Reducing junk and other mail

By J.A. Smith June 18, 2008

 

40% of waste in the American landfills are nothing more than paper products. You can do your part and increase your life quality by reducing your junk mail. As an added bonus reducing your junk mail will also help reduce the risk of identity theft. Essentially though life is hectic enough as it is without mail piling up, reduce your stress by reducing your mail!

 

1. Are you still getting those old catalogs or worse the former residents mail? You're not alone and you have a choice. Follow the link to a site that lets you discontinue those catalogs and other promotional mail.

https://www.dmachoice.org/MPS/proto1.php

 

2. Credit card offers are really out of control. I don't even get credit cards that way, and I don't know many people that do. Pre-approved credit card offers are known to be sources of identity theft. This free service provided by the credit reporting agency will actually reduce credit card offers.  The service puts a fraud alert on your account and it makes it hard to use your identity. Use this link and follow directions. https://www.experian.com/consumer/cac/InvalidateSession.do?code=SECURITYALERT

 

3. Junk mail still coming to your maiden or nick name or say perhaps you register for things online with an alias? Well I do, but the fraud alert will only stop offers in one name. The solution to that is to send back the "postage paid" envelope without the application inside. It's up to you to add a note that says it is not a real person or just send them all back empty. They get the message and you will notice a reduce in mail under that name as well.

 

4. 3 times a week I get a real estate agency post card with the prices of my neighbors home. It's junk, I'm not interested and I can't reuse the high gloss double sided post card. In that case it's best to call the company and request to be removed from the mailing list. They will be saving money, there really shouldn't be any problem.

 

5. Some people like community papers, but a lot of people just don't have time to read them. They are free, but essentially even when they are recycled they still are using power to reprocess them. If you need a break from them go online or look in the newspaper for their contact information and request to be removed.

 

Other ways to avoid mail surplus

1. Request that your credit card bills are no longer sent to you mail box. It is tricky to worry about when the bill is due, but signing up for automatic payments will save lots of stress. You can request the whole balance is paid from your checking or a pre-decided amount.

 

2. Why stop there? Most online bankings give the option to pay all bills online at the same time. You are reducing waste for others as well and of course saving on the increase in postage rates.

 

3. Some mailings give you the chance to change your preference to e-mail. Make a junk mail account and check to delete all once a month.

 

4. Save other people too!

• Choosing to use wireless transfer money from bank account to bank account rather than using checks

• Send party invitations through e-mail

• Process catalog purchases online through the website (a more secure transaction)

• Post company news and deals on your website or send through e-mail

• Write letters to local businesses (and even national companies) requesting they reduce their mailings (even if they d them half as often). Letter Templates

Now I'm not saying reduce your hand written cards, I love getting those! (just use recycled paper of course!)