Got a New Laptop for Christmas? Here’s What to Do With Your Old One

You got a sweet new laptop for the holidays to replace that old clunker you’ve been using for years. So what do you do with that old one? Before you unceremoniously dump it in the trash, consider giving it a second life. Here’s how.

Repurpose it

Just because your old laptop won’t be your primary computer anymore doesn’t mean it can’t be used for something else.

Specifically, consider using it as a network-attached storage (NAS) server for your household.

That might sound pretty techie. But, in truth, NAS is just a place where you can store photos, music, videos, and other shared files, which you can then access from all of your other computers, smartphones, or tablets.

One of the more popular pieces of software you can use for this purpose is called FreeNAS — which, as its name implies, is free to use. You’ll have to follow the instructions closely to install the software. But once you’ve got it up and running, your seemingly worthless laptop will have a new reason to live.

Give it away

Your new laptop might make your old one seem like it moves at a snail’s pace, but chances are it’s still plenty speedy for most people. So instead of junking it, why not pass it off to someone who might get some use out of it?

Your kids: Like your old smartphone, your old laptop can be passed along to your kids, as long as it still works fairly well. 

If it’s really crawling, you might see if upgrading its RAM helps improve its performance. That should make your former travel companion work well enough to at least get your kids online so they can do their homework and stream music and movies.

As always, you’ll want to talk to your kids about how to properly use their new computer and set some ground rules for using the Internet.

Your parents: If you have elderly parents who want to get online but don’t need the latest and greatest laptop, you might want to consider handing your notebook to them.

Many seniors use the Internet to keep in touch with family and friends, not to mention play games and watch movies. If your parents are on a fixed income, a free laptop could be a huge help for them.

Charity: Just because you don’t personally know someone who needs a laptop doesn’t mean you should toss it out. Instead, why not donate it to a charity that can get some good use out of it.