Disposing of Electronics

If you've just purchased a new electronic gadget, you may be figuring out what you should do with your old one. Jody Rohlena, Senior Editor for ShopSmart Magazine, gives advice on the best places to dispose of the electronics you are done with.

No matter what people do with the item, the first fear is usually that their information might get stolen. So to protect yourself make sure all of your information is erased. It is essential to prevent identity theft. If you have an Apple computer the software is built in. If you don't have an apple computer go to eraser.heidi.ie to get the sensitive information taken off your computer. If you have a cellular phone you are getting rid of go to recellular.com for more information.

Technology doesn't come cheap so there a few ways you may be able to get some money back from your old device. You can try to sell it on Craigslist, Amazon or Ebay. There are a few services that exist just to buy back old electronics. But offers vary, so be sure to check out more than one site.

Another option to cut cost is to trade your old item in for the new one. You can go straight through the retailer. It's best to shop around to figure out where you can get the best deal.

If for some reason you can't sell your electronics or just don't want to go through the trouble consider donating it. Start in your neighborhood at a community center, school or national charity. They are looking for old computers and printers and even cell phones. Or go to Cristina.org and they will match your item up with someone who can use it.

You may know you aren't suppose to just toss electronics in the trash. There is a way to go green. It's easy to recycle at a community drop off center or an electronics retail store. You can also take batteries and ink cartridges to these stores and you might even get some money back.

For more information on disposing of electronics and other consumer topics, click here.