Posted on June 9, 2025
Enjoy some good news about the amazing work Earth Guardians is doing
Last year, CREDO Mobile made a donation to Earth Guardians. Earth Guardians is an international trailblazer in youth development for climate justice solutions, especially among marginalized groups and those most affected. They utilize education, training, community building, and direct action to shift power into the hands of the next generation.
We wanted to share this update with you, our members, who make it possible for CREDO Mobile to donate to organizations working for the planet, like Earth Guardians.
Earth Guardians celebrates the incredible progress we’ve made so far in 2025. Thanks to our global youth network, hundreds of new climate leaders have taken action in their communities. Enjoy some good news as you read about our progress this year!
- We onboarded 10 new active Crews, expanding our global network to 110 Crews with 1,075 registered members.
- For Earth Day, we launched a global campaign featuring the panel “Decolonizing Our Relationship with Nature” and a global tree-planting action, using the hashtag #OneEarthOneTree.
- Our 2024 Project Grant program funded 65 grassroots initiatives in 23 countries, directly reaching 16,128 people and indirectly impacting 82,705. Over 55% of projects supported SDGs 11, 13, and 15, focusing on climate action, food justice, and reforestation.
- Fair Water Footprints (FWF): In 2025, we secured funding for our “Fair Water Footprints” project, which aims to raise awareness and build youth capacity around the global water crisis and the impacts of international trade.
- Sierra Leone Mangrove Conservation: Nearing completion on Bonthe Island: 150,000 mangroves have been planted, 500 beehives will be installed by September, and 500+ locals were trained in marine conservation, aquaculture, beekeeping, and climate resilience.
- Togo Agroecology Initiative: From March 2025 to February 2026, we’ll train 200 people, plant 2,500 trees, and establish a 4-village knowledge-sharing network to boost food sovereignty and soil regeneration.
- Togo Reforestation – Tagba Forest Expansion: In partnership with the World Rainforest Fund, we’re adding 5–10 hectares to Tagba Forest, planting 5,000 to 7000 native trees, and supporting sustainable agroforestry income-generating activities, launching in June 2025.
- Launched the Earth Voices Podcast and the Science, Policy, and Traditional Knowledge virtual series our most popular series to date.
- Our upcoming project, the Earth Guardians Resource Portal, will centralize over 30 years of our most effective resources into a unified space for mentorship, certified learning, and career-building tools.
Earth Guardians is able to carry out this important work in part thanks to CREDO Mobile members who do one thing: use our service.
If you’re a CREDO Mobile member, thank you. And tell your friends about the great work that Earth Guardians is doing. If you’re not a member yet, please join us. You’ll get all you want from your mobile service: money-saving data plans, great deals on new devices and superfast coverage on the nation’s largest 5G network.
And you’ll get much more. You’ll get a powerful way to support Climate Justice whenever you use your phone.
Switching is easy. You can bring your current device and your current number. Go to CREDOMobile.com to learn more.
Posted on June 9, 2025
Donations spotlight: Help Transgender Law Center’s trans-led movement for liberation
Note from the CREDO Mobile team: This June, Transgender Law Center is among three amazing nonprofits that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO Mobile community will support TLC as it champions the right of all transgender and gender-nonconforming people to make their own choices and live freely, safely and authentically.
Read this important message from TLC, then visit CREDO Donations and cast your vote to help send vital grant money to the group to assist its efforts—and the efforts of our other outstanding June grantees.
Transgender Law Center is the largest national trans-led organization advocating self-determination for all people. Since 2002, we’ve been organizing, assisting, informing and empowering thousands of individual community members toward a long-term, national, trans-led movement for liberation.
As we witness the rise of authoritarianism and increased backlash toward Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) and LGBTQ communities—particularly attacks on trans communities of color—it is more important than ever to advance community-driven strategies that build on trans knowledge, power and joy.
Mariah Moore, director of policy and programs at Transgender Law Center, recently spoke at the Freedom to Be rally in Washington, D.C. Her speech, below, has been lightly edited for this blog post.
A message of resilience and hope from Mariah Moore
I am deeply honored to be here today, representing the South and, more importantly, representing all those who are fighting for trans justice in some of the most hostile states in this country. I speak today as an activist and as a proud Black trans woman from New Orleans, Louisiana, who knows firsthand what it means to survive and to lead with love.
When I think of Freedom to Be, I imagine a world where we are no longer forced to explain our existence; where our brilliance is celebrated not criminalized; where our care, our joy and our truth are not acts of resistance but simply acts of living. I imagine Black trans children growing up free from boxes, free from binaries and free from fear. I imagine us whole. And I know that world is possible because we’re building it.
