How To Sell Your Old Stuff To Recoup Some Money

By Mumma And Her Monsters June 19, 2019 tech

Tech accumulates as we move forward into the digital age. In a year, it's not uncommon to see people upgrading to another flagship smartphone, the latest TV or laptop.

This means that you'll have more gadgets and electronics that you wouldn't know what to do with. Multiply that per family member and you will have a lot of old tech in boxes filling up your attic, room and garage.

If you're looking to get rid of small to big appliances and electronics, why not sell them to get back a return on your investment? Instead of throwing them out with the rest of your rubbish, you opt for a more sustainable choice and save the environment in the process. Cell phones in landfills contribute to a toxic environment because they leach deadly components as they degrade.

What's more, you won't have to declutter every year by maintaining a sustainable practice. For instance, don't just upgrade for upgrade's sake- if your two-year-old phone can still make calls, send an SMS or browse the web, chances are that it will still work for another year. Unless the battery is dead or the phone is cracked, you won't have to buy that newest model.

Ready to sell your stuff in exchange for cash? Here are a few ways to get started.

Post Ads for Old Tech Online

If your gadget, console or smart appliance is still working, then you can still get a considerable return for it. You can ask for a higher price if you still have the cable, adapter, box and any accessories your old item may have.

eBay. eBay is the go-to platform for old stuff, including collectables, rare items, vintage products and of course, smartphones and gadgets.

Amazon Marketplace. At Amazon.co.uk you'll be able to sell 2nd-hand items, books, ebook readers, DVDs and any of the stuff you don't want. Create an account and start getting appraisals for your unwanted stuff. Once the company receives your items then you'll receive gift cards or credit.

Facebook Marketplace. Harness the power of social networking and have your items sold quickly with Facebook Marketplace. If you have an account, head to the section and do the same steps as you would on eBay. Upload a photo, a description and share it with your friends. Meet up and you can make money off your old items.

Photo by Lovefreund

Trade-In for Gift or Cash

Major brands will have kiosks and places where you can drop off unwanted things for gift cards, store credit and others. For instance, you can hand over your old iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad at an authorized Apple Store and get store credit towards a new model.

If you don't intend to upgrade to a newer phone, laptop or console, there's an easier route for selling your old stuff. Tech recycling companies can take your iPhone X, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Samsung Galaxy Note, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Microsoft Surface Book. Visit the site, fill up the online appraisal form and send your gadget in. You'll receive payment 2-3 days after they receive the item.

Photo by Suzy Hazelwood from Pexels

Old games and consoles can be exchanged for money on GameStop, while DVDs and CDs can be handed off on MusicMagpie.co.uk

Recoup by Recycling

Those who have a mountain of old stuff, including laptops, computers, monitors, printers and bulky office items can sell their hardware to specialist shops that can turn them into a refurbished state. Call them up and arrange for a pick-up if you have dozens of heavy equipment, you'd like them to properly dispose of.

Or, you can look up local charitable institutions and bring up working tech for them to use. You'll be giving something for a worthy cause.

All electronic and gadget companies in the UK must have a place where people can drop off their working and non-working stuff for recycling. The WEEE, or Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive ensure that your things won't keep on collecting dust just because you don't have a recycling centre nearby.

With this in mind, you won't have to worry if upgrading to a new TV, smartphone or appliance is sustainable or not. Call up the manufacturer and ask where the nearest recycling program is. It's better to hand it over to them and get something in return so you can recoup some of the costs of your new smartphone. Your old gadget will be in safe hands and will be reused or harvested for precious metals.