PLEASE REMOVE ME FROM YOUR MAILING LIST!!!!
Posted by Karen on Jun 02 2008
Every.single.day we get a mailbox full of crap. Ok, not literally, but the junk mail pours in from everywhere. There was a time I was getting 5-10 credit card offers a week. Plus I end up on mailing lists for catalogs for things I would never in my life want to buy. This last Christmas I bought flannel pjs and slippers from Victoria’s Secret for a gift. Seriously, these were old-lady-cover-every-body-part pjs. Cuter than anything, but nothing you could even begin to say was risque. So what happened? I ended up with the VS Soft Porn catalog in my mailbox. Seems like my name gets out on mailing lists and it just goes nuts from there.
I get sick of wading through the junk. So occasionally I have to take action. So here’s what I do…..
I use my custom stamper I ordered from Staples and I stamp the order form in the catalog. Then I fax the stamped form back to them. Most catalogs will have an option to fax your order in, so it’s pretty easy to do. If there is no fax number, I look for a postage paid envelope. My stamper looks like this:
The order form usually has identifying information on it so they know exactly who to remove from their list. If it doesn’t, then I cut out my name and address from the cover and tape it on before faxing. You can see where I did that on the left hand form.
Of course, over time things build up again and the mail starts to pour back in. But then I just get my trusty stamper out and make my point in no uncertain terms!
There is another option….Green Dimes will help decrease your unsolicited mail. Of course, I’ve been to cheap lazy busy to look into it further.
That’s my helpful hint for this Monday.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 10:34 am 1 Awesome Mom said …
You can also use those prepaied envlopes to send them heavy and bulky packages. I found a funny website about that, but the link is on my computer that is packed up and on it’s way to Kansas so you will have to wait to see the link.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 10:44 am 2 Dawn @ Coming to a Nursery Near You said …
There’s a website where you can request /demand to be removed from their mailing lists - I’ll email it to you if/when I find it
on 02 Jun 2008 at 11:03 am 3 Pinkaholic Mom said …
One of the websites you can use to remove yourself from mailing lists is www.catalogchoice.com . I think that’s the one that I always hear about.
I sort of feel your pain. While we don’t really receive unwanted catalogs very often, we DO receive mail for the previous occupants of our house. Plus, mail for people I never even heard of! I’m guessing the previous previous occupants. How long does a person have to live in a house before they stop getting other peoples mail? It’s so annoying!
on 02 Jun 2008 at 1:25 pm 4 Mary T. said …
You’d think businesses have better stuff to do then mail out a bunch of junk! It’s a bit sad that you had to get a custom made stamp because you are receiving THAT much junk mail.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 1:52 pm 5 Sue said …
A good idea to send the “crap” back to them. They are paying for it as a matter of fact. Send numerous different items back to them…take your address off first and ship them off….those pesky “catalog” paper/coupon things come to my house numerous times a week and go directly into the garbage. Got a message the other day that a window company was returning my call….I never called for windows…I am unlisted.
Got called last week from Visa offering me $60 in gas coupons…for $2 shipping. I said…what’s the catch..what else are you going to get me for (this is after I said NO twice..she started ….for $29.95…… I said NO and hung up.
Never stops!!!!!
on 02 Jun 2008 at 2:46 pm 6 KT said …
I can’t wait to grow up and have to deal with that! NOT! Gosh, don’t people have better stuff to do? How many people do you think actually buys stuff from them b/c of that! Does it even pay for itself??? That is one job I will NEVER DO!!!
on 02 Jun 2008 at 3:13 pm 7 reba said …
i hate this, i have used catalog choice and seen a huge decrease and they are free the dma charges you $1 or so to remove yourself from their list but it is worth it. we still get some junk but nothing like before. my biggest pet peeve is credit card checks, thats just begging for ID theft
on 02 Jun 2008 at 4:42 pm 8 Denise said …
optoutprescreen.com is a website that helps cut down insurance and credit card offers tremendously! I think you have to opt out about every five years. It’s made a huge difference for us.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 4:44 pm 9 Sanjiv Parikh said …
GreenDimes here,
Thanks for the mention. Love that stamp. We stop all kinds of junk mail like credit card offers & unwanted catalogs.
You can now sign up for FREE and we’ll plant a TREE or PAY YOU a buck. Takes 5 minutes.
on 02 Jun 2008 at 4:52 pm 10 Leart said …
Have you had any problems with Staples catalogs, since you purchased your stamp? LOL!
on 02 Jun 2008 at 6:20 pm 11 Amy said …
I used www.catalogchoice.com too and it worked great. There’s also www.donotmail.org - they will help you out of the madness =)
on 03 Jun 2008 at 10:24 am 12 Teri said …
I’ve used catalog choice too. All that excess just annoys me. And then, there’s Nationwide Children Hospital… Since Nationwide added their name we’ve received several mailins, one of which included a pen and one of which included a pin. I have never donated money to Children’s. DD was in a Pleasure Guild performance two years ago and then auditioned this year. You’d think they’d rather spend money on research!
on 03 Jun 2008 at 6:29 pm 13 Ashley said …
Hey I love my VS pajamas you got me for Christmas. Grandma??yes. Comfortable??? yes. Either way I love them.