Black trans women have always led. Even when no one said our names, we were at the frontlines fighting, organizing, creating—not because it was easy or because we were invited but because we knew, deep in our bones, that no one was coming to save us but us. That’s the legacy we carry: a legacy of care for our community.
At Transgender Law Center, our Black Trans Circles program is just one example of how we are reclaiming healing and leadership. We know that organizing without healing is unsustainable. So we’re creating spaces where Black trans women can not only survive but breathe, rest, grieve and dream. Because we are worthy of that.
Trans people, especially Black trans people, have always been part of this country’s story. Even when we didn’t have the words, we existed. In the kitchens, the fields, the ballrooms, the back pews, we were there. We are not new. And we are not going anywhere.
This moment asks us to remember that we are the dreams of our ancestors. We carry their strength. And every time we choose to show up, to speak out, to build community, we are saying we’re still here.
And for those of us who stay and fight in places where leaving isn’t an option, we dig deep. In Louisiana, we organize block by block. We show up for each other when systems don’t. We cook for each other, hold space for each other and celebrate each other’s wins, no matter how small. We build joy in the cracks of a system that wants to break us. That is what resilience really looks like.
So I say this to every trans person fighting to be free: You are not alone. You are powerful. You are loved. And you are already enough.
Black Trans Circles: A program of Transgender Law Center
Black Trans Circles develops the leadership of Black trans women in the South and Midwest through the creation of healing justice spaces to work through oppression-based trauma and incubate community-organizing efforts to address anti-trans murder and violence.
Rather than push for solutions outside the community, BTC is unique in that it focuses on strengthening the relationships, skills and power of Black trans women. BTC utilizes preexisting networks at the local level to combat isolation and powerlessness.
To learn more about Black Trans Circles and all of Transgender Law Center’s work, please visit us at TransgenderLawCenter.org.
Posted on June 8, 2025
Donations spotlight: Support the Brennan Center for Justice in its fight to save our democracy
Note from the CREDO Mobile team: This June, the Brennan Center for Justice is among three amazing nonprofits that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO Mobile community will support the Brennan Center as it fights for equal justice and the rule of law and works for reforms that will make American democracy work—for all of us.
Read this important message from the Brennan Center, then visit CREDO Donations and cast your vote to help send vital grant money to the group to assist its efforts—and the efforts of our other outstanding June grantees.
Attacks on the rule of law—on judges, on law firms, on news organizations, on universities, on civil rights laws, on voting rights enforcement—are threatening American democracy. What we’re seeing is a relentless drive for unchecked executive power. And everything is on the line.
The Brennan Center for Justice was made for this moment. We’re a nonpartisan legal and policy institute, the oldest in the country dedicated to strengthening democracy. We stand up for the Constitution. We stand up for the rule of law. We stand up for the country we love. And we won’t back down.
This moment demands innovation and new strategies. The Brennan Center—part think tank, part advocacy and legal group, part communications hub—has the expertise, the research and the mettle to devise and deliver solutions to defend democracy and improve it. To do this, we collaborate with a vast network of individuals and organizations like CREDO Mobile. These relationships span the political spectrum and make all of us stronger as, together, we protect democracy.
Here’s what we’re doing.
Fighting abuse of executive power
When a president declares an emergency to sidestep the rule of law and deny due process, it isn’t just wrong—it’s illegal. We have the nation’s leading experts on emergency powers and their expertise is helping us respond with force and focus to this administration’s use of the Alien Enemies Act. This wartime statute was last used to intern Japanese nationals and others during World War II. Its use during peacetime to strip away the right to fair court hearings is disgraceful. The Brennan Center and our allies are part of the legal effort pushing back on its use and making sure the Constitution is followed.
Brennan Center litigators and experts are also intervening in constitutional crises. We’re working to stop the executive branch’s assault on federal agencies—an unconstitutional seizure of powers that belong to Congress. We’re leading friend-of-the-court brief campaigns in major cases about the fate of these agencies as they head toward the Supreme Court.
Protecting the right to vote
The Brennan Center has a long history of fighting to preserve this keystone of a functional democracy. Right now we’re at the forefront of opposition to the SAVE Act—which would be the worst voting law passed by Congress. It would require citizens to produce a passport or birth certificate to register or reregister to vote. Our research shows that more than 21 million citizens don’t have ready access to these documents. The bill passed in the House, so we’re pushing for senators to stand firm and block it.
