I saved hundreds of dollars buying my phones in one simple way

Remember when the top tier of a flagship smartphone would cost less than $700? Those days are long behind us.

It’s definitely still possible to get a flagship phone for under four figures, but the number of phones that this is possible with is getting smaller by the year.

But there’s another way. Refurbished or pre-owned phones are often devices that people have traded in. They’re given a cleaning and a tune-up, then they’re ready to be sold on again, at a good discount.

Sounds great, right? It is, and refurbished phones represent a significant portion of all phones sold in the US. But there are still plenty of people who aren’t buying their phones refurbished.

If that describes you, here are a few reasons why I think your next smartphone should be refurbished.

Smartphones are about to get really expensive

Smartphones are already expensive, but oh boy, they’re about to get a whole lot more so.

The current AI bubble has expanded to the point that it encompasses a bunch of smartphone components, and crucial hardware like RAM and storage have been hit by crippling price rises.

So far, the smartphone market has largely avoided being hit by this thanks to large stockpiles, but that grace period is ending, and even if memory prices are starting to fall, we’re still likely to see increases in tag prices.

How big are these likely to be? Budget phones will probably see an increase of around $30, while flagship phones will see an increase of between $100 and $200.

That’s a big increase on an already big investment, and it’s going to be enough to stop people from upgrading.

Refurbished phones aren’t going to be immune from price rises, as the nature of the marketplace means you’re still going to see a small bump.

But you’ll still be paying a much lower price for an almost-new smartphone. And that’s a huge deal.

The quality is better than you think

The first hurdle will always be where you buy it from.

Websites like Backmarket are the usual, trusted places to buy refurbished devices, but it’s not the only place. Stores like Amazon offer renewed phones, too, and there are others, if you know where to look.

Just make sure you do your research, read reviews, and check everything you can to make sure it’s a trustworthy website.

You also need to decide where your boundaries lie. The quality of refurbished models is good, but some are more banged up than others.

Damaged models get a bigger discount, but it’s up to you to choose exactly where you want to draw the line.

Since I slap a case on every phone I own, I’m happy to buy a phone with some scratches on the body and frame. I draw the line at scratches on the display and cracks anywhere, though, which limits me from getting the phones with the biggest discounts.

Your choice will be entirely personal. If you love going without a case, you can get pristine models, but they can be harder to get a hold of.

Still, it’s a great way to pretend you’re getting a brand-new phone with a serious discount, though.

It’s better for the planet

Another reason to buy a refurbished phone is that it will be better for the planet.

Using a smartphone that’s been used is far better for the planet than buying a new one. That’s because you’re using resources that are already there, rather than being made anew for a new phone.

Yes, technically, any new phone you buy has already been made. However, the point is that mass numbers of people buying refurbished phones will reduce the number of new smartphones being made, and therefore lessen the amount of rare earth resources being dug up.

It’s better for the planet, and better for you in the long run. What’s not to love?

It can still last a long time

One worry you may have is that a refurbished phone won’t last as long as a new one.

This makes sense. After all, even if it’s only had a year of use, that’s a year of hardware degradation that you can’t really get back.

But it’s not worth worrying about. Phone hardware, especially at the flagship level, is so good that most devices can last for the better part of a decade before needing to be upgraded. As long as they’re looked after, phones can last a long time.

This is reflected in the software update promises of many big manufacturers, too. Seven years of updates have become common for companies like Samsung and Google, and as such, you’re likely to get years and years of service, even out of a refurbished phone.

The one exception may be the battery, but even then, aftermarket battery replacements aren’t expensive. They will invalidate your water-resistance, if your phone has one, but it’s often worth it to get a few more years out of a phone.

No, seriously, you can save a lot of money

I keep reiterating this point, but it cannot be understated. You can save a lot of money buying refurbished phones, and often, the more expensive the phone, the bigger the discount.

It’s probably the best way to buy a foldable phone, and I speak from experience. In February 2024, I bought a refurbished Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5.

At the time, it was still the best foldable Samsung had to offer, as the Z Fold 6 was still five months away from release, and the recommended retail price in Britain was £1,749 (around $2,317).

I bought a refurbished Z Fold 5 for £899 (about $1,191), almost half the price. For a phone that, at the time, was Samsung’s top-tier device.

From that moment on, I was a convert. My Z Fold 5 was flawless, I loved it, and I would absolutely buy a refurbished phone again — and you should too. The value is too good to ignore.