Author Topic: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018  (Read 3618 times)

LiveLean

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Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« on: December 12, 2017, 07:28:16 AM »
My goal is to stop getting U.S. mail in 2018. I'm pretty close. If I've missed anything, please advise:

Here's what I've done:

1. All bill paying online.
2. All payments direct deposit. (I'm an independent contractor and receive many payments, and unfortunately a few clients still are not on-board or won't pay non-employees directly. So I still get some paper checks.)
3. Reduced magazines to online subscriptions.
4. Opted out of all mailing lists, credit card-generating things, etc.
5. Stopped sending Xmas cards.
6. Unsubscribed from all high school and college alumni stuff.

Things I need to figure out:

1. How to stop getting useless magazines that come with memberships while still keeping memberships (i.e. AAA and Costco. Actually, Costco is a decent magazine, but I rarely get around to reading it.)
2. How to stop getting political mail while remaining a registered voter. This probably isn't possible, especially here in Florida where every election at every level is a financial arms race of paper.
3. How to stop getting real estate solicitations of every kind.

Marley09

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2017, 07:51:39 AM »
I think that this is such a great idea!  I want to start the process of unsubscribing to all of the junk mail that we get.  I feel like we get an insane amount; junk mail probably takes up a quarter to half of the trash that we produce weekly.  Ugh!

Have you ever heard of PaperKarma?  I have not used it, so I am not sure how effective it is, but you just take a picture of the junk mail through the app and it unsubscribes you.  Also, I believe that you can put a post-it or something on your mailbox that says "addressed mail only" or "no advertisements", then the mail carrier will not deliver items that are not specifically addressed to you, which should be nothing else based on your list above!


Rimu05

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2017, 02:41:22 PM »
My goal is to stop getting U.S. mail in 2018. I'm pretty close. If I've missed anything, please advise:

Here's what I've done:

1. All bill paying online.
2. All payments direct deposit. (I'm an independent contractor and receive many payments, and unfortunately a few clients still are not on-board or won't pay non-employees directly. So I still get some paper checks.)
3. Reduced magazines to online subscriptions.
4. Opted out of all mailing lists, credit card-generating things, etc.
5. Stopped sending Xmas cards.
6. Unsubscribed from all high school and college alumni stuff.

Things I need to figure out:

1. How to stop getting useless magazines that come with memberships while still keeping memberships (i.e. AAA and Costco. Actually, Costco is a decent magazine, but I rarely get around to reading it.)
2. How to stop getting political mail while remaining a registered voter. This probably isn't possible, especially here in Florida where every election at every level is a financial arms race of paper.
3. How to stop getting real estate solicitations of every kind.

How do you stop number 4? I am sick and tired of unasked for catalogs, credit card offers, etc. I throw them in the bin without opening. The whole process is one of the things I actually hate about America. Hate it. I at least clued myself in from realizing, do not give email addresses to cashiers when you shop. I had a cashier even tell me they had to have my email address to process an order. All I bought was a pair of jeans.

I just wish I could even not get catalogs on email. Yet I swear these emails add themselves back magically. I have unsubscribed, spammed and I still get an email from Honda...

TexasRunner

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #3 on: December 12, 2017, 03:53:59 PM »
I just wish I could even not get catalogs on email. Yet I swear these emails add themselves back magically. I have unsubscribed, spammed and I still get an email from Honda...

This is why the burner email account is a thing....

I have one that I literally have not looked at since 2009, but regularly use it for 'signups'.

Dollar Slice

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #4 on: December 12, 2017, 04:00:59 PM »
I just wish I could even not get catalogs on email. Yet I swear these emails add themselves back magically. I have unsubscribed, spammed and I still get an email from Honda...

I unsubbed from a ton of stuff earlier in the year, and in the last month, quite a few have been e-mailing me again. Without me buying anything or going to their website (some are from companies I only purchased from once, years ago). Grrr. Really annoying.

