Whatever you do, Colburn says please, don't throw your phones away. That's done through groups like Cell Phones for Soldiers,, 911 Cell Phone Bank, or Medic.Īll Data Doctors locations will take your electronic devices and do just that. 'There are programs that help soldiers overseas who can make calls without being charged an exorbitant fee,' he says. But likely, unless it's new, you won't get much for an old phone.Ĭolburn says another option is to donate. You can check for trade-in values on sites like Amazon, Apple, Nextworth, and Maxback. 'And you have more control over how it gets used because it can only be used with wifi,' Colburn says.

Use it for reading, for gaming, or as a first mobile device for your child. You could use it with apps to text or email. Old phones could be your dedicated device for Zoom meetings. 'You can connect to your wifi and then remotely use it to check on what's going on in your home,' he says.Īpps like Alfred Camera, Nancy Baby Monitor, and Ahgoo Baby Monitor allow you to plug in the old phone as a monitor then check it out wherever you are. 'You can use it for a lot of different uses that have nothing to do with a cellular network,' says Ken Colburn of Data Doctors.Ĭolburn says old phones can still connect to wifi, opening up new options like a security camera or baby monitor.

Chances are you have a drawer in your home with an old cell phone and you just don't know what to do with it.Īmericans trash about 150 million of them each year, but what if you could turn that phone into something useful?

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