Free £400 fridge-freezer
Ensure you don't miss out. Join the 4m who get it emailed each week
We've blagged 900 super-efficient A++ totally free fridge freezers worth about £400 from nPower for MoneySavers (you needn't be an nPower customer or switch to it though).
We included this offer in the weekly email in early July but npower struggled to cope with demand. It's now reinforced its website and is back up and running for new applications until Monday 9 August (no need to re-apply if you've already done it).
What can you get?
You can choose from one of three fridges, though it's not guaranteed you'll get the one you've picked. (All come with a one year manufacturer's guarantee).
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Indesit Combi-Static Non Frost Free Fridge-Freezer (model no PBAA27D).
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Indesit Upright Freezer (model no RZA61D).
Indesit Under-counter Fridge (model no RLA36D).
These fridges have extra 'smart' technology fitted to them which sends data to the national grid but even without this technology they're the most energy efficient fridges you can get. A++ is the highest rating possible; the ratings are based on the amount of electricity used over time as well as the capacity, style and features of each refrigerator so as well as getting a free fridge you'll be saving on the cost of energy to run it.
All short lived deals like this go in the free weekly MoneySaving email
How to apply...
Do check you fit the bill
Anyone can apply (even non-npower customers), though nPower is looking for a broad spectrum of people to keep the trial fair. It also asks that you:
* Commit to using and keeping the trial appliance in you home for the full duration of the trial, until at least December 2012 (you get to keep the fridge after).
* Be able to accommodate your chosen refrigeration appliance and not require any building work by Indesit to fit the appliance in your home.
* Maintain a 24 hour broadband internet connection (which is pretty much all broadband connections) and allow RLtec to collect data regarding the operation of the fridge using this broadband connection.(nPower has said this won't impact your download limit, so if you don't have an unlimited package it won't cost you).
*- Have permission from the owner of your existing fridge or freezer to remove and replace this with the trial appliance
* Have a standard three point plug socket within 1 metre of where you've placed your broadband router.-
It may be slow. Last time, the mass of visits from the weekly email crashed this site, hence why it was out of action for weeks, now it's boosted its servers, but it could still struggle.
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If you did it before, don't do it again. If you submitted before it crashed last time, there's no need to do it again.
If you enter details and it doesn't let you submit... this is common, just scroll back up as it almost certainly means you left an answer blank or put something in the wrong format.
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It'll select 900 people at random
The reason for asking the questions is it wants to ensure a fair demographic balance of incomes and regions, so it can sort people into groups. Once that's done whoever is chosen is done so randomly. You'll be informed in the next few months if you've got one (please let us know via this Free Fridges discussion link.
Apply for the trial
UPDATE AUGUST 10. This offer has now closed and successful applicants will be informed in the next couple of months.
It's very easy to do, just go and fill in the nPower fridges form. Yet before you do three quick notes...
Don't worry we also have it in writing that your data won't be used to sell you things, nor passed on, and you don't have to be an nPower customer.
Sounds too good to be true - what's the catch?
If you get a fridge, you need a broadband internet connection, as this is part of an energy efficiency monitoring test the company is running. The fridges will be connected to your broadband (it shouldn't affect your download limits) for a year and its power usage monitored, after the experiment ends, the fridge is still yours to keep.
If it still seems too good to be true, the likelihood is this is part of nPower's Carbon Emission Reduction Target (CERT) obligations, where by law they must help customers become more energy efficient, via grants and other offers (such as this one).
The reason we managed to blag these exclusively for MoneySavers, is we were given some misinformation about a recent energy monitor deal, and this is to make up for that (to clarify there's no commercial link though).
nPower says: "The smart fridge trial is open for all consumers to apply. We will NOT cross sell any npower products to those who apply to join and or accepted to the trial."
More about the technology
Dubbed smart fridges, they respond to signals from the national grid and shut down for short periods when demand is at its highest (for example half-time during the World Cup!), without effecting the performance or freshness of the food.
It's thought if every household was fitted with one of these the UK's CO2 emissions could be slashed by two million tonnes each year. During the high energy times the fridge adjusts, second by second, the power it's drawing without you having to do anything, or noticing.
Not picked? Find a cheap fridge
If you're not picked for the trial but need a new fridge it's still possible to slash the cost:
Check Freecycle. It's is a brilliant recycling community, people simply donate unwanted goods (often in excellent condition) and you can grab what you want in your area. Full details in the Freecycle guide.
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Hidden Amazon bargains. It's possible to find hidden Amazon bargains with up to 90% off discounts eg. 50% off Amazon white goods. Full info in the guide Amazon Hidden Bargains.
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Comet auction site. Comet sells returned appliaces via its auction site, Clearance Comet. The bidding process works in the same way as eBay, and most auctions start at £1, making huge savings possible if you catch it at the right time. More auctions sites in Online Outlet Shopping.
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Use the Megashopbot. Shopbots whizz to lots of retailers to find the cheapest price online. Yet these comparison sites don't all list the same retailers, so only use one and you might miss a top price. So to increase savings use MSE's special website, MegaShopBot.com, to find the cheapest.
Boost bargains with online codes. Once you've found the cheapest price, see if you can up the ante by using a special discount code. Full list of the current & hot discounts & codes in the Discount Vouchers deals page.
Other free energy help
Of course the most important place to start is to ensure you're on the cheapest gas & electricity tariff, many people are overpaying £250 a year see Switch energy & get cashback
Anyone aged over 70, plus others in receipt of certain benefits, can get grants to help pay loft insulation costs, or even get it for free. To find one use the Government's Energy Saving Trust (EST) which lists most of these grants in one place. Just use its energy saving grant search tool or call 0800 512 012.
For example, one of the main schemes in England is called Warm Front, which gives up to ££3,500 to homeowners or those who rent from a private landlord and receive certain benefits. You can find out if you are eligible on the Warm Front website or by calling free on 0800 316 2805.
Other home energy grants are available, such as the Green Project from Enact Energy which provides grants for loft and cavity wall insulation to all homeowners and private tenants, and people on an income or disability related benefit can have these insulation measures installed for free.
For full info on these and more read the Grant Grabbing guide.
Feedback in the forum discussion
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