Cutting the clutter in your home could pay off - literally. That's the idea behind a new trend known as reCommerce, where consumers are using the Web to trade in old, unwanted electronics for cash. With the average household having 24 pieces of electronic equipment - such as cell phones, MP3 players, cameras and old laptops - the perks of reCommerce can quickly add up.

 

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According to one reCommerce Web site Gazelle.com, in August, an old Motorola RAZR was worth $41 or the equivalent of about eleven gallons of gas, while an old portable GPS unit could get you over $50 and even more gas.

reCommerce is all about reuse, which has many green benefits. Four hundred million units of electronic waste are scrapped each year, according to the International Association of Electronics Recyclers, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says the U.S. generated a total of 2.63 million tons of electronic waste in one year alone. Reusing just a fraction of that waste could save space in landfills and prevent chemicals from leaching into the ground.

So how can you get involved with reCommerce? Start by checking out Web sites such as Gazelle.com, an easy-to-use online service that offers a fast and safe way to get cash for selling back unwanted consumer electronics. Simply log on to calculate how much your old gadgets are worth. Gazelle pays for shipping, and for most orders will even send you a box to return your gadgets to them. Once the items are received, payment is made via check or PayPal. If you'd rather, Gazelle will donate your money to the charity of your choice. To date, thousands of consumers have sold their cell phones, MP3 players, laptops or other gadgets using the service.

As a security measure, all personal data is removed from items before they're repurposed. Items without market value are recycled responsibly.

For more information, or to see what your electronics may be worth, visit www.gazelle.com.