It feels like a never-ending barrage: the amount of random junk mail that lands in our mailboxes every single day. All that paper gets thrown in the recycling bin, or worse, thrown in the trash (5.6 million tons of it!), and it just keeps coming back! But there’s a way to at least reduce the amount of junk mail you’re getting – and it doesn’t take long at all.
Online Opt-Outs
There are a couple of free online sites where you can opt-out of junk mail – it won’t get rid of the mail completely, but it’s quick and will help. First is the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) site called DMA Choice (https://www.dmachoice.org/). They represent over 3,600 companies, and registering on their site will put you on a “Do Not Mail” database. According to the DMA, “All DMA member companies must follow the DMA member guidelines, including honoring a consumer’s request to be removed from future mailings.”
Second, if you don’t want to get any more mailings from credit card, mortgage, or insurance companies, OptOutPrescreen.com (https://www.optoutprescreen.com/) is the place to go. They have a couple of different options – a 5-year opt-out or a permanent one. It’s run by 4 of the major credit reporting services here in the U.S.
Contact Companies Directly
This seems like a no-brainer, but telling companies (like credit card companies) right off the bat to not sell your information to other companies is a start. Also tricks like crossing out the bar code and circling your name while writing “Return to sender” as well as using different initials on different mailings to find out who is selling your information will help in the reduction.
There are a bunch of online resources to help you get rid of that junky mail. It’s quick and easy!
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