This September, Apple will start shipping the new iPhone 6 devices. There are apparently record numbers of pre-orders, and you may be one of the millions.

If you’re thinking of getting rid of your current smartphone and upgrading— whether it’s for a new iPhone, Android or Amazon Fire Phone—you’re not alone. Every few years, smartphone users turn to newer models for more functions and better features.

Part exchange

If you are ready to upgrade, many carriers offer the opportunity to exchange your old phone for credit. This can help take the sting out of some expensive handset or contract costs. You should contact your service provider to see if they have a scheme and they should be able to tell you up front what rate they can give you on your old device.

Selling online

If you would rather sell your device, there are a number of sites and tools that you can use to ensure you get a fair price and a safe transaction. Here are some tips for those of you looking to sell your old device online:

• Act quickly. Smartphones depreciate in value with time. For example, Usell.com, one such smartphone vendor, calculates the following: One week after a new iPhone launch, old iPhones lose about 5% in value; two weeks after launch, old iPhones depreciate about 12%. By weeks three and four, old phones are worth about 20% less.

• Other sites also encourage you to act fast. For example, online behemoth eBay is offering an added incentive for turning your older model around. It’s offering a $100 coupon to you if your smartphone doesn’t sell by Oct. 24.

• Make sure you price it right. Many sites will use algorithms to advise you on the going price range. It’s very similar to sites that advise you what to pay for a car.  For example, to mention eBay again, it will suggest what price to pick depending on make, model, year, packaging, etc. Glyde compares the amount you can sell it for on its site against prices on Apple and Amazon, among others.

Donating

Consider donating. Your contribution can be deducted from your income tax to the extent allowed by law. One national nonprofit that is worthy of these donations is Cell Phones for Soldiers. It takes your phone, then re-sells it and turns that money into calling cards for the troops.  It’s an impressive organization: Since 2004, Cell Phones for Soldiers has provided more than 210 million minutes of free talk time and currently it mails approximately 3,200 calling cards each week.

There are many other nonprofits that would love your phone too. Even if you’re not upgrading,  you may have an older cell phone lying around. Chances are you do. One survey by ecoATM estimates 60% of American households have an older phone lying around. Nonprofits would love to take these off your hands.

Keep, gift or recycle

Of course, there is no concrete reason why you need to sell or give your phone to charity when keeping it as a backup could be very useful. Parents especially might enjoy giving their device to a child who is nagging for an “upgrade”. If you aren’t thinking of keeping your phone as a backup, use these tips to get the best value in regenerating and recycling your phone. Anything is better than your phone ending up in a landfill…You can read some pretty stunning information about e-waste here.

Clean up your device

Whatever you decide to do, make sure your smartphone is cleaned before you do sell or give it to anyone. I can’t stress this enough! Remember that your mobile device is a vast bank of your personal data, contacts, saved passwords and web history. Handing it over to a stranger or even a friend could result in a loss of your privacy. Check out this blog post by Tony Anscombe for how to safely recycle your old technology.

Enjoy your new phone, and make the most of your older model.