RWD

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #5 on: December 12, 2017, 04:11:20 PM »
My goal is to stop getting U.S. mail in 2018. I'm pretty close. If I've missed anything, please advise:

Here's what I've done:

1. All bill paying online.
2. All payments direct deposit. (I'm an independent contractor and receive many payments, and unfortunately a few clients still are not on-board or won't pay non-employees directly. So I still get some paper checks.)
3. Reduced magazines to online subscriptions.
4. Opted out of all mailing lists, credit card-generating things, etc.
5. Stopped sending Xmas cards.
6. Unsubscribed from all high school and college alumni stuff.

Things I need to figure out:

1. How to stop getting useless magazines that come with memberships while still keeping memberships (i.e. AAA and Costco. Actually, Costco is a decent magazine, but I rarely get around to reading it.)
2. How to stop getting political mail while remaining a registered voter. This probably isn't possible, especially here in Florida where every election at every level is a financial arms race of paper.
3. How to stop getting real estate solicitations of every kind.

How do you stop number 4? I am sick and tired of unasked for catalogs, credit card offers, etc. I throw them in the bin without opening. The whole process is one of the things I actually hate about America. Hate it. I at least clued myself in from realizing, do not give email addresses to cashiers when you shop. I had a cashier even tell me they had to have my email address to process an order. All I bought was a pair of jeans.

I just wish I could even not get catalogs on email. Yet I swear these emails add themselves back magically. I have unsubscribed, spammed and I still get an email from Honda...

Credit offers should be able to be stopped with the following: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/
Source: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email

Rimu05

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #6 on: December 13, 2017, 07:43:14 AM »
My goal is to stop getting U.S. mail in 2018. I'm pretty close. If I've missed anything, please advise:

Here's what I've done:

1. All bill paying online.
2. All payments direct deposit. (I'm an independent contractor and receive many payments, and unfortunately a few clients still are not on-board or won't pay non-employees directly. So I still get some paper checks.)
3. Reduced magazines to online subscriptions.
4. Opted out of all mailing lists, credit card-generating things, etc.
5. Stopped sending Xmas cards.
6. Unsubscribed from all high school and college alumni stuff.

Things I need to figure out:

1. How to stop getting useless magazines that come with memberships while still keeping memberships (i.e. AAA and Costco. Actually, Costco is a decent magazine, but I rarely get around to reading it.)
2. How to stop getting political mail while remaining a registered voter. This probably isn't possible, especially here in Florida where every election at every level is a financial arms race of paper.
3. How to stop getting real estate solicitations of every kind.

How do you stop number 4? I am sick and tired of unasked for catalogs, credit card offers, etc. I throw them in the bin without opening. The whole process is one of the things I actually hate about America. Hate it. I at least clued myself in from realizing, do not give email addresses to cashiers when you shop. I had a cashier even tell me they had to have my email address to process an order. All I bought was a pair of jeans.

I just wish I could even not get catalogs on email. Yet I swear these emails add themselves back magically. I have unsubscribed, spammed and I still get an email from Honda...

Credit offers should be able to be stopped with the following: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/
Source: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email

Filled it out. Here's hoping no more credit card offers come my way. Now to find the unwanted phone calls and catalogs one.

Marley09

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #7 on: December 13, 2017, 10:35:08 AM »
My goal is to stop getting U.S. mail in 2018. I'm pretty close. If I've missed anything, please advise:

Here's what I've done:

1. All bill paying online.
2. All payments direct deposit. (I'm an independent contractor and receive many payments, and unfortunately a few clients still are not on-board or won't pay non-employees directly. So I still get some paper checks.)
3. Reduced magazines to online subscriptions.
4. Opted out of all mailing lists, credit card-generating things, etc.
5. Stopped sending Xmas cards.
6. Unsubscribed from all high school and college alumni stuff.

