Turn Old Mobiles into Cash

Turn your old mobile phone into cash

How long has that old mobile phone been sitting on your desk? How long has it been shoved into the corner of your dresser drawer? What are you ever going to do with that mobile phone that you replaced months ago? Well, if you’re savvy, you’ll sell that mobile phone for cash.

A growing number of private companies are now accepting old mobile phones from across the UK and sending their former owners cash. This is a great deal for mobile phone owner: It’s a way to dispose of their old phones without having to throw them in the trash, and it’s an easy way for them to put some extra cash in their pockets.

The process works like this: Private companies that specialize in recycling old mobile phones have established several Web sites with names like Fonebank.com, MazumaMobile.com and Envirofone.com. Consumers log onto these sites, tell them what make and model of mobile phone they own and wait for a financial offer.

These offers can be significant. Some news stories have reported that the owners of newer mobile phones can receive offers in the range of 50 pounds. Even those who own used mobile phones that no longer work can receive money; these owners often receive offers of about 20 pounds for mobile phones that don’t even function.

Once consumers accept an offer, they send their mobile phones off in the mail and to the recyclers. The recycling companies then send consumers their financial settlement.

And what happens to the old mobile phones? They are often refurbished and given to charitable organizations. If the phones no longer work, the recycling companies will often recycle their parts.

This is important because mobile phones, despite what their owners may think, are extremely recyclable. In fact, about 80 percent of the parts used to make the typical mobile phone can be recycled.

It’s a shame, then, that so few mobile phones are eventually recycled. Most, unfortunately, end up in the landfills scattered across the country where they take up valuable space and leak potentially dangerous chemicals into the soil. Older mobile phones, for instance, may leak lead, cadmium and beryllium into the earth.

The hope among environmentalists is that more mobile phone users are getting the message that their old mobiles can be recycled rather than trashed. With more companies than ever offering money for old mobile phones, a growing number of phone owners should be encouraged to consider recycling. After all, easy cash is one great motivator.

Today, though, the statistics are rather dismal when it comes to the recycling of old mobile phones. Even with the private companies offering cash for old mobiles, only 3 percent of unwanted mobile phones are recycled each year. And, according to a study by mobile phone giant Nokia, an amazing 75 percent of mobile phone owners have no idea how to recycle their mobile phones.

There are signs, though, that this is slowly changing. There wouldn’t be so many companies specializing in recycling mobile phones, after all, if there wasn’t a demand for the services.

You can help spur the phone-recycling movement by recycling your old mobile phone the next time you need to upgrade to a newer model. If you don’t want to work with a private recycling company, consider donating your old phone to a charitable organization in your area. You might also drop your mobile phone off during any special electronics recycling days that your community or city are sponsoring.

It’s a simple feat to sell your mobile phone for cash. Don’t pass up this opportunity to do some good for the environment while earning extra cash for your pocket.