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What is your old fridge worth? You might be thinking it’s time to replace that old clunker in your kitchen in favor of a newer model with more “bells and whistles.” Nothing wrong with that but as you go shopping for your new ice box you might want to investigate the “Buy Green, Save Green NY High-Efficiency Appliance Rebate Program.” That’s government speak for “you can get cash for your old fridge.” How much green? How does a $350 rebate on a refrigerator and $250 rebate on a washing machine sound? All of a sudden buying a new kitchen appliance is starting to make a lot more sense.
This is all part of a $3.5 million federal program that recently began for New York residents. In order to receive your rebate the new piece of equipment you purchase has to meet standards for energy efficiency. These standards were developed by the Consortium for Energy Efficiency.
“This rebate program gives residents the funding to make their homes more energy efficient, it makes it possible for New Yorkers to spend less on energy costs, and it provides a needed boost to retailers across the state,” Governor Cuomo said in a statement earlier this month.
The other caveat is that when the funds run out the program will end. Within the first couple of days of the announcement of this rebate program $500,000 in rebates was scooped up by smart shoppers. You can still get in on this action but you’ll have to act fast. When you go shopping for a new fridge, you’ll want to start by looking for any model that has an Energy Star rating. This means the manufacturer has taken up the recommendations provided by the EPA as to what energy efficiency means. Basically, the new design of refrigerators lets you run that box for less energy. This means your electric bill should be reduced once you plug in your updated ice box.
In most homes, the refrigerator is the single biggest user of electricity so it only stands to reason you should want to get a better bang for your buck in terms of energy use. Appliance retailers are already seeing a boom in business.
“Business on those items is through the roof,” Ed Isenberg, the manager of Olum’s, an appliance store told WGRZ. “It’s good to stimulate the economy, but it gets the energy-efficient appliances in the homes and that’s why New York State does the program.”
Of course, buying a new refrigerator is only half the job. First, you have to get rid of your old model. This can be accomplished when you hire a team of professional junk haulers like Junk King Capital District. These same junk haulers can also make use of the refrigerator removal appointment to take away whatever other piles of junk you have. Make a clean sweep of your home and start saving money today!
National Grid Electric is the company that services upstate New York by providing power to many residents. They have also instituted a second refrigerator freezer recycling turn in program. What they are trying to do is encourage their customers to recycle a second refrigerator or freezer which can cost those customers upwards of $150 a year to operate. If a customer decides to recycle this appliance they could earn a $30 rebate. However, there are some strict conditions to this program which might not make it practical for a lot of people.
Even though the real estate market has lately been described as a wild roller coaster ride that fact remains that real estate investing is still a shrewd choice for anyone looking to improve their financial portfolio. The key is making the right choice. In other words, you don’t want to over extend yourself by buying a property that you can’t afford. There are many folks who are taking advantage of the current trends in real estate pricing by becoming proactive buyers. When prices drop it easy to get into the market and find a home that can be of great value either as a flipped property or a rental. Nowhere is this truer than with the foreclosed homes available for purchase. Albany is no different than any other city across the country in terms of foreclosed homes. But for every foreclosed home there is a silver lining of an opportunity.
Winter in Albany, NY is not for the faint of heart. It’s not uncommon for there to be a string of days where the temperature barely breaks out of the 30s. This is the perfect weather for cuddling up in front of a warm fireplace. It’s also the perfect weather for taking a dip in a backyard hot tub. While it might seem odd to want to go out of the snow wearing your “hot tub outfit” there are actually many benefits to be found from a hot tub session even in the most chilly of temperatures.
There’s good news on the way for Albany homeowners who have been served with foreclosure notices. In the annual State of the Judiciary speech (who knew there was such a thing?) Chief Judge Jonathan Lippman announced a new initiative that provides remedies to help streamline the mortgage settling process. According to news reports this is an “unprecedented” deal between the state, legal service groups and four large banks — Wells Fargo, Citibank, Chase and Bank of America — includes the creation of a new court part that will hear only foreclosure settlement conferences. Each week of the month will be dedicated to a different bank, with one attorney assigned to handle all cases for that lender.”
Recently New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released the 2012 budget from the state’s capital here in Albany. Included in the $132 billion budget proposals are $15 billion in funds set aside to improve New York’s infrastructure. Part of that project is going to be building a new Tappan Zee Bridge that will be go right alongside the existing span. If the budget is approved and the money is allocated that’s going to mean a lot of new construction projects starting around Albany and throughout the rest of the state. That’s good news for many workers who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the chance to get back in the game. Major construction projects have a very positive impact on the economy. Not only does it put money into the pockets of those construction workers but those funds also trickle down to many ancillary businesses. Everything from food trucks to material suppliers to waste removal companies will benefit from these construction jobs.
A perfect example of one of the many great Albany businesses can be found with Metro Mattress. They have been in business in the Upstate New York region for over 35 years and in that time they’ve become the area’s leading “Sleep Superstore.” While Metro Mattress could simply rest on its laurels, it does more than just sell mattresses; the company gives back to the community. For the past two years, Metro Mattress has sponsored the “50 Beds in 50 Days” program. Since the inception of this mattress giveaway, Metro Mattress has donated over 400 beds to help folks and social service centers provide comfort for a good night’s rest. This year 21 charitable organizations in Albany and the Mohawk Valley will be on the receiving end of brand new mattresses for its clients.
The New York State Museum located in Albany is celebrating 175 years of being open for visitors. On display through April is a veritable potpourri of all the artifacts the museum has collected in those 175 years. This represents items from collections of anthropology, history and natural science. All told there are over 15 million pieces that are part of the museums inventory. These pieces are rotated through the collections and provide of valuable insight into our past.
To borrow a bit from Shakespeare, imagine you are standing in front of your overflowing garage. Clearly the only thought to spring to mind would be “To junk or not to junk, that is the question.” When you get right down to it the concept of holding onto junk is actually part of our practical nature. After all, we don’t go out and specifically buy junk to fill up our homes with. Instead we collect or purchase things that we think will be of some use for us. These items could have immediate use like with furniture, appliances or even toys for the kids. But it is inevitable that in the lifespan of an inanimate object that at some point it might end up becoming junk.
In many ways, the main difference between a professional and an amateur is really a paycheck. The moment someone gets paid for their services they have crossed over into the realm of being a professional. Being a professional also means there is a certain level of responsibility embraced by that individual or business in terms of complying with local laws and regulations. In other words, a professional comes with an added level of certification.