Things I need to figure out:

1. How to stop getting useless magazines that come with memberships while still keeping memberships (i.e. AAA and Costco. Actually, Costco is a decent magazine, but I rarely get around to reading it.)
2. How to stop getting political mail while remaining a registered voter. This probably isn't possible, especially here in Florida where every election at every level is a financial arms race of paper.
3. How to stop getting real estate solicitations of every kind.

How do you stop number 4? I am sick and tired of unasked for catalogs, credit card offers, etc. I throw them in the bin without opening. The whole process is one of the things I actually hate about America. Hate it. I at least clued myself in from realizing, do not give email addresses to cashiers when you shop. I had a cashier even tell me they had to have my email address to process an order. All I bought was a pair of jeans.

I just wish I could even not get catalogs on email. Yet I swear these emails add themselves back magically. I have unsubscribed, spammed and I still get an email from Honda...

Credit offers should be able to be stopped with the following: https://www.optoutprescreen.com/
Source: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0262-stopping-unsolicited-mail-phone-calls-and-email

Filled it out. Here's hoping no more credit card offers come my way. Now to find the unwanted phone calls and catalogs one.

I filled it out too!  I hope that it works. I also completed #1, I changed all of my bills to paperless and #2 was already complete.  I need to figure out #3 and I am not sure that I am on board with #5 because I really really like getting/sending xmas cards, these are pieces of mail that I am still willing to get because they make me happy :) 

Also, https://www.optoutprescreen.com/, should take care of OP's #2 and possibly #3 "Things I need to figure out".  There was a whole section to opt-out of political mailings.

palebluedot

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #8 on: December 13, 2017, 08:04:45 PM »
Some other services you can try out to reduce your mail/email clutter:


What do people think about these numbers related to environment as stated here:
https://dmachoice.thedma.org/static/learn_more.php

Quote
Facts About Direct Mail
Some people come to the DMAchoice mail preference service planning on completely stopping all the direct mail they receive, because they think that doing so will help save paper and the environment. But before you do this, here are some numbers you may find interesting.

    Direct mail is a green way to shop. If Americans replaced two trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalog, we'd reduce our number of miles driven by 3.3 billion—a 3 billion pound reduction in carbon dioxide and a savings of $650 million on gas alone.
    Mail represents only 2.4% of America's municipal waste stream.
    The production of household advertising mail consumes only 0.19% of the energy used in the United States.
    Mail is made from a renewable resource. The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees grown for that specific purpose. The forest industry ensures that the number of trees each year is increasing, so trees are not a depleting resource. In fact, forest land in the United States has increased by 5.3 million acres in the past three decades.
    Direct mail is critical to the economic well-being of communities, businesses and charities throughout the United States. Last year it represented more than $686 billion in sales, supporting jobs at more than 300,000 small businesses across the country.



RWD

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #9 on: December 13, 2017, 08:46:58 PM »
What do people think about these numbers related to environment as stated here:
https://dmachoice.thedma.org/static/learn_more.php

Shopping by mail is still going to be less environmentally friendly than shopping via internet or just shopping less. The reason they bulk mail catalogs is because they are hoping people will see something they didn't know they "needed" and buy it when they otherwise would have not.

ketchup

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #10 on: December 13, 2017, 08:58:55 PM »
What do people think about these numbers related to environment as stated here:
https://dmachoice.thedma.org/static/learn_more.php

Quote
Facts About Direct Mail
Some people come to the DMAchoice mail preference service planning on completely stopping all the direct mail they receive, because they think that doing so will help save paper and the environment. But before you do this, here are some numbers you may find interesting.

    Direct mail is a green way to shop. If Americans replaced two trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalog, we'd reduce our number of miles driven by 3.3 billion—a 3 billion pound reduction in carbon dioxide and a savings of $650 million on gas alone.
    Mail represents only 2.4% of America's municipal waste stream.
    The production of household advertising mail consumes only 0.19% of the energy used in the United States.
    Mail is made from a renewable resource. The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees grown for that specific purpose. The forest industry ensures that the number of trees each year is increasing, so trees are not a depleting resource. In fact, forest land in the United States has increased by 5.3 million acres in the past three decades.
    Direct mail is critical to the economic well-being of communities, businesses and charities throughout the United States. Last year it represented more than $686 billion in sales, supporting jobs at more than 300,000 small businesses across the country.