Along with co-counsel, we have taken the administration to court on behalf of the League of Women Voters and others over the voting executive order, specifically the SAVE Act-like requirement. In May, we won a preliminary injunction against that requirement.
Advocating for reforms
We know our systems need reform so that they are fair, free and work for everyone.
We are pushing for 18-year term limits for Supreme Court justices, with an ethics code, so the highest court can uphold the Constitution with far less partisanship and more accountability to the public.
Our work on criminal justice reform fights fear with facts—and brings together the left and right to ensure that public safety and fairness go hand in hand.
And as campaign donors play unprecedented roles in the federal government, we continue to focus on reducing the influence of money on politics, one of the Brennan Center’s first issues when we began three decades ago.
Working and winning for democracy
When the Brennan Center was founded in his name, Supreme Court Justice William Brennan Jr. said, “I know that the battle will not be easy. But I also know that, with your support, dedication and guidance, it will be won.”
Please join us in this battle. Your vote for the Brennan Center in this month’s CREDO Mobile donations election will help us secure American democracy’s future.
Posted on June 2, 2025
Why doesn’t CREDO Mobile change their logo for Pride?
Every June, when big corporate brands slap rainbows on their logos, we always roll our eyes.
Here at CREDO, we never change our logo during Pride Month because we don’t need to. We support the LGBTQ+ community all year, every year.
For us, Pride really is every month, and our logo has always symbolized support and solidarity with our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors — and that solidarity is important now more than ever, as many well-known corporations are shamefully pulling back from their Pride campaigns.
We should never forget that Pride Month is not about rainbow sales and half-off “Love Is Love” crop-tops. It’s about struggle and resistance. At its foundation, it’s about the Stonewall Rebellion, when patrons of a Greenwich Village gay bar, fed up with police threats and beatings, fought back for four days and ignited the LGBTQ+ civil rights movement.
If you support LGBTQ+ rights, you should know that there is an easy way for you to raise your voice for these rights not only for Pride Month but every month. In fact, every day.
It’s CREDO Mobile. For us, Pride is a year-round cause. That’s why we don’t drape our website in rainbows each June. Instead, we donate to nonprofit groups like the National LGBTQ Task Force, the Transgender Law Center, Family Equality and the ACLU. Since our very first donations, back in 1986, we’ve donated more than $15 million to progressive nonprofits working for equality and civil rights.
We’ll donate more in the years ahead—and you can be a part of it. Join us and you’ll get all you want from your mobile service: money-saving data plans, great deals on new devices and superfast coverage on the nation’s largest 5G network.
And you’ll get much more. You’ll get an easy, effective way to make a difference for the causes you care about. Causes like LGBTQ+ rights, climate action and an economy that works for everyone.
Switching is simple. You can bring your own phone and keep your current number. Learn more at CREDOMobile.com.
Posted on June 1, 2025
For women’s political power: CREDO Mobile makes a difference
CREDO Mobile recently sent a donation to Supermajority, which will use the funding in its effort to build a women’s voting bloc powerful enough to ensure that politicians prioritize the issues that matter most to women.
We’re longtime supporters of Supermajority, and we’ll continue to stand with the group in the months ahead as it focuses on mobilizing young women—a critical part of the women’s voting bloc—to protect women’s freedoms and ensure that women’s lives are prioritized. This work is especially vital now, as the prevailing political movement relentlessly attacks women’s rights and well-being. Please click here if you’d like to make a donation to this critical work.
Working together, we made a difference
Funding from CREDO Mobile has enabled a number of recent successes by Supermajority. The group has built relationships with women across the country and provided opportunities for them to develop and practice organizing skills in their communities and online. It has grown its community to more than 530,000 members and continues to expand.
Political power means putting women’s priorities right where they belong—front and center. Building that power starts with turning out for elections. That’s why, in 2024, Supermajority made 4.5 million contact attempts to over 3 million infrequent and nonvoting young women in key counties in three priority states (Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona) and two expansion states (North Carolina and Georgia). Because of this work, Supermajority’s priority states had a higher youth voter turnout in 2024 than the national average.
The results of the 2024 election uncover a harsh reality: The current political climate does not reflect the values of women, nor the priorities of most people in America. But Supermajority will continue to build political power to ensure women’s demands are met and we create a world where all of our lives are save, our bodies are respected, our work is valued, our families are supported, and our government represents us.
Supermajority has a gameplan for what’s ahead
Supermajority’s organizing strategy was remarkably effective in 2024—and will be more so in the years ahead, as the group hones its methods and mobilizes more women. Here are a few examples of what Supermajority accomplished this past year.
