Some people are quick to throw their electronics away when moving on to a newer device, but in doing so, they're disposing of valuable materials that could actually be reused. On top of that, many of those old electronics could be worth a lot of money via trade-in programs.
Thankfully, there are also many people who recognize the value in abandoned electrics — and scored major wins by doing so.
1. Refurbished and rehomed computers
One Redditor's former coworker had some old Microsoft computers that may have been destined for a landfill, but this tech enthusiast had other thoughts. They happily saved the old computers and refurbished them.
Then, with old but functional computers, they put the word out on social media, hoping to find them a home with someone who needed a computer for work or school but couldn't afford a new one.
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2. Major scores at the dump
This tech aficionado, who specifically seeks out PC tech, had been searching for tech treasure in their local dump for six months before amassing a trove of electronics that were either still usable or at least had some usable parts.
Over those first six months, the Redditor's finds included a Samsung monitor, an Asus motherboard, a brand-new floppy drive, nearly brand-new laptops, functioning computers, and other appliances.
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3. A second life for a nostalgic item
For those old enough to remember, nothing compares to the days of playing video games on tiny box TVs with images that would be considered unrecognizable today.
This Redditor came across a small vintage TV that had been discarded — a 1988 Sony KV-1393R to be exact — and decided to give it a new life. They cleaned it inside and out and restored it nearly to what it looked like on the store shelf nearly 40 years ago.
4. A retro cool item from the waste bin
There was a time when iPods were one of the coolest tech items around. But, although they weren't officially discontinued until 2022, it had been years since these music devices were necessary, thanks to the iPhone.
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Still, this tech enthusiast was stoked to find a near-mint condition seventh-generation iPod classic in the waste bin at a Best Buy. They saved the device from "certain death," as they wrote on Reddit, and they get to rock out with their now-retro tech.
5. A truly shocking find
A Redditor shared a photo of a truly massive haul of free electronics from a bin at a Best Buy. The pic shows what appears to be a few MacBooks, iPads, and Samsung tablets.
Given that they were in a bin at Best Buy and not a dumpster, they'd likely been properly discarded, and these electronics were probably going to be recycled and not headed for a landfill. Still, some might be usable as actual devices.
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