The best times to buy a new phone or tablet are during the pre-order period when a new device is announced, during Black Friday, during Amazon Prime Day, and during Boxing Day sales (after Christmas). You can also save on older models about a month before a new model comes out.

For many, upgrading their device is an exciting and highly anticipated time. And if you’ve recently taken advantage of a good sale or are planning a new phone or tablet purchase soon, you may be wondering what to do with your outdated technology. There are actually several things you can do with your old cell phones and other devices. Read on to learn more.
  


TOP 6 THINGS TO DO WITH YOUR OLD TECHNOLOGY
1. Transfer Your Still-good Phone to a Family Member
Even if your phone is older or outdated, it doesn’t mean it’s useless. If you have teens or tweens in your household, an easy solution is to pass the device along to your kids. Grandparents and other friends or family who may be in need of an emergency communication device may also benefit. As long as it still gets a signal and can hold a charge, your old phone can provide real value to someone who needs it. Just know that you’ll still need to pay monthly costs associated with the plan.

2. You May Want to Trade in Your Old Device
One of the easiest things to do with your old device is to trade it in. Many cell phone providers have programs that allow you to easily trade in your old phone, tablet, or other device for gift certificates or vouchers that can be used to buy new products or pay your bill. The value of your old device is assessed online, and once the device is received by the carrier, you typically get the gift certificate within a few weeks. In some cases, the carrier will even cover shipping costs.
  

  
3/ Where to Sell Your Old Cell Phones
You can always sell your old phone or tablet for cash on sites like eBay, Craigslist, or Facebook Marketplace. Other sites like Gazelle or Decluttr can offer competitive prices without having to list or auction the item online. Or, sell it to a friend or family member for an easier transaction.

4. Where to Donate Your Old Cell Phone
You can find several charities who will accept old technology donations as long as they still work and can get service. For example: The Verizon Hopeline program accepts used cell phones in support of victims of domestic abuse. Cell Phones for Soldiers collects cell phones and accessories to raise money to purchase calling cards for deployed military troops and their families. The 911 Cell Phone Bank accepts donations that are used to provide support and assistance to participating law enforcement entities and charitable organizations that provide services to a variety of victims in the U.S.
  

  
5. How to Recycle Your Old Phone
If your old smartphone or tablet doesn’t have much value or doesn’t work anymore, you can recycle it. Cell phones represent the largest category of unwanted electronic devices, but they are also very easy to recycle as most of the main service providers and electronics retailers (like Best Buy) have programs where you can drop off cell phones and accessories for free.

6. You May Want to Keep Your Old Device
If your device still works, you always have the option of keeping it in case something happens to your new device. That way, you won’t have to spend a lot of money to repair it, or you will have a device to use if you have to send it off for repairs and wait for it to be returned.

You can also use old devices that still work for several things that don’t require a cell phone plan, but may just need a Wi-Fi connection, such as:

• A mobile gaming device
• A video chat device
• Wireless webcam
• Alarm clock
• Backup TV remote
• eBook reader
• Media player for your favorite music, audiobooks, and podcasts

TIPS FOR PREPPING YOUR OLD OLD DEVICE
Before you trade your old device in, sell it, donate it, or recycle it, you’ll want to make sure you:

• Back up all of your data usingBackup Assistant Plus or another storage option.
• Erase all of your data, including emails, text messages, photos, media, and apps.
• Visit Settings to erase everything.
• Restore factory settings.
• Remove any SIM card or memory cards you may have installed.

Or, you can transfer the data from your old device to your new one while setting it up, eliminating the need for a backup. Just make sure once that’s complete, you erase everything from the old device.