- In 2024, Supermajority held 733 volunteer events: 361 local events, 234 phonebanks and 77 canvassing events. It engaged continuously with its 530,000 members and trained 4,243 volunteers who volunteered 11,549 times.
- Its voter-outreach programming included New Member Orientations, Superwomen Wednesdays, Superwomen Saturdays, and various other online events. It ran weekly member events, including panels from leading organizers and issue experts, high-quality trainings, and timely volunteer actions. You can check out their upcoming events here.
- Supermajority organized an online regional volunteer hub on Slack to support volunteers who are not in priority states. Organizers sent out action requests quickly and shared news to inspire and motivate volunteers. There are now 465 volunteers being organized through the Supermajority digital hub.
- It developed two on-demand training series, “Supermajority Basics” and “Advocacy 101.” These cover a range of topics, from how to look up your representatives to social media messaging strategy.
- For the first time, Supermajority was able to run an in-person organizing program to support GOTV efforts in key battleground states: Michigan, Pennsylvania, and Arizona. It hired on-the-ground organizers to lead voter outreach and develop lasting relationships with partners and volunteers in target communities.
- In Michigan, it ran its largest doors program to date, with nearly 78,000 attempts and 22,382 conversations at a 34% contact rate. With its focus on organizing Black women to drive grassroots power, Supermajority was recognized by local and state elected officials and worked with the United Auto Workers union to offer volunteer programs to women.
- In Pennsylvania, Supermajority had its highest number of phone conversations in 2024, with 427,072 attempts and 3,787 conversations. Under 15% of the targeted universe was contacted by other groups in 2024, according to the Democratic Data Exchange.
- In Arizona, it made 633,727 attempts to its priority universe and had over 2,800 conversations. It lifted student voices through grassroots mobilization and leveraged Spanish in its programs to increase reach. It worked with Arizona for Abortion Access and collected signatures to ensure Prop. 139, protecting abortion access, was on the ballot. It won.
CREDO Mobile members made it happen
Supermajority was able to do all these things because CREDO Mobile members do one thing: use our service. When they support us, we can support Supermajority—and the dozens of other progressive nonprofits we fund every year. These donations cost our members nothing but they mean everything to the groups that rely on us.
If you’re a CREDO Mobile member, thank you. If you’re not a member yet, please join us. You’ll get all you want from your mobile service: money-saving data plans, great deals on new devices and superfast coverage on the nation’s largest 5G network.
And you’ll get much more. You’ll get a powerful way to support the causes you care about whenever you use your phone. Causes like women’s rights, reproductive freedom, climate action and an economy that works for everyone.
Switching is easy. You can bring your current device and your current number. Go to CREDOMobile.com to learn more.
Posted on June 1, 2025
Donations Spotlight: Help Mercy Corps provide lifesaving aid to families in Ukraine, Sudan, and beyond
Note from the CREDO Mobile team: This June, Mercy Corps is among three amazing nonprofits that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO Mobile community will support Mercy Corps in its fight to build a brighter world for communities in more than 40 countries facing the consequences of conflict and climate change.
Read this important blog post from Mercy Corps, then visit CREDO Donations and cast your vote to help send vital grant money to the group to assist its efforts—and the efforts of our other outstanding June grantees.
This past year has been marked by seemingly endless humanitarian crises. Violent conflict and climate disasters continue to dominate today’s headlines. Yet even in this era of deep uncertainty, we know what’s possible when individuals like you take action.
It is easy to lose sight of what is possible for communities around the world. Some challenges seem too big, too complex, too far removed. What can we do? What difference will it make? But it is in moments like these, when we feel helpless, that we often discover our shared courage, unite in purpose, and take meaningful steps toward a better world.
This year, we have seen what’s possible—together, thanks to the generosity of our supporters and partners like you. And in the resilience of communities navigating extreme challenges and crisis. Every day, we witness how collective action has the power to help people not just survive, but adapt, rebuild, and thrive.
When we take action, our world transforms
We’re proud to share the following stories about our work in different communities across the globe—and people who are forging a brighter future for themselves and their families. The shared determination and the collective action featured in these stories are a reminder of what we can do together.
Gaza: Supporting Children and Families in Crisis
As millions of lives have been disrupted and upended by the ongoing conflict, Mercy Corps continues to advocate for a ceasefire and partner across the region to deliver food, shelter, supplies, and cash assistance to those in urgent need. Last April, our team reopened a program to help children and young people build collaboration skills and emotional wellbeing, as they cope with the stress and trauma of war and build hope for the future.
