Up-cycle Your Old CDs

Guest Blogger - Clare

In a few months I will be headed to D.C., and will have to consolidate my current 2 bedroom/2 bath apartment into something the size of a refrigerator box. So I’m trying to get rid of the nonessentials. This means using craigslist, eBay, having a yard sale, Goodwill trips…whatever it takes. But one thing I think all of us have a bunch of but have no idea what to do with are CDs. I mean sure, you probably have a few in your car and maybe at work. But seriously, they are sitting in a box under your bed or in your closet because your music is digital now. Nobody you know wants them, and honestly some selections are too embarrassing to give away (I’m looking at you, “Mmmbop”).

In comes iPodMeister. IPodMeister gives you a brand new, free iPod, iPhone, iPad, etc. for your CD or DVD collection. The first time I saw the website a few years back, I thought scam. “Sure I’ll send you all my CDs and wait patiently for my new iPod to come in the mail, hopefully the same time my refund check from the Nigerian Prince comes in too.” But then I recently read a blog entry from an N&O writer who tested it out and received a brand new iPod no problem.

The way it works is iPodMeister sets the exchange rate for CDs to gadgets. For example, right now the largest iPad will set you back 1,200 CDs, but a 1,000 GB hard drive is only 150 CDs. Once you’ve sent in all your CDs (they pay for shipping costs) iPodMeister goes through your collection, checks for damages and to make sure your CDs are quality (meaning not 100 CDs of you with your college band). You also must have the original jewel case and artwork. After the inspection, they inform you how many of your items were accepted and send you your brand new iPod, etc. and a check of any remaining money you received from the trade-in (they don’t send CDs or DVDs back to you). You can also have them convert all your CDs to a digital format for a fee, so you can keep “Mmmbop” on your computer.

So what happens to the CDs or DVDs you traded in? iPodMeister sells the CDs and DVDs to places where the digital media phenomenon hasn’t yet arrived. So take heart in that “Mmmbop” can be enjoyed on your iPod in N.C. and on your former CD somewhere around the world.