I think $0 of that $686M comes from me, so they might as well not waste the resources of sending it to me in the first place.  If I need/want something, I find it myself and buy it.  Junk mail goes in the recycling without being looked at.  Sometimes it gets sworn at first.

I will definitely be trying out some of the tactics in this thread!

Monocle Money Mouth

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #11 on: December 14, 2017, 04:57:31 AM »
Some other services you can try out to reduce your mail/email clutter:


What do people think about these numbers related to environment as stated here:
https://dmachoice.thedma.org/static/learn_more.php

Quote
Facts About Direct Mail
Some people come to the DMAchoice mail preference service planning on completely stopping all the direct mail they receive, because they think that doing so will help save paper and the environment. But before you do this, here are some numbers you may find interesting.

    Direct mail is a green way to shop. If Americans replaced two trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalog, we'd reduce our number of miles driven by 3.3 billion—a 3 billion pound reduction in carbon dioxide and a savings of $650 million on gas alone.
    Mail represents only 2.4% of America's municipal waste stream.
    The production of household advertising mail consumes only 0.19% of the energy used in the United States.
    Mail is made from a renewable resource. The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees grown for that specific purpose. The forest industry ensures that the number of trees each year is increasing, so trees are not a depleting resource. In fact, forest land in the United States has increased by 5.3 million acres in the past three decades.
    Direct mail is critical to the economic well-being of communities, businesses and charities throughout the United States. Last year it represented more than $686 billion in sales, supporting jobs at more than 300,000 small businesses across the country.


It sounds like they cherry picked numbers to greenwash their junk mail. It still takes energy to print a catalog, ship it to the postal service, have them take it the final mile, and ultimately have it carted away by the garbage or recycling truck. Then there is additional energy being consumed to recycle it.

The vast majority of what they print and ship probably never even gets read.  It’s a horrendous waste of resources especially now that the internet is pretty ubiquitous.

Marley09

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #12 on: December 14, 2017, 07:01:14 AM »
Some other services you can try out to reduce your mail/email clutter:


What do people think about these numbers related to environment as stated here:
https://dmachoice.thedma.org/static/learn_more.php

Quote
Facts About Direct Mail
Some people come to the DMAchoice mail preference service planning on completely stopping all the direct mail they receive, because they think that doing so will help save paper and the environment. But before you do this, here are some numbers you may find interesting.

    Direct mail is a green way to shop. If Americans replaced two trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalog, we'd reduce our number of miles driven by 3.3 billion—a 3 billion pound reduction in carbon dioxide and a savings of $650 million on gas alone.
    Mail represents only 2.4% of America's municipal waste stream.
    The production of household advertising mail consumes only 0.19% of the energy used in the United States.
    Mail is made from a renewable resource. The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees grown for that specific purpose. The forest industry ensures that the number of trees each year is increasing, so trees are not a depleting resource. In fact, forest land in the United States has increased by 5.3 million acres in the past three decades.
    Direct mail is critical to the economic well-being of communities, businesses and charities throughout the United States. Last year it represented more than $686 billion in sales, supporting jobs at more than 300,000 small businesses across the country.


It sounds like they cherry picked numbers to greenwash their junk mail. It still takes energy to print a catalog, ship it to the postal service, have them take it the final mile, and ultimately have it carted away by the garbage or recycling truck. Then there is additional energy being consumed to recycle it.

The vast majority of what they print and ship probably never even gets read.  It’s a horrendous waste of resources especially now that the internet is pretty ubiquitous.

+1 This is exactly what I was thinking.  Also,  the section I bolded above sticks out to me.  We are on the MMM forum because we are against mindless consumerism and question the mainstream practices of keeping up with the Joneses.  This statement to me is in the same vein as everyone needing to hire maids, landscapers and contractors instead of DIY because it will help the local economy.  Don't we push back against these ideas?

