Get paid to lower your utility bills

If you are in the market to buy any new major appliances like AC units or water heaters it may actually be CHEAPER to buy the higher end models. How does that work you might ask. Well it’s all thanks to the US Government tax credits. The government wants everyone to live in more efficient homes and often that means having to spend extra money on appliances that cost much more up front. Often times your utility companies offer incentives to switch to more efficient appliances as well.

All of these incentives and tax credits change from year to year and vary by where you live, BUT a little research and questions asked could save you hundreds of dollars in the short term and even more in the long run. When buying new equipment check with your utility companies to see if they are currently have any incentive programs. Talk to the salesman at the store to see if they know of any government tax credits for specific appliances. They should know which models are going to have the biggest return.

Recently my brother and his wife’s swamp cooler needed repair so they called up a repair service that was recommended to them. Their swamp cooler was fairly old and it was a much better option just to replace it. When researching what to buy to replace it they found out that if they upgraded to the more energy efficient model that cost quite a bit more than the middle grade version they would be eligible for a government refund. In the end it actually cost them LESS to buy the nicer replacement and because it is more efficient they will save even more money in the future.