Ukraine: Rebuilding Economic Resilience and Community
Since the war began in 2022, Mercy Corps has supported hundreds of thousands of conflict-affected people in Ukraine and neighboring countries. After receiving grants and assistance from Mercy Corps’ local partners, businesses grappling amid war are finding ways to reopen, hire new employees, and bolster their local economies.
And with financial assistance, people are farming more food for their communities to help overcome the consequences of war.
Sudan: Delivering Aid in a Deepening Humanitarian Emergency
The war in Sudan has devastated the country. When conflict escalated in 2023, Mercy Corps was able to adapt our existing programming to better meet the needs of people caught in the spiraling humanitarian crisis who are now facing starvation at historic levels. The cash assistance our team distributes helps families buy the food, medicine, and supplies they need most. We’re also supporting farmers with tools and training to rebuild, laying the foundation for future recovery.
Ethiopia: Building Climate Resilience and Opportunity
In recent years, the Horn of Africa has been hard hit by climate-driven drought. In Ethiopia, our team is working with communities to improve water access, increase farmers and livestock producers’ food production, and open new opportunities for the future.
Mercy Corps is also partnering to electrify refugee settlements with solar-hybrid mini-grids, connecting both displaced and host communities with a reliable way to grow skills, run businesses, and build their livelihoods.
Our commitment to transformational change
In spite of the steady stream of challenges that our world is grappling with every day, Mercy Corps’ teams are steadfast in a belief that we can create positive change when we work together. Thank you, CREDO members, for partnering with us in our mission. We’re grateful to work alongside communities, partners, and supporters to shape a brighter future for everyone to share.
Posted on May 30, 2025
This June, CREDO Mobile is supporting: Brennan Center For Justice, Mercy Corps and the Transgender Law Center
This June, CREDO Mobile is honored to be able to support three amazing nonprofits: Brennan Center For Justice, Mercy Corps and the Transgender Law Center. The donations will be allocated according to the votes tallied at www.credodonations.com. You can vote for 1, 2, or all 3 nonprofits.
Brennan Center For Justice
The Brennan Center fights for American systems of democracy and justice that work for all. American democracy is under assault. The Brennan Center believes the best way to defend our democracy is to strengthen it. We work to craft and advance a transformative reform agenda, with solutions that aim to make our democracy work for everyone. We advocate for real democracy reform, fight against voter suppression tactics, and work for a fair justice system – through in-depth research, top-notch litigation, and bold solutions.
Mercy Corps
Families worldwide are in crisis. Violent conflict, hunger, and natural disasters continue to threaten lives and stability. Mercy Corps is on the ground providing lifesaving aid to families in Ukraine, Sudan, & beyond. Our teams are in 40+ countries working alongside local communities to provide urgent, lifesaving aid. With support from CREDO members, Mercy Corps can respond immediately when disaster strikes, helping families cope amid urgent humanitarian crises, adapt to ongoing challenges, and partner with communities around the world to thrive into the future.
Transgender Law Center
TLC is the largest national, trans-led organization working to set all people free. We champion the right of all transgender and gendernonconforming people to make their own choices and live freely, safely, and authentically. Prioritizing BIPOC, disabled, and HIV+ communities, we advance community-driven strategies that harness trans knowledge, power, and joy to ensure that we all not only survive but thrive at all ages and phases of life. Your support will help TLC advance all our work, from precedent-setting litigation, to organizing and leadership programs that help build towards a national, trans-led movement for liberation.
Now more than ever, progressive nonprofits need all the help they can get. These donations are funded by our CREDO Mobile customers. If you are a CREDO Mobile customer, thank you. If you are not, check out CREDO Mobile and see how your mobile phone can make a difference in the world.
Posted on May 29, 2025
June Events
You’re invited to June events. These events are nationwide, some in person and some virtual.
Texting Tuesdays – Black Voters Matter | Every Tuesday in June 6pm Eastern | Virtual
Join us on Zoom at 6pm every week as we gather to drive change through digital organizing. Our texting campaigns will give you the opportunity to engage residents across the U.S. while empowering them to make a positive impact in their communities.
Black Voters Matter Texting Tuesdays
#TeachTruth Day of Action – Zinn Education Project | June 7th | Virtual and in Person
Defend the freedom to learn and be visible in defense of public education. Defend a truthful education and the rights of all of our students, no matter their race, gender identity, or immigration status. Learn more about events for a day of action to engage the public in a range of activities at a library, bookstore, city hall, farmers market, festival, or other public spaces.
