Whether you’re looking to earn extra cash for Spring Break or need to update your closet with a few Spring wardrobe essentials, there’s a ton of cash hidden in your home and all you need to do is Spring Clean to cash it in! If you’re like me, you probably have an oasis of electronics that you’ve been hoarding since 1983 – and it’s time to let go. How else do you expect to keep up with the latest technologies, if you can’t let go of the nostalgic gadgets of the past? There’s no better time to include electronics on your spring cleaning agenda and with so many options to earn instant cash, you’ll be rolling in the dough in no time!
Here’s a few steps on how to spring clean your junk drawer of gadgets and earn instant cash below.
First, take inventory of all unused electronics in your home, and separate them into two piles. Everything that’s two years old and older, place in pile A and all of your newer (unwanted / unused electronics) place in pile B.
Research: Now that you’re ready to sell some of your electronics, you need to know how to price those items and make some money. Take your newer items (Pile B items) and research the retail prices online and on sites like Craigslist and eBay. You can also find out the value of your gadgets on Amazon here.
List: Based on your preference, you can then list those items on Craigslist, eBay or other sites like Gazelle.com or for a quick fix EcoATM examines your device and offers a price based on its condition. If you decide to sell it, you’ll drop in you device and receive cash right away. You can search for the nearest EcoATM on the company’s website.
Must Read: Spring Cleaning Your Smartphone: Declutter Your Device and Free Up Memory
Donate: You might not do much with the hundred or so dollars you get for that used laptop, but a local school or library could benefit greatly from having more working computers. There are many options for donating your old devices, from local charities to larger established programs. Collect all of your old devices and electronics using a commercial recycling box and then send them to a recycling center or local charities.
Goodwill and Dell teamed up for the Reconnect program, which accepts donated computers at select Goodwill locations. The official site has a full list of items it will accept and locations near you. The Salvation Army also accepts used computers and electronics. If you’re donating a cell phone, the Verizon’s Hopeline program and the 911 Cell Phone Bank are just some of the many charitable projects that can do good with your old handset.
Recycling: Now for Pile A. If your device is too old or damaged to sell, don’t just chuck it into the trash can, recycle it. Many electronics manufacturers also have mail-in and drop-off recycling programs for their old devices, including Apple, Samsung and Sony. Wireless carriers will take old flip phones at no cost. Sometimes, recycling older electronics can become costly with processing fees, but I’ve found Best Buy’s Recycling Program to be the best and easiest of them all. Head to the nearest Best Buy and they will take electronics off your hands for free.
Now that you have a few tips to get you started, how do you plan to tackle your spring cleaning projects? If you plan on donating, recycling or selling your electronics in the process, sound off in the comments section below.
