Four Unexpected Ways to Make Money From Broken Goods

It is one of the hallmarks of our consumerist age that our most valued and important products are not made to last – they’re made in the knowledge that upgrades will be released within the following five years. Especially true in the realm of technology, but equally true in the flat-pack furniture revolution and other important household goods, we’re constantly replacing broken and defunct materials as they fade into obscurity. This article looks at just four of the items we use every day, and how you can make cash from them even after they’re broken.

Mobile Phones

You might have smashed your phone screen devastatingly on a rock, or dropped it into a pool of water. You may have simply seen its battery life reduce to a couple of hours – you may even simply prefer an upgrade as your older smartphone is unable to run some of the more advanced apps on the app store.

Whatever the case, you can visit a number of websites that take second-hand and broken mobile phones in exchange for cash. Some local phone and technology dealers will do the same. The parts of a phone are valuable, meaning that they’re worth trading in for cash even after they seem utterly worthless.

Vehicles

From clapped-out bangers to badly damaged newer models, broken-down cars that are beyond repair can seem like an entirely lost investment. You might lament the fact that your four-figure possession is suddenly worth nothing after it’s broken down – but this would be to overlook two money-making options for damaged vehicles.

The first is to trade your car for parts. Large dealerships will be able to take a look at your car to see what can be salvaged – and will offer a price based on what they discover. Meanwhile, you can go straight to the scrappers, by searching scrap my car, who will do all the legwork for you.

Vintage Furniture

Any antique or vintage furniture that you consider to be beyond the state in which it belongs in your home should not necessarily be destined for the dump. Antique, vintage or retro furniture is worth considerable sums of money, even if you consider them to be beyond repair.

You may well be unaware of the fact that there’s an extensive network of antique dealers who pick up and repair old pieces before reselling them. It’s worth contacting a local dealer in your area to give them the information about your old item of furniture – it might be worth some cash.

Building Materials

Home renovations are costly business. Not only do you have to pay for the labour involved, but you also need to buy in the materials required to get your home or garden into the shape that you’ve envisioned.

Doubtless, you’re going to have some excess material – whether that’s gravel for a driveway, insulation for your walls, or floor boards for your hallway. Rather than taking these to the dump or keeping them forever in your garage, you can sell these online to individuals looking for a small amount of the very materials you have in excess.

These four materials and household items are regularly sold even after damage or redundancy – so use these tips to secure money back on items you previously considered worthless.