Have a tech spring clean – make and save money!

There are over 40 million unused bits of technology cluttering up homes across the UK. If you have a few bits lying around, it’s time for a tech spring clean! Dig out those old unwanted mobile phones and broken tablets and see if you can earn yourself a decent chunk of cash.

Here’s our easy guide to help you find the best places to sell and recycle old tech online and get the best deals you can.

So, you’ve had a clear-out and found a few devices you no longer use and are going to sell? Great.

But before you start selling, make sure that any data is backed up and then deleted from the device. Then, restore each device to factory settings. While most third-party sellers say they professionally reset every device they receive, you don’t want it falling into wrong hands.

If someone can access your personal photos, passwords, or card and banking details, which most phones now automatically store, it could cause you serious trouble down the line.

Image source: Black Salmon, Shutterstock

You can sell old tech in high street stores such as Cex, and there is an abundance of sites online where you can sell, too. The best practice is to shop around before selling to make sure you get the best deal, particularly if you’re selling a relatively new device.

Compare and Recycle is a great site to use. Simply search for the product you are selling, and it’ll list prices being offered, how you can be paid and how long until you receive payment. It's a good way to make sure you're getting the best deals possible to make the most of your tech spring clean.

Old phones can bring in an extra few pounds. If you update your phone every few years, chances are you have a couple of spares around the house. Networks such as giffgaff will buy these off you to put some extra cash in your pocket.

No relation to us at MoneyMagpie—except for the money-making ethos! Music Magpie buys everything from mobile phones to Kindles, tablets, and laptops, to CDs and DVDs. It’s easy to use. Start an order online by inputting the items you wish to sell and receive an instant quote. To complete an order, it must reach a minimum of £5, and you can have a maximum of 500 items in one order. No worries if you have even more—you are allowed to complete as many orders as you wish.

Money 4 My Tech buys a range of electronics including laptops, iMacs, tablets, games consoles, iPods, and headphones. Depending on the size of your items, you can either borrow packaging from them for free and return it when you send your order, or request a collection. Both options are free of charge.

Third-party sellers such as eBay make it easy to send your old tech to them, but it is worth checking out whether you can make more money by selling it directly yourself. So much technology (used and broken too) is sold on eBay every year. Research yourself to see if people are selling similar items to yours and what prices they are selling for.

Image source: Nattakorn_Maneerat, Shutterstock

Trading in is another option to recycle your old electronics and save money. If you’re looking to purchase a new version or upgrade, then you can get better deals by agreeing to a voucher rather than hard cash.

On Wex Photo & Video it is easy to submit a request for an instant no-obligation quote. If you agree to the quote, you'll receive credit you can spend in-store or online. They also offer regular trade-in bonuses with up to an additional £500 available.

Recently, Currys launched a new scheme, 'Cash for Trash', which allows you to trade in old electronics and appliances in exchange for vouchers.

Most phone service providers also welcome old phone trade-ins and will offer discounts on your next purchase in exchange for them. Samsung, for example, also offers serious discounts for wearable tech like the Galaxy Watch.

Devices not in working order still make money! Your tech spring clean hasn't been futile—you can get cash for your broken tech.

eBay is a goldmine for broken technology—devices with smashed screens, broken buttons, and dead batteries are all being sold. A lot of people buy old tech on eBay to break down the items and use parts so it’s the perfect site to use to make money from your damaged items.

Make sure you are accurate in the description of the product you are listing and fully disclose the extent of the damage, so it doesn’t backfire on you later.

Gadget Salvation is happy to take almost any device off your hands, even if it’s broken. It's on a case-by-case basis, so you'll need to fill out a form about your broken tech to get a quote.

Sending electronics to landfill is not only a waste of parts but begins to cause enormous environmental problems, too. Even if you don’t want the extra hassle of selling your old tech, make sure to recycle it and not put it in the rubbish.

Recycle Now is a very useful site that tells you how you can easily recycle your old tech. They can sell the products for cash or take them to a household waste and recycling centre where they have an area specifically designed for electronics. Use the tool here to find your nearest electrical recycling point.

Tech Recycle is an ethical IT recycling company so you can declutter and do some good too. You'll need to have enough qualifying items, but if so, you can book a pick-up with them where they’ll come and collect your items for free. They plant a tree for every 20 tonnes of electronics they recycle so a great cause to support if you can.

Your local tip will also have an area specifically for recycling old technology and gadgets, too.

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