11. Get quick cash for old CDs, games & more
Several sites let you trade in old CDs, DVDs and computer games – and even laptops, phones and games consoles – for cash. These sites (check out our top picks) are easy to use and give instant quotes, so if you've loads to get rid of, you can speedily make extra cash. Plus right now there's a deal which gives you a free fiver when you sell items worth £20+.
Type in the barcode, ISBN (books only) or product name on the site to get an instant valuation (most sites now have apps that allow you to scan barcodes using your phone's camera, speeding the process up).
Each site is different, and some offer more for certain items than others, so always compare a few to get an idea of where you can get the most. Some also have a minimum number of items you need to trade in, or a minimum overall value, so if you're selling lower value items such as CDs you may need a lot of them.
This table shows the main players, and what you can trade in with each. They have been chosen based on feedback from the forum. If you've had a positive or negative experience with any of these, please post in the individual forum threads.
Remember there's no protection if things go wrong or a site goes bust. We don't check companies' solvency.
BOOKS CDS DVDS GAMES WHAT'S FEEDBACK LIKE? We Buy Books Forumites' fave We Buy Books.co.uk can be the top payer for books, and some DVDs and CDs. Pleasefeed back your experiences.CeXCeX has been trading for 25 years, and offers cash or store credit for trade-ins. Please feed backwhat you thought.Ziffit*A slightly newer outfit than the others, Ziffit is popular with forumites and pays quickly. Pleasefeed back.GameXchangeGameXchange is generally best for retro games (postage isn't free). Please feed back.Music Magpie*Music Magpie is well established and says it pays on the day it receives your items, though some feedback from MoneySavers is mixed. Pleasefeed back your views.MomoxForumites rate Momox for trading in books, though CDs/DVDs aren't so well paid. Please feed back what you thought.
Once you've compared and found the top payer, you simply accept the valuations and send your stuff to it. Postage is usually free, but always check. Always ensure items are packed well, as, in most cases, any that fail basic quality checks will not be sent back to you.
You'll then get paid by cheque, PayPal or bank transfer, depending which service you've used. All these companies aim to send payment for accepted items within about seven or eight days of receiving them, though forumites' feedback suggests it can be longer.
13. How much can I get?
It varies, but as a rough guide you'll generally get 50p-£1 for CDs, £1-£2 for DVDs and £10-£20 for computer games, though it can be a lot less, while with technology it will entirely depend on the model. Where these sites win is convenience.
If you're after getting the max value, you may be better off selling elsewhere:
- Computer games. Though hoarders of '90s CDs and games could make £100s on the side, with some items you may be better off selling 'em individually on eBay* or another auction site. If you've got older games and consoles to sell, you can see how much these might fetch on Retrogames. You may get more money for more modern games by trading them in at high street game shops such as CeX and Game.
- Mobile phones. It's worth checking what mobile recycling companies will pay, especially for more modern handsets. Or if you're prepared to put in a little more effort and flog your phone yourself, you can often get a better price on eBay*.
- Books. eBay*, Amazon Marketplace* or other specialist sites may win – see full details on cash for old books.
14. Get max cash for old books
Listing books one-by-one on eBay* may get the most cash, but it'll take some time. One of the best options for selling old books is Amazon Marketplace*, as you need only search for the book and write a short description. Your listing stays up till it sells.
Amazon provides full reviews of most from its database – if you're listing a few in one go, this saves time. Check your sale price covers postage if it's a heavy book you're listing.
You can list up to 35 books a month for free, but Amazon will charge 75p per book plus 15% of the total price paid (including postage). Alternatively, to list more than 35 books a month, you pay a flat subscription of £25/mth and then 50p per book plus 15% of the total price paid.
Use trade-in sites for less hassle. If you need speed and ease, trade-in website WeBuyBooks.co.uk and Ziffit let you enter details, they offer a price, and you post books free. Prices can be lower than selling them yourself though.
How much? Potentially £100s if you're selling pricey textbooks, less if it's old paperbacks.
Find out more: See the forum's sell your books thread.
15. Sell old Lego by the kilo
If you've mountains of unmatched Lego bricks sitting somewhere – perhaps your children have grown out of them or they were a hobby you're no longer into – you can now turn them into cash and sell them online by the kilo (or half kilo).
Two sites – Zapper and Music Magpie* – let you do this. (They also buy old CDs, DVDs and more.) But if you have unsealed or complete Lego sets or figures, they'll probably fetch more on eBay.
How much can I make? Zapper pays £7/kg, Music Magpie £4/kg. With Zapper you'll need to sell a minimum of £10's worth (this can include CDs, DVDs etc as well as Lego) – with Music Magpie it's a £5 minimum.