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/teach-truth-day-of-action-2025/
Bystander Intervention to Support LGBTQ+ Communities – Right to Be | June 12, 1-2pm Eastern | New York City Residents
This one-hour, interactive training will teach you the 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology and how these strategies can be used to support the LGBTQIA+ community. We’ll have time at the end for practice, and you’ll leave feeling more confident intervening the next time you see anti-LGBTQIA+ harassment.
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NfF6af7YRNWuVLqAf7aSdA
Black Voters Matter Book Club – Black Voters Matter | June 18, 6-7pm Eastern | Virtual
Book: Dr. Daniel Black’s novel Don’t Cry For Me. “With piercing insight and profound empathy, acclaimed author Daniel Black illuminates the lived experiences of Black fathers and queer sons, offering an authentic and ultimately hopeful portrait of reckoning and reconciliation. Don’t Cry for Me is a monumental novel about one family grappling with love’s hard edges and the unexpected places where hope and healing take flight.”
Pride Above the Park – GLSEN | June 18, 6-9pm Eastern | New York, NY
Join us as we bring together GLSEN supporters for an evening above Central Park with special guests to celebrate our mission!
https://act.glsen.org/a/pride-above-park-2025
Bystander Intervention to Support LGBTQ+ Communities – Right to Be | June 28. 6-7pm Eastern | Virtual
This one-hour, interactive training will teach you the 5Ds of bystander intervention methodology and how these strategies can be used to support the LGBTQIA+ community. We’ll have time at the end for practice, and you’ll leave feeling more confident intervening the next time you see anti-LGBTQIA+ harassment.
https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sMSkPP7ITDO0NUmGIve8Ww#/
Juanita More Pride 2025 – Transgender Law Center | June 29. Noon-7pm Pacific | San Francisco, CA
This year marks the 21st year of the annual Juanita MORE! Pride Party. What started as an alternative party to celebrate the diversity of our community has grown into what has been touted as simply the “best party of the year.” This event benefits the Transgender Law Center.
Multiple Rallies and Events – Women’s March | Multiple Dates and Times | Everywhere Nationwide and Online
Find volunteer events all over the country with the Women’s March. There are rallies, protests, teach-ins and all over the country. Find a local event below.
https://action.womensmarch.com/local
Fun Run to raise funds for Disaster Relief – All Hands and Hearts | Month of June | Everywhere
This June 2025, All Hands and Hearts are running 20km to raise $20,000 in celebration of our 20th anniversary! Whether you run the full 20km in one go or break it up over the month, every step counts.
https://give.allhandsandhearts.org/team/661033?is_new=true
She Will Fight – She Should Run | Month of June | Virtual
During its beta phase, She Will Fight is offering the chance for CREDO customers to join this free network that helps you use your power to protect democracy through local civic actions.
Posted on May 15, 2025
Want to avoid tariff price hikes? Buy refurbished
U.S. consumers are starting to feel the pain. Tariffs are hitting and prices are climbing. The price of electronics and appliances is predicted to increase 30% to 40% over the next year. Shein, the Chinese ecommerce giant, has already raised prices by as much as 377%.
Everywhere, Americans will soon be spending more for new products—if they can find them. Store shelves are starting to get empty, as exports from China and other countries slow to a halt. Laptop inventories are forecast to dry up by July.
To deal with the tariff turmoil, savvy shoppers are turning from imported products to refurbished ones. It’s a good way to save money, because tariffs don’t affect most refurbished goods—at least not yet. It’s also ecofriendly, because it means products stay in circulation instead of going into a landfill.
Refurbished is so appealing that it’s going mainstream. The market for refurbished electronics alone is projected to grow from $47 billion in 2023 to more than $123 billion by 2033. The CEO of Back Market, an online seller of refurbished and used tech, recently said sales at his site tripled in the week after tariffs were announced.
Refurbished is different from used
Refurbished products may not be better than new but they’re close. They’re definitely better than used. They’ve usually been cleaned, inspected and tested. In a properly refurbished phone, for example, tired batteries and damaged parts are replaced. The operating system is reset, personal data is scrubbed and the phone restored to a fresh state.
Many of the refurbished tech devices for sale online have been traded in by their previous owners, not because the devices were defective but because the owners wanted an upgrade. Many are barely used devices returned by buyers who’ve had second thoughts.
Most used devices don’t come with a warranty but refurbished devices from reputable sellers do, often up to a year. If you find a seller that doesn’t offer a warranty, find a different seller.
For the best devices, go to the source
You can often buy refurbished devices directly from their original manufacturers. Before they sell the devices, most manufacturers inspect them, repair them with original parts, replace the batteries, then test them. They ship refurbished devices in a new box with the same manuals, accessories, cables and operating system as a brand-new device.
