Posted by bratsmom98 Thu Oct 16, 2008 3:41pm PDT
Great tips.I really like the one to send back there own junk mail!!!
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Posted by hopetohelp Wed Oct 29, 2008 12:54pm PDT
I recycle it. I am more than sure they won't. So while it sounds like an I gotcha, its more like a ooops didn't think all the way to the end.
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Posted by Chele Thu Oct 30, 2008 1:05am PDT
Actually, Hope, you'd be surprised by how many companies DO recycle - mind you, they don't do it for the appropriate "green". Many large companies, as well as most government offices, and more signing on every day, recycle in house. Then at night, when the cleaning crew is there they dump all the recycling into an industrial size bin. It is then picked up usually once a week, for a small fee. In addition, many companies opt, for an additional fee, to have their docs shredded by this same company. The provider then hauls it off and - you guessed it - gets paid by the pound from a recycling plant. The "green" they all see is apparent. It costs businesses/governments less to do it "green" than to pay the City to pick it up; it addresses security/privacy issues, and then they can tell their customers they are "green". I know that VISA, almost all of Washington DC, and all government offices and school districts where I live in Washington State do it. By the way, I heard Andy Rooney advise that he did this over 6 years ago on 60 Minutes; my guess would be that he either heard the idea or came up with it before Mr. Seo did. Peace.
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Posted by Jenn Mon Nov 3, 2008 11:41am PST
My dad did this once and taped the envelope securely to a brick. So not only did they have to pay postage for the junk they sent, but also the brick.
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Posted by wendy h Mon Nov 10, 2008 4:56am PST
I open the mail recycle the innards and save the envelopes to use for other things ....seedling seeds, notes and payment to the dog walker.. one year I used so many I ran out and was asking peers it they had any or could start saving them for me...
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Posted by llspears Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:27pm PST
Wouldn't the energy and gas involved in transporting the re-mailed envelope make this idea less environmentally friendly?
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Posted by Rick G Wed Nov 19, 2008 4:00pm PST
Actually, using their postage paid envelope for sending back the paper is not a legitimate purpose for that mailer and is illegal. I hope none of you are returning the enelopes with your personal data in them. The envelopes have been encoded with the recipients' information ink jetted on the back of the envelope. A legal way to respond to these is to take a scrap piece of paper, paste one of the millions of address labels we now get and write "Please do not send me any more offers" and return that in the envelope.
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Posted by 'T'/sometimes "sweet T" Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:38pm PST
I stuff all the marketing material back into the postage paid envelope. I also add a note written in large letters with marker"please remove this name at this address from your marketing list." I have been doing this for almost 9 yrs now. It has drasticly cut my junk mail. Catalogs, I only receive from companies I actually buy from.I phone others at their toll free numbers to ask to be removed from their list.
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Posted by Hank Sun Dec 7, 2008 11:36am PST
I've been doing this for years and my junk has actually increased. As for rick and his "illegal" statement, I think it would be fun to have one of these invaders prosecute me when I'm using the envelope they gave me to communicate with them. I think, with the economy in the doldrums thanks to our "beneficent" government overthe years since FDR was enthroned, that this lawyer loving society has brought a lot of this on themselves and a great many deserve whatever problems they have in this area and others.
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Posted by mzvirgo787 Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:42pm PST
I have been receiving unsolicited mail from a major cigarette chain and i just wrote return to sender on the mail. Ironically this worked faster than the hotline they want you to call that will take "6 months to take you off their list" ha! it took to returns in a month.
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Posted by I deliver Fri Dec 19, 2008 7:06pm PST
Your "wicked little idea" is NOT true! The companies do pay to receive that mail, BUT they get a credit back for the ones that are sent without the contents that were intended for the envelope. All you are doing is costing the Post Office money which in turn is raising the cost to the consumers.
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Posted by nonofyo Fri Dec 19, 2008 7:10pm PST
Please, I have just signed up for the do not mail and do not call. I have a pile of CRAP that needs to be shredded. OMG
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Posted by RobC Sun Dec 28, 2008 11:23am PST
What a lot of people don't realize is that all this "junk" mail in the system, helps keep down the cost of postage for everybody. If there wasn't any business' sending their ads through the mail, the cost of mailing a letter would probably be at least a dollar. As far as I'm concerned, they can keep sending me junk all they want. I appreciate the help in keeping my postage rates down. Thanks guys!
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Posted by Denice Bryan Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:19pm PST
So sad we have to make such a fuss over "junk" mail. If it wasn't for "junk" mail, the only thing in most mail boxes would be "bills". Chances are your friends and family are not sending you "thinking of you" cards!!!!! I'd much rather see my mail box full of "junk" mail.
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Posted by harmonograms Thu Jan 29, 2009 5:43pm PST
We have to pay for our trash removal; so to save money, we use these postage paid envelopes to mail cartons of our household trash back to these people for free. And the credit card offers just keep coming, thanks!
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