When you buy a new phone you are still left with your old one.
If you are planning on getting rid of it make sure you do so responsibly. It is dangerous to simply throw your phone in the bin which is why some technology retailers offer a recycling service for old phones where they will dispose of them properly for free.
However, if you would prefer not simply throw it away there are some other more productive ways to use your old phone.
- Keep using it. Just because you don’t have your SIM card in your old phone does not mean it can’t still be used. You won’t be able to make or receive calls or texts but you should still be able to use most of the other functions. Your old phone could be used to keep any games or apps you don’t use often to avoid using up the battery in your main phone.
- Keep it as an emergency phone. Simply keep it safe with the knowledge that if you lose or damage your new phone or if it is going in for a repair, you will be able to use your old one temporarily.
- Sell it. You can sell your old phone as long as you still have any accompanying accessories such as the charger and preferably the original box. However, you will have to be very careful not to leave any personal information on the device. Make sure you delete any images, files and apps then restart the phone before you sell it. Consider having your phone professionally wiped of all data by a specialist company.
- Use it as a camera. Photos and videos take up a huge amount of storage space on phones so using your old phone to take and store photos will free up space on your new device.
- Turn it into a music player. You could download all of your music to your old phone or keep any music/video apps.
- Use it as an e-reader. You can download ebooks to your old phone using apps such as iBooks or Amazon Kindle and read them on your old phone. This saves storage space on your new phone.
- Gift it to someone. You may have older relatives who may want to have a mobile phone for emergencies only or to any kids in the family who are too young for a mobile phone of their own but like to play games on them.
- Sell it for parts. If your old phone no longer works you may still be able to sell it for parts. Small local repair shops usually will buy broken phones and use the parts to repair other phones. You can also try selling it online.