Apple’s refurbished site offers Macs, iPads, iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods and more. Samsung’s refurbished site sells Galaxy phones but no other Samsung devices or electronics. Microsoft’s refurbished site has Surface devices and Xbox gaming consoles.
If you’re looking for audio equipment, Bose, Sonos and JBL have sites selling refurbished headphones, earbuds, speakers and soundbars. All of them undergo the same testing, repair, reconditioning and cleaning as the devices described above. In other words, what you get is like new, with the same return window and warranty as new products.
Dell, HP and Acer all have websites selling certified refurbished laptops. Another option is a site called Swappa. It’s a peer-to-peer marketplace (buyers and sellers transact directly with each other) offering “new and gently used” phones, laptops, watches and wearables, tablets, gaming consoles, drones and home tech. It requires merchandise listed at the site be fully operational and it has a customer service team that reviews listed products to uphold that standard.
If you’re looking for a particular brand not linked here, just Google the brand name and “refurbished.” If it’s a major brand, it’ll likely have a site selling refurbished devices.
Large retailers also sell refurbished
National retailers like Best Buy and Walmart sell a wide range of refurbished products, not only phones and PCs but TVs, kitchen appliances and gaming gear. In many cases, the refurbishment has been done by a third party. But Best Buy also sells Geek Squad Certified products, which have been refurbished by in-house technicians.
eBay Refurbished has Apple, Samsung, Bose, Acer, Dell, HP, Sony, Dyson, Makita and more at up to 50% off the original price. All devices, tools and appliances are refurbished, renewed and come with a 1-year or 2-year warranty. You can choose from various conditions and pay more or less, depending on how “new” you want your item to look. There’s Certified, Excellent, Very Good and Good. All can be returned free within a 30-day window.
Newegg, the online electronics retailer that’s a little more nerdy, has a large refurbished site. It offers products from desktops to servers to laptops to phones.
Most big-box retailers like Walmart and Target have a site selling refurbished electronics and appliances. The warranties they offer tend not to be as long as those given by manufacturers—or they tend not to exist at all, so proceed with caution.
Here’s where to find refurbished appliances
Around three-quarters of all appliances are made in China, which means their prices will be going up soon. So go shopping now or start saving.
Or buy refurbished. Best Buy has a site where it sells a ton of refurbished and “open box” home and kitchen appliances. There are dishwashers, stacked laundry centers and vacuum cleaners. There are ranges, blenders, air fryers and espresso machines. Open box means the appliance was returned by the buyer, refurbished means repaired and restored to like-new. Amazon Renewed also has a wide range of refurbished appliances, as does eBay Refurbished.
Another option is the aforementioned Back Market, which has a site with many tested and verified appliances, from small appliances to large appliances to personal appliances. Brands available include Dyson, Samsung, Ninja, Shark and Philips.
LG Electronics USA sells refurbished LG appliances, all of them evaluated, repaired, restored and tested. They come with a 6-month warranty. KitchenAid has a site for refurbished appliances, not only KitchenAid but affiliated brands including Whirlpool, Maytag, Amana and Gladiator.
Buying refurbished means one more appliance that does not end up in a landfill.
Here’s where to find budget-friendly furniture
Most of these are companies that sell pre-owned furniture, not refurbished. One place that does sell refurbished furniture is Etsy, which has a site with refurbished home, office and patio furniture.
IKEA As-is sells affordable, “gently used” furniture to IKEA Family members. You choose your local store, reserve your item, then go pick it up. IKEA will also buy back IKEA furniture you don’t want anymore.
Wayfair is a marketplace for refurbished furniture, as well as open box. Sources for secondhand, unrefurbished furniture include eBay, Chairish for “vintage” (i.e. higher-end) pieces and AptDeco for more affordable furniture. CORT Furniture Outlet has a very large selection of lightly used furniture for home and office at up to 70% off the retail price.
And you can find high quality used furniture at thrift shops, flea markets, garage sales or antique stores.
Here’s where to find quality used toys
The holidays aren’t far away (believe it or not) and market experts are predicting higher prices and empty shelves at retailers for babies and kids nationwide. If you’ve got young people to shop for—at the holidays or anytime—check out these online options for toys, clothing and more.
Founded in 2016 by two moms, GoodBuy Gear is a recommerce marketplace for quality-inspected used baby and kid gear. The site has toys, strollers, sporting goods, car seats, high chairs, trikes and a lot of other products for infants, toddlers and bigger kids.
