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How to Get Rid of Junk Mail?

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Over 100 million trees are cut down annually to produce paper, 40 percent of these ends up as junk mails that litter our front yards and mailboxes. Junk mails are not only annoying to most residents but they also contribute to pollution because most of them go to landfills. There are various services to choose from that offers to reduce junk mails, examples include the DMA (Direct Marketing Association) that stops junk mails for up to 5 years for a service fee of $5.

Organization that can help

Alternatively, you can subscribe to privatecitizen.com that significantly reduces junk mails but charges $10 annually. There is also 41pounds.org, a non-profit organization whose main concern is reducing global impact of junk mails.

Credit card solicitations

Additionally, you can reduce junk mails by opting out from card solicitations, call 1-888-5opt out (1-888-5678688) or visit their website www.optoutprescreen.com and request to be removed from their list for 5 years or request to be removed permanently. This would also notify the 4 major credit reporting agencies Experian, Transunion, Equifax and Innovis to stop junk mails from mortgage, insurance and credit card companies.

Avoid giving out your details

Another way to get rid of junk mail is to avoid customer loyalty cards, sweepstakes applications, warranty cards, product registrations, customer surveys and other related marketing applications that often ask for detailed personal information. The truth is that these information are being sold to marketing companies, thus, resulting in more junk mails in your mailbox. Call individual mail-order companies, catalog companies, and credit card companies and request to be removed from their mailing list or visit their web sites to opt out.

Change of address

Stop those bulk mails or first class mails from a former resident or a former spouse by filling out a post office change of address, if the previous owner fails to file it or if it has expired. Hand the form to the courier so it will be entered into the post service National Change of Address database (NCOA). Also, place a “no free papers” sign next to your mailbox to stop those unwanted free advertising. Most people would stop giving unsolicited leaflets once the homeowner placed this sign near their mailbox because it is against the law for anyone other than the postal worker to put things in the mail.