Rimu05

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #13 on: December 14, 2017, 08:06:40 AM »
Some other services you can try out to reduce your mail/email clutter:


What do people think about these numbers related to environment as stated here:
https://dmachoice.thedma.org/static/learn_more.php

Quote
Facts About Direct Mail
Some people come to the DMAchoice mail preference service planning on completely stopping all the direct mail they receive, because they think that doing so will help save paper and the environment. But before you do this, here are some numbers you may find interesting.

    Direct mail is a green way to shop. If Americans replaced two trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalog, we'd reduce our number of miles driven by 3.3 billion—a 3 billion pound reduction in carbon dioxide and a savings of $650 million on gas alone.
    Mail represents only 2.4% of America's municipal waste stream.
    The production of household advertising mail consumes only 0.19% of the energy used in the United States.
    Mail is made from a renewable resource. The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees grown for that specific purpose. The forest industry ensures that the number of trees each year is increasing, so trees are not a depleting resource. In fact, forest land in the United States has increased by 5.3 million acres in the past three decades.
    Direct mail is critical to the economic well-being of communities, businesses and charities throughout the United States. Last year it represented more than $686 billion in sales, supporting jobs at more than 300,000 small businesses across the country.


It sounds like they cherry picked numbers to greenwash their junk mail. It still takes energy to print a catalog, ship it to the postal service, have them take it the final mile, and ultimately have it carted away by the garbage or recycling truck. Then there is additional energy being consumed to recycle it.

The vast majority of what they print and ship probably never even gets read.  It’s a horrendous waste of resources especially now that the internet is pretty ubiquitous.

This! I don't understand how many different companies packaging credit card offers, catalogs and having these shipped out to people is more environmentally friendly than me just going to the store. Someone has to bring that catalog. It then gets tossed in the bin.


soccerluvof4

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Re: Stop Getting U.S. Mail in 2018
« Reply #14 on: December 14, 2017, 07:04:54 PM »
Some other services you can try out to reduce your mail/email clutter:


What do people think about these numbers related to environment as stated here:
https://dmachoice.thedma.org/static/learn_more.php

Quote
Facts About Direct Mail
Some people come to the DMAchoice mail preference service planning on completely stopping all the direct mail they receive, because they think that doing so will help save paper and the environment. But before you do this, here are some numbers you may find interesting.

    Direct mail is a green way to shop. If Americans replaced two trips to the mall each year with shopping by catalog, we'd reduce our number of miles driven by 3.3 billion—a 3 billion pound reduction in carbon dioxide and a savings of $650 million on gas alone.
    Mail represents only 2.4% of America's municipal waste stream.
    The production of household advertising mail consumes only 0.19% of the energy used in the United States.
    Mail is made from a renewable resource. The vast majority of paper produced in America today comes from trees grown for that specific purpose. The forest industry ensures that the number of trees each year is increasing, so trees are not a depleting resource. In fact, forest land in the United States has increased by 5.3 million acres in the past three decades.
    Direct mail is critical to the economic well-being of communities, businesses and charities throughout the United States. Last year it represented more than $686 billion in sales, supporting jobs at more than 300,000 small businesses across the country.


It sounds like they cherry picked numbers to greenwash their junk mail. It still takes energy to print a catalog, ship it to the postal service, have them take it the final mile, and ultimately have it carted away by the garbage or recycling truck. Then there is additional energy being consumed to recycle it.

The vast majority of what they print and ship probably never even gets read.  It’s a horrendous waste of resources especially now that the internet is pretty ubiquitous.

This! I don't understand how many different companies packaging credit card offers, catalogs and having these shipped out to people is more environmentally friendly than me just going to the store. Someone has to bring that catalog. It then gets tossed in the bin.


I'm with you all on this one. I throw away probably 90% of my mail if not more and 75% of that I never open. And all that paper. What a waste.