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How many of us stick our old cellphones in a drawer when we buy a new one? Too many of us, more than 50 percent, according to a recent survey. Some of us have just thrown away old phones.
If you’re in the market for a new phone and plan to buy it from the same company, chances are you can get money back or store credit toward the new phone.
If you plan to buy from a different company and can’t trade it in for a new phone, there are still ways to recoup some dollars from your old phone. For example, you can sell your phone on eBay. The minute new phones come out, those eager to save money know to look for a recent previous generation of phone. EBay has made it easy for you with a selling kit. They’ll even send you the box to put it in for mailing.
Check online prices offered on places like Gazelle, Swappa or Glyde. Read the details carefully. Craiglist will allow you to sell your phone in-person in your area. (Don’t fall for scammers who want you to mail them the phone in exchange for a check.)
Security can be a problem if you leave data on your old phone, and it can be tricky to remove, depending on the type of phone. And no, doing a factory reset doesn’t remove all your information. You’ll need to remove your SIM card, a small circuit card inside your phone that contains information unique to your phone and network.
Your safest bet: Upgrade with the same phone company. You’ll get cash back to help with the cost of your new phone, and their tech will be able to delete your personal information from your old phone.
© 2018 King Features Synd. Inc.
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