Stop annoying junk mail.

[Your Chef Victor]

Another option is to write: "REFUSED - Return to Sender" or "REFUSED - RTS" on junk mail and drop it in a mailbox. I was informed that when certain pieces of mail are marked as "Refused" the original mailer must pay to have the letter mailed back to them or lose their mailing license with the U.S. Postal Service. I've seen a reduction in our junk mail.

[EnviroJeff]

I love the idea of opting out of junk mail! I get enough credit card mailings from the same 3 companies that I could construct a small skyscraper out of them.

Another plus to reduced junk mail - esp. credit card offers - is that this reduces your risk of identity theft since ID thieves won't be able to nab CC offers out of your mailbox.

Win-win!

[*lisa1*]

I read today in the newspaper that the impact of SPAM email on the environment is equivalent to putting an extra 3.1million cars on the road. How ridiculous is that!? There definitely needs to be some kind of policy in place to help prevent this waste of energy!!

[Still Learning]

I have tried and tried to opt out and these catalogs just keep on coming tomy post office box.

Any other/more suggestions?

[zach]

It usually takes a few months to notice a reduction in the amount of junk mail. If you've followed the suggestions above and it's been a while I think the only other things you can do are try to contact the companies that are sending you stuff and ask them to stop and in the meantime make sure the junk mail ends up in the recycle or compost bin and not the trash. Good luck!

[Still Learning]

Thanks, Zach. It's been many months and I've opted out more than once on line. I'll continue to recycle the catalogs - or maybe I'll try the RTS route.

[DanTheMan]

I get piles of that junk constantly regardless of my "NO JUNK MAIL" sticker!

[zach]

Hi DanTheMan,

Not sure where you live but in the U.S. No Junk Mail sticker won't do anything because the mail carrier is required by law to deliver all mail that is sent to your address. You have to stop it at the source.

[Still Learning]

Yesterday I heavily inked my own name and address out (leaving the source code and customer number for the catalog senders), wrote Return to Sender on them and stuck them back into the mail slot. Maybe I'll try that for a month or so. I've tried bringing them home and looking them up on the Clark Howard site and individually opting out on line more than once to no avail. Aso, I need to ask my post office if they're still recycling. I'm seeing trash in the waste cans provided for unwanted mail.

[TheGreenestDollar]

I've used the Direct Marketing Association to stop junk mail, and it totally works. Mine has gone down exponentially since I signed up; totally worth the $1 I invested to get off the list!