Getting a new phone can be really exciting–all that shiny technology–but once you have everything switched over from your old, boring phone to your new, exciting phone…what do you do with the old phone? Well, depending on where you live and what condition your phone is in, you have lots of options.
However, before you do anything with the old phone, the first thing you need to do is wipe the phone of all of your personal information by doing a factory reset. This option can be found in the settings and will delete everything on the phone, putting it back in the same state it was in when you bought it. This will remove ALL of your media, contacts, apps, settings, call logs, voicemails and saved information so BE SURE you have everything you want off of the device first. Then, remove any SIM or SD cards still in the device. Once you have wiped the phone and removed your cards, be sure to double check that everything is gone including your:
- phone book
- logs for both dialed and received calls
- voicemails
- sent and received emails and text messages
- downloads and other folders
- search histories
- personal photos
Keep it as a Backup
Technology isn’t infallible, and you never know when your phone is suddenly going to stop working or take a nosedive off of the countertop. Having a backup is never a bad idea, and all phones–regardless if they have a plan or not–can dial 911 in an emergency, so it’s never a bad thing to have an older phone in a drawer somewhere.Re-Gift it
If your old phone is in good working order, why not give it to your kid as their first phone? Prepaid is always the best way to start when you’re giving a child their first phone, and if it’s simply an old one of yours and gets broken, you aren’t out any money. Of course, if the phone is destined for a teen keep in mind that they won’t want it if the phone isn’t at least reasonably nice-looking.Donate to Charity
There are a number of organizations that accept mobile phones or even used tablets. Why not donate your old device to a charitable organization? Not only are you keeping your phone out of the landfull, but you might even be helping out someone in need. Be aware that there are a lot of scams out there, so be sure to research where you’re donating the phone before you drop it in the box! Here’s a list of some of the more reputable organizations:- Cell Phones for Soldiers – You can help our troops overseas call home by donating your cell phone. Cell Phones for Soldiers will recycle your phone and use the profits to buy prepaid phone cards for soldiers. Check out their site for options to donate your phone.
- National Coalition Against Domestic Violence – The NCADV raises funds to help families recovering from domestic violence through the sale of refurbished phones. They also recycle unusable phones, so it isn’t going to the landfill.
- Hope Phones – Run by Medic Mobile, this organization recycles donated phones to help the environment and to help fund their healthcare organization abroad.
- Second Wave Recycling – Not only will they recycle your phones, but they will donate 100% of the value of the phone (from $0.25 to $150) to your chosen charity. They have a pretty good list of charities to choose from, so it is definitely a good choice. They also guarantee none of the phones go to the landfill.
- Secure the Call – A non-profit, Secure The Call is all about taking working cell phones–no matter their age–and redistributing them to seniors and others to use as 911 emergency phones. All functioning phones have the ability to call 911, even without a carrier or service, and can provide as a contact during an emergency.
- American Cell Phone Drive – This website is set up to help match phone owners with charities and organizations in your area looking to collect old phones. You can put your zipcode in on this page and see all the locations looking to collect phones in your area. If there are none, then you can also mail them your phone and they will recycle the phone as necessary.
Sell for Cash
This is a little trickier, and there are a staggering amount of scam websites out there that claim to buy phones and really just cheat you. If you have a nice phone that you want to get cash for, make sure you do your research and find someplace that is legit. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is! Alternatively, there are a lot of stores that sell and purchase used phones including some entertainment stores and phone repair places. If the phone is new enough, you could even try your hand at eBay.Recycle
If push comes to shove and you don’t want to donate your phone, or it isn’t in good enough condition for the above options, then recycling is probably your best bet. Instead of throwing it away and polluting the landfill with those dangerous components, take it to any of these stores to be safely recycled:- Best Buy
- Staples
- Dell
- Samsung
- Sprint
- LG
Posted in FAQ