Recycling your old phone could get you some extra cash

Some extra money could be close at hand if you have a mobile gathering dust

placeholder image — Some extra money could be close at hand if you have a mobile gathering dust

Your old mobile phones that have been gathering dust in your drawers could bring in some extra needed cash.

New research suggests 45% of people have a backup mobile phone they rarely use.

They’re clinging onto these old but working mobile phones, despite using a new model day-to-day.

Some people might be hanging onto their old mobile “just in case”.

But around two-thirds (67%) of those with old backup handsets say they have not used them in the past year, and nearly a fifth (19%) have used their previous device just once in that time.

Some people also have feelings of fondness for their old mobiles which are stopping them from letting go, with around one in eight (12%) saying they feel emotionally attached to their previous phone.

Households might be missing a trick, as giffgaff says the average trade-in value of a recyclable used handset is €100.

Some people admit to feeling emotionally attached to their previous mobile phones

Of course, the exact price someone can get for their old mobile will depend on the handset, and giffgaff cautions prices can potentially fall quickly. When it compared trade prices for some models between January 2021 and January 2022, it found devices lost around 50% of their value within a year.

Alongside the financial hit, not recycling an old mobile phone could contribute to the problem of “e-waste” from old, unused tech.

CEO of giffgaff Ash Schofield says: “Our latest research highlights that there’s a significant opportunity for people with an old mobile phone to make a tangible, sustainable impact, and gain some extra cash.

“And with the cost of living rising across the board, now is a great time to get something back by trading in your old phone.”