Jan 12, 2009 9:55 am US/Eastern
Get Cash For Your Old iPod, Phone, Camera
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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The iPod Nano
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Even in this tough economy, there are plenty of people out there who have to go out and buy the very latest digital gadgets even when the one they have still works fine.
So what do you do with that old iPod, cell phone or camera?
"CASH IT IN"
"You might as well get rid of it and cash it in," said Rita Mcgrath, a savvy consumer who found several web sites that will give you cash for old electronic devices.
Lance Ulanoff of PC magazine agrees.
"Just about any kind of technology that you have has the potential of being turned in or traded up," he said.
FIND THE RIGHT WEB SITE
Some sites specialize in devices like iPods or cell phones.
Others accept a wider variety from cameras to laptops. But no one accepts everything or every brand.
"You go to the site and it allows you to walk through and identify what the gadget is by make, model, age and condition," Ulanoff explained.
"Once you've gone through all of that, it gives you a value or an appraisal," he added.
If you're happy with your trade in, the web site will give you shipping instructions.
When the product arrives, you get paid by check, PayPal or gift card.
SHOP AROUND
Melissa Dombrowski has traded several gadgets and she says it pays to shop around.
"One site offered me $20 for a camera, another site offered my $60 for that camera," she said.
When she wanted to trade her iPod, she discovered she would have received more money if she had the original packaging and the instruction manual.
Ulanoff says it pays to do a little homework before you trade.
"Compare the research you're doing with EBay and Craig's list to see what kind of money people are getting for their gadgets there," he said.
Rita said auction sites like EBay are too much work and she's happy with her results.
She got $115 for a $149 GPS unit and she got $174 for a cell phone.
The sites either resell the devices or donate them to charity.
If your gadget has no value, you can still mail it in and most sites will recycle it.
SITES TO TRY:
www.buymytronics.com
www.gazelle.com
www.myboneyard.com
www.nextworth.com
www.venjuvo.com
www.flipswap.com
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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