Three years ago, I did what most people do. Bought the new phone, transferred everything, tossed the old one in a drawer. Just in case.
That phone sat there for fourteen months. Lost about Rs.20000 in depreciation. Just gone.
That expensive lesson changed everything.
The Depreciation Reality
Your old phone is losing value every single day. Not slowly. Fast.
I started tracking this. Checked resale prices weekly. Watching the numbers drop was brutal.
Current generation flagship? 60-70% of retail if you sell quickly.
Six months later? 50-55%.
A year later? 40-45%.
Fourteen months? I got 35%. Basically paid Rs.65000 to let a phone collect dust.
Every month I waited cost me actual money.
The Just In Case Myth
My excuse was needing a backup. What if something happened?
In fourteen months, I never once needed it. Not when I cracked my screen. Not when my phone died randomly. Never.
Even if I had, I could’ve bought a cheap used phone for Rs.10000-15000. Still cheaper than losing Rs.20000.
Asked around. None of my friends who kept old phones as backups ever actually used them. Just collecting drawer phones, losing money.
The New System
Simple system that’s saved me thousands:
Step one: Decide I’m getting a new phone, immediately list my current one. Before ordering. Before even deciding which model.
Step two: Price it middle to upper range. I want it sold within a week or two.
Step three: Honest photos and descriptions. Every scratch. People appreciate it.
Step four: When someone commits, order my new phone. Time it so both happen around the same time.
Step five: Keep using your current phone until the last minute.
Step six: Transfer, reset, hand it off. Done.
It takes maybe two weeks. Saved me tons compared to waiting.
The Timing Sweet Spot
There’s a perfect window. It’s narrow.
Three months before the new iPhone announcement? Great prices.
One week before? Still good, prices softening.
One week after? Dropped 10-15% overnight. Everyone’s upgrading.
Three months after? Lost 20-25%. The markets flooded.
I hit that two-to-four-month-before window now. Maximum value, minimum competition.
The Psychology Shift
I had to stop thinking of my old phone as my phone once I decided to upgrade. It became an inventory. Something losing value.
Made letting go easier. Not selling my phone. Liquidating an asset before it depreciated further.
Also made me more intentional. Was I really ready? Or just bored?
Sometimes I’d list it, see offers, realize I wasn’t ready. Fine. Take down the listing. But it forced honesty.
The Financial Impact
Actual numbers from my last three upgrades:
Two years ago:
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Bought iPhone 13 Pro: Rs.1,09900
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Sold iPhone 12 Pro three weeks later: Rs.69500
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Net cost: Rs.40400 for a year
Last year:
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Bought iPhone 14 Pro: Rs.1,09900
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Sold iPhone 13 Pro two weeks later: Rs.72500
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Net cost: Rs.37400
This year:
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Bought iPhone 15 Pro: Rs.1,09900
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Sold iPhone 14 Pro ten days later: Rs.74500
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Net cost: Rs.35400
My drawer-phone disaster lost me Rs.650 total. The new system averages Rs.377 per year. The old way would’ve been over Rs.55000 yearly.
Saving roughly Rs.17500 per year. Over three years, that’s Rs.52500.
The Convenience Factor
People think selling before upgrading is inconvenient. It’s the opposite.
Sell first, you still have your phone. Can answer buyer questions because you’re using it daily.
Wait until after, you’re digging out the old phone, charging it, trying to remember how it works.
Also, selling first means you get money before buying the new one. Use it toward purchase. Makes the upgrade feel less expensive.
Wait, and you’re fronting full cost hoping to recoup later.
The Platform Strategy
Services that give you a quote good for 30 days work best. Lock in your price, finish using your phone, ship when ready.
That lock-in is crucial. Know exactly how much I’m getting before buying. No surprises.
Used different platforms. Some faster, some pay more. But that price guarantee matters most.
The Exception Cases
Sometimes selling first doesn’t make sense. Phone completely broken? I need the new one immediately.
Travel constantly to places where replacements are impossible? Legitimate reason.
But for most people, most of the time, those don’t apply. We just tell ourselves they do.
The Ripple Effects
I changed other habits too. More conscious of resale value when choosing phones. Color matters. Storage matters. Condition matters from day one.
Started using better cases. Protection maintains value. Keep all original packaging. Boxes, cables, everything. Complete packages sell faster and for more.
More selective about when to upgrade. Is the new model not significantly better? Wait another year.
Saved me money beyond just the phone sale.
What Changed For Me
Three years of this completely shifted how I think about phones. Not permanent possessions. Temporary tools with a lifecycle and resale value to maximize.
Might sound transactional. But it’s practical. These devices cost a lot. Treating them like investments makes financial sense.
Drawer-phone days are over. Drawers empty, pockets fuller, upgrades actually affordable.
The Bottom Line
Thinking about upgrading? List your current phone right now. Before ordering the new one.
Photos. Honest description. Post it.
Worst case? Doesn’t sell immediately, adjust timing. Best case? Recover hundreds you would’ve lost.
I lost Rs.20000 learning this. You don’t have to.
Every month you wait for money to evaporate. Stop letting it happen.
Done the math. Made the mistakes. Sell before you upgrade, every time.
Your future self will be glad.
