*AD – the item in this review was gifted to our household for this post. All opinions, as always, are our own.
When it comes to getting a new phone, it’s always a big decision. I try very hard to keep my phone in good condition, so that it can last quite some time, as I feel phones are a large purchase that we make, that does need to last as everything is on our phones. I spend a lot of time on social media, taking pictures of days out, and generally using my phone for basically everything. It’s my calendar, it’s my connection to the greater world, it’s how I work.
I have previously only purchased new phones, waiting and using my cracked phone until I have saved up enough for a new one, before trading it off and ditching my old, on it’s last limb phone to a shoe box of deads in case I might ever need the images or texts off of them. Recently, however, I got the chance to check out a refurbished phone from giffgaff, which was far nicer than I would have ever expected.
New vs Refurbished
To be honest, I really couldn’t tell the difference between a new phone and the refurbished Sony Xperia 10 Plus. The phone came in slightly different packaging then if it was new, but it still came with everything you’d expect – a charger, a metal thingy to open up the sim card slot, the phone itself. When I turned on the new phone, it brought me into the normal setting up process, which I did, and everything was golden. It’s the same process as a new phone. giffgaff have different categories of how used a phone is, and mine was from the ‘like new’ category, which basically meant new in my case! Many of the phones in this category are often actually new, reutnred unuse for whatever reason, but are still checked for faults and the data is still removed from the phones.
Price Point
When it comes to the price point, there is a fair bit to be saved by purchasing a refurbished phone. When I had a bit less possible income, I often purchased slightly cheaper phones from places like Amazon, which meant that I have purchased a few phones that are literally fake. giffgaff phones are the real deal, and getting one that is refurbished means that you can save extra money (in my case, a few hundred pounds), while feeling secure in your purchase. The phones also come with a 12 month warranty, covering you if you do find any issues with your phone or if anything happens. Between the warranty and being a phone that’s been wiped and checked professionally, I felt succure with my phone choice.
You can purchase your phone from giffgaff, then purchase a SIM elsewhere, but giffgaff does have their own SIM services and goodybags, which can continue to save you money. They have a few options, starting at £6 a goodybag, which includes unlimited minutes and texts, as well as a range of data options. Depending on how much data you use, you can get a good deal here – and if you get three goodybags, your data can be boosted further by 1GB as a thank you, when you purchase a £10 or higher goodybag. These little reasons to continue to use giffgaff are attractive – I love a good loyalty program that actually gives me items I am currently using. giffgaff is contract-free, so you aren’t committing to anything long-term and won’t be penalized if you switch later on.
Sustainability
At the moment, I have been working hard to try live a more sustainable lifestyle. Phones aren’t easily recyclable, and having the option to get a basically new phone that would otherwise be thrown away just feels like I am doing a little bit more for the planet. giffgaff does have a recycle option for old phones, as well as a sell option for phones that are still usable, which is something I will be considering in the future, as it would be great to get rid of my phones in a way that is good for everyone involved. All of giffgaffs packaging for it’s products are recycled, showing the thought and effort the company itself has put in sustainability, which is great to see.
Overall, I really was impressed with my giffgaff refurbished phone – I originally thought that I would be able to tell it was used before or that the phone wouldn’t feel completely new, but it does – which is wonderful. I also feel the amount of money you save is so worth it in this case, and the plans being contract free is really appealing to me.
I’d never considered buying a refurbished phone but actually you’re right, it’s a much more sustainable option. I’ll definitely look into this when I have to replace mine (which will be fairly soon as the lens is cracked :() thank you, Jupiter!
Ahh I hope you find a great phone perfect for you!