2-Minute Money Manager: How Can I Sell Used Electronics?

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Old Cell Phones, Electronics
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Welcome to your “2-Minute Money Manager,” a short video feature answering money questions submitted by readers and viewers. You can learn how to send in a question of your own below.

Today’s question is about getting top dollar for used electronics.

I can’t count the number of electronic relics lying around my house:

  • Cameras, both video and still
  • Gaming consoles
  • Streaming video consoles
  • Mountains of old cellphones

You name it, I’ve got a drawer full of it. In fact, I still have my old PalmPilot!

Please don’t be like me. Here’s how to turn those old electronics into cash.

For more information on this topic, check out “Where to Sell Your Stuff for Top Dollar” and “8 Profitable Ways to Get Rid of Aging Electronic Devices.” Or, if you’d rather stop reading and start selling, head to Gazelle, or NextWorth right now.

You can also go to the search at the top of this page, put in the words “making money” and find plenty of information on other ideas to raise a little cash.

Got a question of your own to ask? Scroll down past the transcript.

Don’t want to watch? Here’s what I said in the video

Howdy, folks, and welcome to your money “2-Minute Money Manager.” I’m your host, Stacy Johnson, and this question is brought to you by MoneyTalksNews.com, serving up the best in personal finance news and advice since 1991.

Today’s question comes from Jerry:

“I have an iPhone 5 and a flip phone I would like to sell. Can you help me?”

I’ll tell you guys a little secret: If you’ve got kids and they want to make some money, have them go knock on all the neighbors’ doors and say, “Got any electronics you’d like to sell? I’ll sell them for you. I’ll take care of all the hassle and split the money.”

If a kid knocked on my door right now and said that, they’d hit the mother lode. I have so much stuff: video cameras, tons of old phones, old computers.

I bet you do as well.

Now let’s answer Jerry’s question.

There are a couple of things you need to know, Jerry.

First, if you’re going to sell electronics, or anything else, you have choices. You can go with general sites, like eBay, Amazon and Craigslist. Or you can go to specialty sites, like Gazelle and NextWorth, sites that specialize in electronics.

Next, always comparison shop, especially the specialty sites. Maybe Gazelle is looking for iPhone 5s and NextWorth isn’t. In other words, you might find radically different prices on different sites, so be sure and check a few.

Most of these sites make it pretty easy for you to get your stuff to them, and get your check back.

One final tip: Make sure anything you’re selling is wiped clean of any private information, photos, etc. Gazelle and NextWorth offer info on how to do it. You can also find it with a simple web search.

I hope that helped, Jerry. Have a super-profitable day, and I sure hope you’ll be meeting me right here next time!

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About me

I founded Money Talks News in 1991. I’m a CPA, and have also earned licenses in stocks, commodities, options principal, mutual funds, life insurance, securities supervisor and real estate.

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