Unmissable Deals of 2024: Make money from your unwanted electricals

30th January 2024

Written by: Charlotte D

Most of us are feeling cash-strapped after Christmas, and many of us will be on the lookout for ways to save money or to make an extra bit of cash. 

Could your unwanted tech be the answer? You might well have 31 unused items floating around in your home – and there are millions of people in the same boat. In fact, our research suggests there are currently 880 million unused working electrical items gathering dust in UK homes. And by reselling these items, we could make between £1,304 and £6,331 per household.

There are a range of ways to make some extra cash from your unwanted electricals. You can drop them off at local kiosks located in selective supermarkets, use trade-in offers to swap your electrical item for cash, or use second-hand selling platforms who will purchase your item from you to sell on their website, or you can sell them direct on peer to peer platforms. 

We have collaborated with a range of organisations to bring you some great deals, including Spring, Reboxed and Mozillion. Both Mozillion and Reboxed will offer you £20 off their refurbished tech when you trade-in your old electricals, and Currys will offer you a £5 or more voucher when you drop off any electrical items for recycling as part of their Cash for Trash offer.

Here are our top tips for where to sell mobiles and other electricals for cash:

Discover local drop-off kiosks and pods

Many supermarkets have kiosks where you can drop old electricals in exchange for cash. Here are some examples:

MusicMagpie – You can find MusicMagpie’s SMARTDrop kiosks in ASDA stores all across the UK. To sell your phone at a SMARTDrop Kiosk, head to the MusicMagpie website to get a free instant valuation, and select ‘SMARTDrop Kiosk’ at the checkout. Then take your device to your nearest kiosk – there are hundreds across the country in ASDA stores and other venues like the Trafford Centre. Place it in the kiosk to be assessed remotely by one of their experts. Once that’s complete, you’ll be paid immediately to your bank account. 

Spring – Spring have what they call self-service pods in 22 London Co-op stores, where you can drop off your items including phones, laptops, game consoles and more to get cash in return. Simply register your device on the Spring website to find out your tech’s worth, take your item to the store and place it in the pod, and they’ll pay out the agreed amount. Alternatively, apply for an eco-friendly postage pouch to post your tech in, freepost You will receive your money within 24 hours! Read more about Spring.

Trade in your electricals for cash 

Many companies will trade in your old phone, laptop, headphones and other electricals for cash or money off your next purchase. Your old tech will be refurbished for resale or responsibly recycled, saving precious materials from going to waste. 

Here are some of the best offers available: 

Currys – Currys’ Cash For Trash scheme offers at least £5 off your next purchase for any old tech items you recycle in store. Visit your local Currys with any unwanted tech, even if you didn’t buy it from them, and hand it to a member of staff to be recycled. You’ll get a discount voucher for online or in-store purchase on orders over £25. Recycling drop offs are available in all Currys stores – meaning there are 300 available drop offs points! Find your local Currys on our locator. 

Amazon – You can use Amazon’s trade-in programme to trade in your old kindle, tablet, echo and more in return for an Amazon gift card. To apply, head to Amazon’s trade-in page and tell them about the item you have so they can value it. If you accept the offer and send the item in, you’ll receive a voucher in return. 

EE – Trade in your old phone, tablet or watch with EE (even if it’s not on EE network) in exchange for cash, EE credit or money off your next phone bill. You can do this via their website where they’ll give you a quote for your device and send you a prepaid envelope; or you can hand in your device in store. They will either securely refurbish your item for resale or recycle it. 

O2 – You can recycle your phone, tablet, wearables, AirPods, console or MacBook for cash with O2, even if you’re not on their network. Visit the O2 Recycle website to see how much your device is worth, and then send it off to them with free posting. Cash is paid into your bank account, and you can even use it towards money off a new device with O2.

Vodafone – Get a quote for your old phone using Vodafone’s Trade-In tool on the MyVodafone app. You can choose to be paid by bank transfer, credit or a monthly saving. Vodafone resell 97% of old phones and recycle the rest.

Loop – If you’re looking to buy a refurbished phone, Loop may be the perfect option. Purchase a phone and you’ll receive a pre-paid return pouch for your old one. As soon as Loop have checked it over, they’ll send you its value as a refund. 

BackMarket – Turn your tech into cash with BackMarket. Answer a few simple questions about the item you have, and an expert refurbisher will provide you with an offer within 2 minutes. Send your item for free, and receive a direct deposit within 5 days.

Use second-hand selling platforms 

Some companies will sell your old gadgets for you, so you don’t have to deal with the trouble and risks of finding a buyer on your own. Just go to their website, see how much your device is worth, and wait for a kit to mail your item. Then sit back and wait for your money. 

Here are a few places where you can buy and sell used phones:

Reboxed – You can buy refurbished phones with Reboxed, and you can send your old mobiles to be valued and sold on their platform. Once you’ve received your offer, if you choose not to sell, you will get your phone back for free. If you trade in your mobile you can receive an extra £20 off a refurbished device (minimum spend £450) by using the code RECYCLE20. Reboxed offers a variety of second-hand tech from brands such as Apple and Samsung. This offer is valid until 31 March 2024.

Mozillion – Mozillion guarantees your old phone will sell for more on Mozillion compared to other platforms, or they’ll give you the difference plus an extra £5. If you’re selling your phone with Mozillion, you can get an extra £20 on top of the sale price by using the code CASH20. This code is valid until 29 February 2024.

Sell it yourself

There are many second-hand selling platforms, including eBay, Vinted, Gumtree and more. Read our advice, and tips from the platforms themselves, on how to sell your unwanted electricals online. Read more.

The most important thing to remember when deciding what to do with our old, unwanted electricals is that we should never bin them. Electricals contain precious materials that are lost forever when thrown away. If your item isn’t in good enough condition to sell, consider repairing or donating it. Otherwise, take your electricals to a local recycling centre or retailer. Some local authorities even offer kerbside collection for small electrical items. To find your nearest recycling, repair and donation drop-off points, pop your postcode in our locator.