Toycycle, founded in 2019 by a mother of twins, is an “online thrift store” for sustainable new, used and open-box toys and clothing. There are wood blocks, word books, baby bibs and drumkits (if you dare). Brands include Lego, Fisher Price, Loog and Lovevery. You can also sell your outgrown items to Toycycle or trade them in through a seamless process that includes doorstep pickup in select cities.
For refurbished toys, try Etsy or Reebelo.
Here’s where to find a phone company that shares your values
Choosing refurbished just makes sense. You save money and you help our planet by keeping perfectly good products in circulation and out of the landfill.
Here’s another sensible choice consumers are making these days: they’re switching to CREDO Mobile, the phone company that shares their values. To date, we’ve donated over $95 million to nonprofit groups fighting for the causes progressive people care about. Groups like Friends of the Earth, Abortion Care Network and People for the American Way.
Join us and you’ll get all you want from your mobile service: money-saving data plans, great deals on new devices and superfast coverage on the nation’s largest 5G network.
And you’ll get much more. You’ll get an easy, effective way to make the world a better place.
Switching is simple. You can bring your own phone and keep your current number. Learn more at CREDOMobile.com.
Posted on May 13, 2025
Donations Spotlight: Help Free Press Action fight authoritarianism, defend free speech, and protect your rights to connect and communicate
Note from the CREDO Mobile team: This May, Free Press Action is among three amazing groups that will receive a share of our monthly grant. Funding from the CREDO Mobile community will be vital to the nonprofit as it continues the fight for media and tech policies that help people, not just big corporations.
Read this important blog post from Free Press Action, then visit CREDO Donations and cast your vote to help send much-needed grant money to the group to assist in its efforts—and the efforts of our other outstanding May grantees.
This May, you can help Free Press Action keep up the fight for media and technology that serve the people, not billionaire oligarchs. For more than two decades, Free Press Action has battled powerful corporations that want to decide what you’re able to watch, listen to, read and share. We’ve opposed runaway media consolidation that has downsized or outright closed thousands of local newsrooms across the country, leaving people in the dark about what’s happening in their communities. And when the government attempts to silence or punish speech it dislikes, Free Press Action fights back. Free Press Action works to protect the free and open internet, expose corruption, and challenge media and tech moguls trying to spread lies and steal our private data and our tax dollars.
Facing a democracy in critical condition, we need to stand up for free speech and fight back against the media and tech companies that are harming our communities.
Free Press Action has an important role to play in the months and years ahead. Here’s how we’re fighting back:
PURSUING LEGAL ACTION
Free Press Action’s team of attorneys and policy experts is trying to derail an agenda to deregulate the media and tech industry while handing billions out to grifters like Elon Musk. We’re throwing sand in the gears, taking the administration to court, and pushing Congress to speak out and protect our rights.
DEFENDING FREE SPEECH
Free Press Action is fighting the Right’s war on journalists and the truth. It’s absolutely crucial that the press remain free and open and that dissent is a respected and protected right. The media have often failed us, but we must aid the journalists and muckrakers who reveal wrongdoing, protect the protesters raising their voices, and speak out against attempts to silence and harass critics of those who use positions of power for personal enrichment.
STANDING UP TO EXTREMISM AND CORRUPTION
Free Press Action is shining a light on corruption and collusion between government actors and the billionaire-run media, tech and telecom giants. We won’t sit idly by as the Chairman of the FCC exploits his government perch to the benefit of the few — at the expense of everyday people. We won’t let the administration get away with corrupting independent agencies and illegally firing federal workers so DOGE can strip the government for parts, violate our privacy, and seize funds meant to make broadband more affordable and reliable.
LAUNCHING CAMPAIGNS AND ORGANIZING COALITIONS
Free Press Action is campaigning to stop draconian rollbacks of public and corporate policies that safeguard civil and human rights. We’re building campaigns and coalitions to destabilize the far right’s use of our media system to advance racism, hate, authoritarianism and violence. Drawing on a base of 1.4 million activists, Free Press Action organizes in-district meetings to hold legislators accountable, challenges corporations failing to protect their users, and designs policies to fix our most pressing media and tech problems.
When the federal government fails to meet its responsibilities, we take our fights to the states where we have many opportunities to build support for civic media that actually meets the needs of local communities, to make reparations a reality and to protect people from corporate abuse.
The support of CREDO Mobile members ensures that Free Press Action can hold politicians and policymakers accountable, amplify underrepresented voices in the halls of power, and help mobilize millions at moments when public pressure can make all the difference. CREDO activists have been important allies in many of Free Press Action’s campaigns and your vote of support will help power our work at this crucial time. Thank you!
