What to do with your old cell phone

My wife and I upgraded our cell phones in the spring, and the old models still sit in drawer in the kitchen. We gave one of them to our daughter, which she played with it for quite some time, but there are definitely better things you can do with your old cell phone. Here are a few suggestions:

Cell Phones for Soldiers: Cell Phones for Soldiers hopes to turn old cell phones into more than 12 million minutes of prepaid calling cards for U.S. troops stationed overseas in 2007. To do so, Cell Phones for Soldiers expects to collect 15,000 cell phones each month through a network of more than 3,000 collection sites across the country.

ReCellular: Wireless Recycling: An increasing number of Americans are using cell phones, discarding them frequently, and creating tons of solid waste even though most of the used cellular phones are still functional. ReCellular saw the opportunity to start a new industry and help protect the environment. ReCellular, Inc., was founded to refurbish, reuse and responsibly recycle discarded cell phones.

American Cell Phone Drive: Donate or recycle your used cell phones through AmericanCellPhoneDrive.org, the largest, most comprehensive, cell phone drive in the world. Over 4,000 organizations are part of AmericanCellPhoneDrive.org. Choose the organization you would like to donate or recycle your used cell phones through in your local community by going to AmericanCellPhoneDrive.org.

Get rid of your old cell phone clutter and do something charitable in the process!

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Posted by Matt on Sep 27, 2007 | Comments |

16 comments posted

  1. Posted by Elspeth - 09/27/2007

    Many women’s shelters will also take phone donations as they are reprogrammed for emergency use only and then given to women and their children. Several places in Baltimore take them, like House of Ruth, and even my old college used to have cell phone drives for this same reason.

  2. Posted by JB - 09/27/2007

    Many cell-phone storefronts or kiosks have drop boxes for used cell phones which they donate to local shelters or recycling programs. Every Sprint store that I’ve been to has one. Additionally, my boyfriend was able to give his old Verizon phone to the Cingular recycle box at our local mall (the Verizon rep actually referred him to the box as he was upgrading), so they’re not company-specific.

    One thing to consider, though… if you loose or break your new phone and don’t want to pay full price for a replacement, many older cell phones can be reactivated for free or a small fee. I know that it adds to your clutter, but it might save you a lot of money. (I know that Sprint won’t give you another new phone discount until your next 2-year anniversary.)

  3. Posted by CBC - 09/27/2007

    Agree with above - I work a non-profit rape crisis center, and we collect old cell phones and get cash for recycling them. Please don’t just throw it away!

  4. Posted by Jenny - 09/27/2007

    My old phones go to my local Sheriff’s office for use in their domestic violence program. Additionally, Wireless Alliance http://www.thewirelessalliance.com offers free postage-paid labels for cell phone recycling programs that they run.

  5. Posted by Polter - 09/27/2007

    I read somewhere that a cell phone without the network sim card will still be able to dial 911 emergency. If true, it may be worth it to keep it charged and in the glove compartment of your car or in an emergency kit, just in case.

    I’m not sure where I heard this, and haven’t verified it myself, so take caution before relying on this in a pinch.

  6. Posted by dr - 09/27/2007

    The Body Shop will also collect and recycle old cell phones. You can drop them off at any store.

  7. Posted by Jeremy - 09/27/2007

    I traded my old BlackBerry to my dealer for drugs. I sure wish I would’ve read this article first!

    But hey! I made up for it by donating my old glasses to the Lens Crafter’s charity program. (^)_(^)

  8. Posted by zakstar - 09/27/2007

    Funding Factory (fundingfactory.com) will actually pay you for your cell phone and used ink cartridges

  9. Posted by Eric - 09/27/2007

    you can try apple too
    http://www.apple.com/environme.....gpage.html

  10. Posted by pedro - 09/28/2007

    By law, cell phones MUST be able to dial 911 even if they are not on a contract or have any sort of service. If they can get a signal, you can dial 911. If you give someone a car charger and a cell phone, you could give someone the ability to dial 911 in emergency situations.

  11. Posted by Gray - 09/28/2007

    At our local flea market there is a guy who buys and sells used phones, he usually doesn’t pay much, (5 or 10 bux) but it gets them out of my hair and out of the house and it pays for lunch that day. maybe not as noble as donating them to a worth cause, but it is another option.

  12. Posted by Aurien - 09/30/2007

    I know Movie Gallery locations will take old cell phones in exchange for a free rental from their gallery.

  13. Posted by Fallon OBrien - 10/20/2007

    Recycle your cell phone and help build the First National Memorial to our living disabled veterans!!! Go to http://www.recycle4avdlm.com and help build this tribute. Do something good with your old phone…

  14. Posted by Bob - 10/20/2007

    DON’T DONATE TO YOUR LOCAL CARRIER PROGRAMS….NOTHING BUT A SCAM!!!!

  15. Posted by Rhynole - 01/18/2008

    Keep your old phone as a backup. If you break the new one, pop the sim card back into the old one. Or, be proactive. If you are going somewhere to engage in an activity that increases the risk of you damaging your old phone, pop the sim into the old one and take that instead.

  16. Posted by L Davis - 04/07/2008

    Old cell phones can be donated to your local police and sheriff’s offices for use for victims of abuse……….

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