Did You Know You Can Recycle Electronics For Cash? Here’s How…

Don’t toss your old gadgets! You can recycle electronics for cash instead!

Upgrading your gear? Turn your outdated electronics into cash! 💰

If you’ve got that old computer that’s been sitting in your closet for 15 years & still (barely) runs Windows 98, you have eWaste right in your own home.

eWaste is a term that describes electronics that have reached the end of their useful life. It happens to all of them eventually, but the problem we don’t often think about when we’re buying up the latest tech is that eWaste can be tough to get rid of. Not only is throwing electronics in the trash bad for the environment, but it may be against the law in your state.

Luckily, there’s a way to turn eWaste into income. We’re sharing some tips on how to take the trash and turn it into extra cash!

1. Recycle electronics for cash when you resell old (but functioning) gadgets online.

Tons of perfectly useful electronics get put on the sidelines just because a new model was released… ahem, cell phones and gaming consoles, anyone?

Chances are, there’s still a market for older models of new tech. Sites like eBay and Facebook Marketplace are awesome websites for reselling some of your older stuff. And you can score even more if you’re handy and know how to fix things up!

My Hip teammate, Chelsey, has had great experience reselling electronics!

She says that eBay is great for older items like video game consoles, but she also likes Facebook Marketplace for bulkier items and the lack of fees (eBay in particular can be a little fee-heavy). You can also try sites like Craigslist for items too large (or expensive) to ship, but a lot of folks report better deals by using these FB Marketplace tips.

For more ideas, you can scan eBay’s list of best-selling consumer electronics to get a glimpse of what’s hot at the moment! 

2. Offer to haul away other people’s electronic recycling items.

As we mentioned, throwing away electronics is actually illegal due to their non-eco-friendly components. You have to take them to a special electronics recycling facility, and well… a lot of folks (myself included) can’t be bothered to do that, so we end up letting them sit in our closets, attics, and basements… forever.

But that’s where you come in!

You can offer to take people’s electronic junk off their hands for a small price, and a lot of them will jump at the chance to get rid of their clutter without having to deal with the inconvenience of driving to an electronic recycling facility.

Or, even better, you can offer to take their old stuff for free and resell it yourself for 100% profit. Again, most people just wanna get rid of things, so they might be happy to let you drive off with them for free.

3. Use trade-in sites like Gazelle for super easy cash back.

Hauling away other folks’ electronic recycling is a fantastic way to earn some extra cash, but it’s also a lot of extra work. If you’re all about getting rid of that eWaste in the most hands-off way possible, then trade-in sites are probably the right choice for you!

On Gazelle, for example, you simply search up the price offered on your electronics based on the make, model, etc., ship items worth $1 or more in for free, and then wait for them to evaluate your item and decide the payout via PayPal, Amazon gift card, or check. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

The only downside of these services is that you probably won’t get the highest cash return. Chelsey had this to say about her experience with trade-in sites:

So if you’re feeling like the trade-in sites are a little too stingy, look into listing them online. It’s a little more legwork but often totally worth it!

4. Many of your favorite stores accept old electronics and will offer cash or store credit in return.

Here’s a list of common stores where you can recycle old electronics for cash or store credit:

• Amazon will take your used electronics and give you a gift card with the appraised value + up to  25% discounts on a new Amazon device.

• Best Buy accepts all types of tech trade-ins for store gift cards.

• Gamestop will take working electronics for cash or credit. Become a Pro Rewards member for an extra 10% back on most trade-ins and even more with Pro-exclusive offers.

• Office Depot lets you trade in your tech either in-store or online for an Office Depot gift card! If your device has no trade-in value, they will recycle your device for free.

• Staples offers free recycling on a variety of electronics and sometimes they offer rewards like cash back.

• Walmart will give you an eGift card for sending in old electronics with their CExchange program.

5. Check with the manufacturer to see if you can recycle electronics for cash.

Many computer manufacturers offer trade-in programs or free recycling. If there is a brand you love, it is worth checking their website or storefront to see if they will take your eWaste!

Here’s a list of some manufacturers that recycle old electronics for free or for an upgrade credit:

• Acer offers a free recycling program in many states and even offers up to a $100 discount if you upgrade to an Aspire Vero.

• Apple stores will trade your items for store credit, and if the item isn’t eligible, they’ll recycle it for free.

• Dell offers free recycling options – even for batteries and cartridges – plus they offer trade-in credit for computers and computer accessories.

• Lenovo offers a Visa gift card equivalent to your trade-in value plus they often have coupons if you’re planning on buying something new.

• Hewlitt-Packard offers free recycling and they also offer you a trade-in credit or cash if you return old but useable equipment.

• Samsung offers both trade-in and recycling options for a variety of electronics.

Here are some additional tips to help you earn money when reselling & recycling electronics…

Check out all our favorite ways to earn some extra cash!