Zapper pays you by bank transfer, PayPal or cheque as soon as it's received and processed your items, which can take six to eight working days. Music Magpie offers the same payment options and pays as soon as it receives your Lego.
What are the requirements for selling Lego? Here are the need-to-knows:
- It has to be genuine Lego. You can't include parts from something similar like Meccano or Nanoblock.
- It has to be in good condition. Whole, clean, unworn parts only – any not meeting this criteria may be rejected, meaning you won't get paid for it.
- Round the weight to the nearest 0.5kg. Officially the minimum Zapper and Music Magpie accept is 0.5kg. However, Zapper told us that for new customers it would accept a minimum of 0.3kg – these should still select 0.5kg on its website – and it'll happily pay them for 0.5kg.
- Seal it in a plastic bag. You also need to put it in a box so it doesn't get damaged in the post – pack it well as you won't be paid for damaged pieces.
How do I post it? With both websites you'll need to create an account, give your details and say what you want to sell. You'll then be given options to post your Lego off – neither website charges for postage:
- With Zapper, you print out or can be sent a packing label to attach to your parcel (which should weigh no more than 10kg and be no bigger than 500mm x 300mm x 300mm). You then have to drop this off at a 'Collect+' location – you'll be given a receipt you can use to track your parcel and make a claim if it doesn't arrive safely.
- Music Magpie* will email or post you labels to attach to your parcel – you can then drop it off at your nearest ParcelShop or book a courier to pick it up. Your parcel would be fully insured with either option, but make sure you get proof of postage if you choose to use ParcelShop.
16. Flog your rubbish for cash
It may surprise you, but there are people out there willing to PAY for what you normally chuck away. From loo roll tubes to empty perfume bottles, your recycling or rubbish bin is full of items you can sell to those doing arts and crafts.
Find out more in Flog Your Rubbish For Cash.
17. Flog your old wedding dress – it can fetch £500+
If you've an old bridal gown boxed up in the loft, dig it out and turn it into cash. You could get £500+ for a sought-after dress by a well-known designer.
A host of wedding dress selling sites promise help. Here, you upload a description and some photos. The buyer usually comes round in person to try it on.
As you set the price, first find your frock's true worth. Check eBay to see how much similar dresses have sold for – search for dresses like yours, then tick 'completed listings' under 'Show only' in the grey bar on the left.
Don't just post items to strangers though – it's far better to get paid cash in hand. Even if you accept a cheque, it can take a week for it to clear. The exception's eBay, which tends to have better protection.
How much? This can be big money, as forumite fran-o found: "I put my dress on Preloved and had interest from someone who had tried it on in a bridal shop. She came to try on and bought it for £550. Very happy!" If you've sold one, let us know how you got on in the Sell Your Wedding Dress forum thread.
The top FREE wedding dress selling sites. If you're looking for speed, you might want to consider the paid-for sites below, but if you can wait, first try your luck on these fee-free sites.
MoneySavers rate classifieds site Preloved* for selling wedding frocks. It's free to sell on and is popular with brides hunting for second-hand gowns. You can also try popular classifieds site Gumtree.
Also worth adding is The Dressmarket, where a basic advert with one photo is free (it makes money from selling optional upgrades, eg, extra photos).
The top paid-for sites. No joy on the freebies? While it has a mammoth audience, eBay* charges steep fees. You can list 20 items free a month, but if the dress sells, you pay 10% of the sale price, including postage.
There are also specialist bridal gown selling sites, which are especially good if you're selling a frock by a named designer. Check out Sell My Wedding Dress (£10 for six months' advertising) and Still White (£17, but your ad stays up till it sells). While we've little feedback from MoneySavers who've sold via these, we hear good things from buyers.
As a rough rule of thumb, eBay wins over the specialist paid-for sites if your dress sells for less than £100.
18. Spot and flog from car boot/garage sales
If you've an eye for car booty, buy items cheaply and sell them at a profit on eBay or other auction sites. Be sure to arrive early to beat other bargain hunters. You can use Car Boot Junction or Carbootsales.org to find your nearest car boot sale.
The big money lies in spotting collectables to sell on, so research online first or (subtly) use your mobile phone's web browser.
There's a quick way to glean a product's market value on eBay*. Once you've searched for a particular product, tick 'completed listings' under 'Show only' in the grey bar on the left. It'll come up with a list of prices similar auctions have already fetched. Then sort by "Price: lowest first".
How much? The earning potential increases with your knowledge of rare items and collectable brands, and a little luck doesn't go amiss either. If you're in the right place at the right time, this could net you £100s extra a year.
Find out more: For more hints, ask on the eBay, Auctions, Car Boot & Jumble Sales forum board.
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