CHARLOTTE — Chances are you have old electronics sitting around in cabinets and drawers, and if you’re looking to make some extra money, start looking there.
You can get money for trading in your old electronics, like phones, tablets, and gaming devices, instead of letting them gather dust.
Consumer advisor Clark Howard says it’s a good time to do an electronics clean-out.
“So what happens is old electronics become forgotten about, they go in a drawer, they go in a closet, and they don’t get any better with time,” Howard says.
Where to sell used electronics
Plenty of places will take your used electronics. The Amazon Trade-In program lets you select your device model, or you may even see offers for devices you have on your account.
Best Buy also has a trade-in program. You can bring in a plethora of devices, they’ll be evaluated, and you get a Best Buy gift card.
The online blog “Making Sense of Cents” says the website Decluttr is one of the best places to sell electronics, calling the process easy and hassle-free. You get paid by direct deposit or PayPal.
You can also find an “Eco-ATM” near you, which allows you to drop off your device at a kiosk. They’re located in places like Walmart and Dollar General -- you place your device inside and wait for an offer. If you accept, you get instant cash.
Before you sell it, do this
Regardless of how or where you sell or trade, Howard says it’s important to protect your personal information.
“Anytime you have, in particular, a computer or a phone, you have to make sure you wipe them clean,” Howard said.
Before you wipe your devices, back up your data. You may want to transfer files to the cloud, an external hard drive, or another device. Once you’ve done that, many devices offer built-in tools for wiping all of the data.
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