Buying a new cell phone
is an exciting process for most consumers. New features, new capabilities, and
a new design – what’s not to love? Buying a new cell phone, however, means that
you will need to decide what to do with your old cell phone. If the cell phone
is in good condition, it would be a shame to not have it go to use.
Fortunately, there are many different ways that you can put your old cell phone
to use.
Donate Your Cell Phone
One way that you can put your old cell phone to use is to donate it to charity. Centers for spousal abuse, for example, give donated phones to women and children in abusive situations. These phones provide women and children with a means to call the police or a loved one for help when needed.
Another great way to donate your phone is through Cell Phones for Soldiers. This program gives the donated cell phones to soldiers who get deployed overseas. Doing so, allows the soldiers to contact their loved ones without having to pay extreme roaming rates.
Sell Your Cell Phone
Another option that you have is to sell your cell phone. You can either post and ad in a magazine or you can create an online ad. Magazines such as craigslist or the penny saver have sections for electronics, and can help you sell your cell phone easily. If you Sell Electronic Online, services like eBay may get you the most money for your cell phone. When you sell your cell phone you get to receive some of the money that you originally spent, while allowing another person to obtain a cell phone for an affordable price. If you choose to sell your cell phone, think about how you want to be treated as a consumer. It is important to be fair in your pricing, and to be honest about what your phone can do.
Recycle Your Cell Phone
If you have a old cell phone that cannot be donated or sold, you should always recycle it. Cell phones contain hazardous chemicals and conflict minerals, so it is important to dispose of them properly. You have a few choices for recycling your phone. If you live near an electronics store there is a good chance that they have a recycling bin for cell phones. If you live in a rural area, you can contact Earthworks and they will send you a prepaid shipping label for your old cell phone. Another way to recycle your cell phone is to give it to a child as a toy. The child will get hours of enjoyment out of it, and you will feel better knowing that you provided that enjoyment.
The next time you consider tossing your old cell phone into the trash can, consider your options. Simply throwing away your cell phone is dangerous for the environment and wasteful. With the options available to you, there is no reason to choose such a wasteful option.