The new rebates kicking is now global as part of the federal government's "Cash for Appliances" program.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 has extended a stimulus fund of some $300 million, to be passed out by individual states as means to encourage consumers to trade in their old appliances and upgrade to new energy efficiency Energy Star rated ones.

New York launches its "Great Appliance Swap Out" this President's Day weekend; so does Georgia. A few places such as Oregon and Michigan are already in a position to run in par with other states coming onboard in March and April.

The rebate is revealed to range from $25 to $100, depending on the appliance. However, whether it's affecting what people buy is up for debate.

"The majority of the purchases have been Energy Star, so that leads me to believe that people are very apt to buy for the rebate they're going to receive", state officials have revealed.

With many appliances one often witnesses manufacturer rebates or retail promotions-these you can usually take on top of the new appliance rebate. Similarly, with the federal energy efficiency tax credit, in effect through this year, which extend a 30% credit up to $1,500 for the purchase of certain heating, cooling and ventilation appliances, among other things.