How To Get Free Used Appliances
If you are in need of a new appliance, but your budget says otherwise, fret not. This article will help you on how to get free used appliances. Sometimes, some people who are moving out or remodeling their house give away used appliances. At times, they would want to get rid of these used appliances as soon as possible. So, check out these options on how to get free used appliances before heading out to the store to buy a new one.
How to Get Free Used Appliances from a Government Assistance Program
Yes, you heard it right. The government also gives free appliances. If you are in need of a new one but can't afford such, all hope is not lost. The government has various assistance programs for households with low incomes. These programs will also help you transition to a more efficient appliance at no added cost. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program or LIHEAP is one program that was able to help thousands of deserving households all around America get new appliances. LIHEAP is a program created to assist low-income and disabled households, especially those whose important proportion of income goes to cooling and heating costs to meet their pressing home energy needs. The program will let you swap your old, less-efficient appliances for new ones that are more energy-efficient at no cost. Each state gets limited funds each year. The amount of funding available in your state will determine the number of qualified households to get assistance.
Who Qualifies for these Free Appliances?
The government gives free appliances, but there are rules and guidelines to follow as with everything. The federal government has minimum and maximum requirements, but states must set qualification requirements for the recipients. To be qualified, the household must have an income that does not surpass 60% of the state's median income (SMI) or 150% of the federal poverty guideline (FDG). The SMI and FPG are also adjusted every year by the federal government and are published in the Federal Register.
What are the Documents Needed to Apply?
- Recent pay stub or other proofs of income
- Copies of recent utility bills
- Documentation showing Social Security, Unemployment, Pension funds, etc.
The competition is fierce, and qualifying for the program does not guarantee that you will get free appliances. Those households with the biggest home energy needs in relation to the household income and family size usually get the benefits. The same guidelines apply to households with disabled, elderly, or young members.
How to Get Free or Low-cost Appliances Online
This is another option on how to get free used appliances. You can get free appliances using online resources. A lot of people and businesses who are downsizing, moving, or replacing appliances most of the time list their appliances online. If they are in a rush, they might even list these appliances for free. Facebook Marketplace and Freecycle are two of the best resources for finding various appliances for your home.
Facebook Marketplace
This is a place where you could buy and sell appliances within your community. It connects people looking to sell or recycle old items and those looking for cheap or free stuff. Many people want to get rid of bulk and old appliances, selling them at very low prices.
To access this marketplace, all you have to do is log in to your Facebook account and check the app on the left side of your home screen. You can navigate by using the "Explore" menu. Search for whatever you want on the search bar and scroll to browse the results.
While it focuses primarily on buying and selling goods, you'll be surprised by all the stuff you can find in there for free! You just have to convince the one who posted it that you need a free refrigerator or perhaps a free washer and dryer.
Freecycle
The Freecycle Network is a grassroots and nonprofit campaign of individuals donating all kinds of stuff for free within their local community or neighborhoods. The main purpose is to divert reusable goods from landfills. Through Freecycle, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. The membership is free, and everything that's posted must also be free. While some groups will automatically accept new members, others might take a few more days to approve your membership.
To sign up, just enter your community in the search box and click Go or click on the ‘Browse Groups’ beside the ‘Home’ button. Choose your preferred town’s Freecycle group, and you can actually join up to 5 groups.
To ask for the things you need, you can post the ‘Wanted’ listing, and to check everything that's offered for free, click on the ‘All Items’ tab located at the top of the page. But remember, you are responsible for pickup. Here's how to learn more about recycling appliances.
Conclusion
When one of your appliances suddenly stops working, and you are anxious to have it replaced, but you don't have enough budget for it, check out these options first on how to get free used appliances within your community before heading to the store to buy one. Most often than not, this is one great option for you to have free appliances near you and save money instead of buying a new one.
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