Recently we opened a box we had stored away a few years back. Inside were a dozen old cell phones we never traded in or threw away. I keep saying I'm a collector, not a hoarder. Tomato, tomahto.
My first thought was to sell them on Dave's Discovery Den as collectibles. There's a market for almost everything. After a few minutes, I changed my mind. Personally, I don't like cell phones. I'd much rather people embrace the nostalgia of coins, comics, dolls, art, and antiques. It also got me thinking about the phone I don't carry with me all the time, and why. What bothers me most is phones showing up during games with friends, conversations, and meals.
Are you keeping up with the Phoneses?
Do you feel pressure to always have the newest phone? Thirty years ago, who would have guessed that most people around the world would carry a mobile phone? Today cell phones are part of daily life. Like the internet and streaming services, they're another variable expense in the household budget, and the costs keep rising. In 2026, AT&T raised prices on its older unlimited plans by $10 a month for a single line and $20 for multi-line accounts.
Is a cell phone a necessity?
Strictly speaking, no. But a phone has become a practical requirement for getting through modern life. You can live without one, but the convenience makes life's obstacles easier: mobile banking, accessibility features, emergency calls, appointment reminders, keeping in touch, and GPS navigation.
What do people do with their old phones?
Like us, plenty of people have old phones tucked in a drawer. Surveys suggest roughly:
- 24% trade in their old phone when they buy a new one
- 45% keep their old phone as a backup
- 24% give it to a family member or friend
- 8% sell it to a retailer or recycler for cash
- 7% throw it away
Trade-ins are big business. According to Assurant's Q1 2026 trade-in report, consumers received $1.63 billion through trade-in programs in the first quarter of 2026 alone, up 31% from a year earlier. The most traded-in models were the iPhone 13 and the Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra.
Are people keeping their phones longer?
Yes. The average traded-in phone is 3.81 years old, according to the same Assurant report. Older phones do slow down. Batteries fade and processors struggle with new apps. New phones offer AI features, better cameras, and brighter screens. But they cost more than ever.
Why are cell phones getting more expensive?
A worldwide shortage of memory chips, driven largely by demand from AI data centers, is pushing phone prices up. Research firm IDC expects the average retail price of a smartphone to rise about 14% in 2026 (TechCrunch). Budget phones are hit hardest, because memory makes up a bigger share of what they cost to build.
Can we live without cell phones?
Most people would say no. For me, I liked it when life was simpler. I was fine watching a show on TV once a week and spending time with my family at a set time. I was happier without hundreds of spam calls. I didn't worry about identity fraud. I enjoyed driving and listening to music without a call interrupting.
Phones are a distraction. Checking the news, stocks, weather, dinner plans, and social media adds stress and stimulation we may not need. Phones can also be used for bullying. Cell phones have changed our lives, and many of us truly can't live without them. Some of us, I believe, would be just fine going back to the way things were.
How do cell phones affect family time?
Cell phones haven't dramatically reduced how much time families spend together, but they have hurt the quality of that time. Families may sit together just as long, yet many are interacting with their screens instead of each other. Research suggests that smartphone use during family time leads to less meaningful conversation and weaker feelings of connection, so people feel emotionally distant even when they're sitting at the same table.
How to create phone-free time
Without phones, conversations are better. Try setting up phone-free zones for:
- Family meals
- Game nights and activities with friends
- Family outings, shopping trips, and flea markets
- Movies, events, and museums
Take back your quality of life, and take the time to reintroduce yourself to your friends and family. As for our box of old phones, it's going back on the shelf. Some things are better as a reminder than a temptation.