Aging Well

Reduce junk mail

Want to reduce stress and start the new year off with a clean slate? Spend an hour registering your (or your parent's) address, email address and phone with these services.

Posted Updated
Sifting through junk mail
By
Liisa Ogburn
Did you know that the average American household receives over 850 pieces of junk mail, or the equivalent of 1.5 trees, every year? You don’t have to be over 65 to feel overwhelmed by junk mail; however, if you are over 65, you are at a significantly higher risk of being targeted by solicitations and "offers."

Here are four detailed steps to significantly reduce your (or your parent’s) junk mail. (NOTE: You will need internet access and a credit card for one of these steps.)

  1. One low-tech means is to either hand write in red block letters, "Return to Sender" on each envelope. Here is a stamp for $6.99 available on Amazon to make things easier.
  2. A second low-tech means would be to print out a sheet stating "Please remove me from your mailing list. I do not wish to receive any future offers or solicitations." Then put the name and address below. Insert these in the return envelopes, most of which have prepaid postage.
  3. Go to DMAchoice.org, a program created by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) to give you control over what mail you receive. Be prepared to create a log-in and pay $2 with a credit card. (You can also register by mail for $1). This website allows you to opt-out of mail from individual companies or entire categories of the companies that send you catalogs, magazines and other offers. I input my information, paid the $2, and selected "Opt out of all." Once registered, DMA forwards your preferences to their 3,600 member organizations. Allow 90 days to go into effect. It will be in effect for three years.
  4. Direct Mail allows you to opt out of all or indicate which categories of services you are not interested in. There is no cost and to opt out of "all" takes about two minutes, though they warn you that you will be contacted every six months to update your preferences.
  5. Unfortunately, none of these steps enable you to opt out of credit offers. The Consumer Credit Reporting Industry, which works directly with the credit bureaus Experian, Equifax, TransUnion and Innovus, provides this service through its website OptOut. You can also call 888-567-8688 to register by telephone. This requires a bit more time, as well as entering more information, including your social security number. Your registration is valid for five years. To make the registration permanent you will need to send in the confirmation agreement. This agreement will be emailed to you when you register online or mailed to you if you register by telephone.

You may have to go through several rounds of effort, but it is well worth it when you begin to see a real decrease in junk mail.

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