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How To Get Free Used Appliances (100% Legit)

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It’s no secret that an appliance, whether it be a stove or refrigerator, can cost hundreds of dollars.  Deemed as essential by most, it can be costly to replace.  There’s no arguing that one.

So, what happens if you can’t afford an appliance and you need it now?  What do you do?

Thankfully, there are many organizations that you can check out to see if you qualify for a free used appliance.

In today’s post, I wanted to talk about the many legitimate ways to get a free used appliance.  There are no strings attached, but some of the time, you will have to qualify financially.  Do keep that in mind.

If you’re in need of a free used appliance or maybe you’re just curious, let’s take a gander at the many options you can try right now.

How To Get Free Used Appliances

Facebook Marketplace

The Facebook Marketplace is a wonderful place to find just about anything, both free and paid.  Even if you don’t have a Facebook account, you can create a simple account (don’t add friends) and browse the listings.  It only takes a minute to do, but I’m sure you already have an account.

When you log in, go to your Marketplace tab, located in left-hand side menu on the menu bar on the app.

Once there, search for the appliance you’re looking for and be sure to filter your results so that it only shows free appliances.

To do this, filter your price to $0 to $0.

In doing so, it may show some results, but it will greatly depend on where you live.  Generally, your smaller towns won’t have as many listings are your larger metropolitan areas.  Don’t forget you will have to pick it up, so you will have to factor in the gas to get there.

For example, I live in a larger area (Phoenix, AZ) and when I did it, I had multiple listings.  Here’s what I saw…

Again, your results will vary.



Freecycle

I have mentioned Freecycle many times in my freebie guides.  In short, it’s an awesome collection of freebies in your area, where people like you and I can list anything, as long as it’s free.  The cool thing is that you can request things as well to see if anyone responds.

To get started, just enter your city and then browse the listings.  If you see anything of interest, browse the listing for the contact information and get ahold of the person listing it.

You won’t find much on FreeCycle, but I recommend you at least check it out as it only takes a second to do.

OfferUp

The OfferUp app, quite possibly the most popular selling app, works just like Craigslist.  The cool thing about the app is that you filter out free appliances if need be.

For instance, when I was writing this review, check out how many appliances were in my area…

Honestly, there were so many listings, and many of them, to my surprise, were working.

Now, you do have to factor in the gas money to get the appliance back home, but heck, even if you factor in a truck rental and gas, it may only cost you $40 at most if you were lugging around a big item.

Craigslist

Don’t forget the very popular Craigslist freebie section.  It’s still popular and you can find many great freebies if you’re fast enough.

To start browsing, it’s easy.  Just look for the “free” section, which is beneath the “for sale” section and then search.

Most Craigslist freebies are junk, but you can find some decent stuff once in a while.  However, if it’s decent, it will go fast, so I do encourage you to at least set up an alert so that you can message the seller as soon as you can to claim it.

Furniture Bank

The Furniture Bank Association of North America helps provide all sorts of furniture and appliances free of charge.

To qualify, you do need to meet financial requirements, but these requirements do depend on your local bank.  To find a local furniture bank near you, follow the link below for more information.  They should be able to provide you with much more information than I can.

There are many furniture banks across America, so there’s a good chance one is near you.

VarageSale

VarageSale is just like the OfferUp app.  In fact, it works the same way, only that it’s not as popular.

When I took I look at it, I saw maybe one or two listings, it wasn’t much.  You won’t find much, but you should at least check it out.  The desktop version lets you take a look for free without the need to create an account.

Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, started in the early 1980s as a way to help with rising energy costs.  Still operating today, the organization was designed to help low-income and disabled households, mostly those who suffer from high utility costs.

To qualify for a free appliance, the federal government has set certain requirements, however, every state varies.  In general, though, your income cannot be more than 60% of your state’s median income or 150% of the federal poverty guidelines.

The website can be confusing to explore, but you can contact a local LIHEAP staffer if you have a question following this link.

Keep in mind that even if you do apply, the competition is stiff.  Once funds are depleted, you may have to wait until the following year for the funds to be replenished.



Salvation Army

The Salvation Army is a very well-known nonprofit, one of the biggest in the world.  Its mission is to help families with basic needs, whether it be a free appliance or free shoes.

If you’re in dire need of an appliance, they may be able to help, however, as you can imagine, you will need to meet certain income requirements.

To find a location near you, follow the link below for a contact.  They ask that you contact your local office for more information as to how you can qualify for a free appliance.

St. Vincent de Paul

The St. Vincent de Paul, much like the Salvation Army, is one of the largest charity organizations in the United States.  They help provide assistance in many forms, from helping with financial aid to providing free appliances and meals.

To see what they may be able to do for you, they do ask that you ask that you contact a local agent.  I went ahead and linked to the contact form below.

Again, you will need to meet minimum income requirements if interested.

Churches

I know this is very broad but check with a local church to see what they can do to help.  While it’s best to start with your church (if you go to one), you can contact others in the area, even if you don’t go to it.  In many cases, they may be able to direct you to resources that I didn’t list here.

Final Thoughts

If you need a used appliance for free, it can be done, as you can see.

Generally, as long as you meet income requirements and/or you live in a bigger city, I can’t see why you couldn’t find an appliance as early as today.  Of course, in some cases, you may need to spend the gas to pick up the appliance, but even with that cost factored in, you will only be out $40-$60 at most.  So, while some appliances won’t be free, per se, it will be close to it.

And, one last thing.

I can’t mention every organization out there, so if you do feel you meet income requirements, I highly recommend you chat with local churches, your social services agency and/or great organizations like Goodwill.  Many times, they can point you in the right direction, I promise.

As always, I’m open to more suggestions, so if I’m missing any, feel free to let me know in the comments below.

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Tom Nathaniel

Hi! My name is Tom Nathaniel, and I created LushDollar to help share my honest thoughts on everything money. You won't find gimmicks here. It's the Internet's most honest money site after all. I graduated from Arizona State University, and I have worked in the finance industry since 2006, consulting with multiple Fortune 5000 companies.

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