Chances are, for most Americans, there isn't much thought put into throwing your used cell phone in the drawer after you've upgraded to the newest model phone. All too many people assume that their "outdated" phone isn't worth hassling with. The reality is that for most cell phones that are less than three years old, there is an easy way to make some decent cash. It's fast and it's easy!

With millions of cell phones being exchanged across America, a logical question would be "what happens to all these old phones?" Unfortunately all too many end up in our landfills. However, there is a very strong used cell phone market and it's pretty easy to get involved to not only help eliminate waste, but to also get some extra money for your 5 minutes of trouble!

Over the last several years, online cell phone dealers have sprung up left and right. They recognize that even though Verizon or Sprint has given you a brand new phone, there is still some pretty good value in that soon to be forgotten two year old phone. There are at least 30 companies that are online right now ready to send you a check for that old phone. It's obvious that they're not doing this solely to help you out and send you a twenty dollar check! They're going to send you a relatively small amount of money for what they expect to turn around and sell it for. But keep in mind that twenty dollars for that old phone is a lot better than getting nothing sitting in your junk drawer!

Why would they want my old phone? Most cell phone subscribers don't notice this, but those who have lost a phone or had it stolen will realize quite quickly what "retail" price really means for a new replacement phone. It's absurd and extremely expensive. If you didn't have insurance on your phone, and you're not eligible to extend your contract (say with Verizon's new every two program), you're going to pay top dollar for a replacement from your cellular provider. This is where eBay and other aftermarket sales come into play. And this is exactly why these companies are so willing to send you $40 for a phone that they'll be able to resell for $70 to the guy who wants to avoid paying $300 for a brand new phone.

How does this work? Most online cell buyers have a similar business model. You can look up your particular phone model in their website database. They give you a quote. Many will mail you a box for return shipment. They'll then inspect it and cut you a check. The beauty of this whole process is that it doesn't take much more than 5 or 10 minutes and you'll get a check in the mail in a few weeks. It should be mentioned, that most sites will only buy phones that are in working order and few will buy phone models older than about three years old. So get to it and get some cash out of your junk drawer!