, created using the same ideas that made the Cash for Clunkers program so popular, is meant to encourage consumers to put more money back into the economy, while removing older, less efficient appliances (dishwashers, freezers, refrigerators, air-conditioners, etc.) from the “grid.” Individual state programs were put in place to handle these rebates and many of them have begun, or are about to begin, within the next month. Since that original article, some details have solidified, some have changed and new resources have been unveiled. If you were even thinking about an upgraded appliance, you will want to research this program. Rebates range from $100 to over $1,000 dollars (amounts vary from state to state).
Thanks to an email from my state comptroller, I have updated information on the Texas Rebate Program (y’all can jump down to your section now), but I didn’t want to leave out the rest of the U.S. With the exception of Iowa, Kansas and Minnesota (whose programs have already ended), consumers can visit the Energy Savers web site (part of the U.S. Department of Energy), to navigate to the appropriate information for their state. This site was last updated on March 24th and is updated regularly as additional program details become available. Note that this web site is the ONLY official DOE-sponsored web site. We also have some valuable information for consumers (of all states) available in the Retailers section below.
UPDATE: Texas Residents, some key information, including the Reservation Period start date, has changed. See our most recent article Texas – Trade Up Appliance Rebate Program – UPDATE for additional information. – added 4/02/10
Texas Residents
The state of Texas received more than $23 million in federal stimulus funds from the U.S. Department of Energy to establish and administer an Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program. At the heart of this program is the Official State of Texas Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program Web site. This newly-created web site has all the information you need to take advantage of the appliance rebate program and “More information will be added to this site in the coming weeks…” (as taken from the web site itself). There are several key bits of information, already available on this site, that residents of the Lone Star State should be aware of.
Key Points
Reservation Period Begins April 5, 2010*, with the exact time to be announced the week of March 29th. That is only 10 days from the original posting of this article. Qualified consumers (as defined on the official site) will have an opportunity to RESERVE a rebate by calling a toll-free number (which I did not see listed on the site) OR registering online from the official web site.
*This date (4/5/10) is different from our original article, where it was reasoned that the reservation period would begin on April 2nd.
Reservations Are Limited. Since there are a limited amount of funds available, reservations for rebates are granted on a first-come, first-served basis. After that, a waiting list will be created, with no guarantees.
Purchase Period Begins April 16, 2010 and ends April 25, 2010. After reserving a rebate, consumers must make eligible purchases within the provided dates. There are no exceptions.
Game Plan
If you are planning on an appliance purchase and qualify for the rebate program, I highly suggest that you follow these simple steps. The rebate process is not difficult, but has a strict set of rules and dates that you must adhere to if you wish to receive your rebate.
Mark Your Calendar – Take the dates above and write them on your calendar, put them in Outlook, schedule an alarm on your cell phone… Do whatever it takes to remember the reservation and purchase dates.
Bookmark the Official Site – Official Site
Sign Up for Email Updates – On the official site, consumers can sign up to receive Appliance Rebate e-mail news.
Retailers
Retailers have taken notice of this rebate program and have already begun advertising their willingness to help you with your purchase, rebate and disposal needs. I have already seen coupons in my weekly Valpak and stumbled onto a few web sites for companies that are doing their best to help you spend your money. A great example is the Sears rebate site. Unfortunately, it seems that Sears can only update us with Coming soon! when I attempt to use the “Find Rebates in Your Area” or “Learn More About Rebates in Your State” links. Guess you’ll just have to check back regularly.
Sears Wants to Help You Spend Your Money
When choosing a retailer and appliance, there are several things you need to consider. Most of all, make sure that the appliance follows the qualification guidelines of your state program. For instance, in Texas the new appliance must be an ENERGY STAR or CEE qualified model. A list of qualified appliances can be found on the official site. Remember that the list of qualified appliances may vary from state to state. Also, be sure that you shop around before making your purchase. Retailers are aware of the purchase date guidelines and may “adjust” their pricing to take advantage of consumers. There are numerous programs available online to compare pricing, tax, shipping, installation and other charges at local retailers and web sites.
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Tags: appliance, april, cash-for-clunker, department of energy, March, rebate, stimulus, Texas, U.S., upgrade
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