USAToday says some states, like Iowa and Minnesota, offered nice big rebates ($100 to $250 or more) in the cash for appliances stimulus program. Consequently, those states gave away the money and had a successful program. Meanwhile, New York, which offered only a $75 rebate on a new fridge or clothes washer, set a 10-day window in February for its $16.8 million in rebates, has $7 million left a month a month later.

Michigan refrigerator rebates are $50 or $100 and they are having similar problems:

“Ours is a more modest rebate, and people just aren’t really out there spending,” says Stephanie Epps, analyst for the Michigan Bureau of Energy Systems. Michigan had expected it to take at least four months to spend its rebate money. It now expects it’ll take more than six months, Epps says.

For more info about various rebates and things, check out this info from our government. The good rebates are apparently gone in a single day so make sure you’re on top of things.

We’re truly shocked to hear that the reason people are not replacing their old appliances with energy efficient ones isn’t that a new fridge costs $50- $75 too much.

Appliance rebates get hot-and-cold response from buyers [USAToday]
Cash for Appliances Update: Bigger rebates generate greater consumer interest [CR]

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