Just Send Them In!!!

I just learned a GREAT new anti-junkmail strategy from my boss. Every time you get junkmail, no matter what it is or what it is for (even the postcards in magazines) send it back in. Companies get charged for every piece of mail the post office deliveres to them. Send an empty envelope, or a gum wrapper, or a blank postcard - you don’t want to tell them WHO sent it. Whatever you send costs them money. They waste your time, kill trees, and create tons of garbage - so waste their money. Maybe someday they will wise up and stop sending all of us mail we do not want.

Think about it, if a million people sent postage paid envelopes back to AT&T Mastercard, AT&T would owe the Post Office $350,000 and they would have gotten NO new business!

We just sent AT&T Mastercard a sample chip of the formica we put in the kitchen, I hope they like it.

A public service message from Michelle

Damn, Michelle: great to see you back here!

Here's what I've done in the past (since I pay/receive my bills online now), any excess junk rec'd along with my bill I would stuff in the envelope with my check. And I wouldn't "kindly" make my check/payment easily accessable, they'd have to dig through there OWN crap to get to it, too.

I already do that with the pre paid envelopes they send. i just stick other junk mail in it and send it back to them. you never know they might like something they see.haha

ooo… sending junk mail back to them! What a good idea! I pay every bill I get on line, but I like getting the full statement in the mail. I just hate all those damn credit card offers, unfortunately, I ripped up 3 of them yesterday, but starting today they all get sent back!

This seems mean-spirited.

I really don’t see what the big deal is; just throw away what you don’t want. It really doesn’t take much of your time.

Now I just gotta figure out a way to put an end to telemarketers…

Chris - Ending telemarketing is now easy in New York, I joined the ‘do not call’ registry and I’m pretty sure we haven’t gotten a call since August. There is a form to report anyone who violates the do not call, and New York can fine the companies for doing it. I don’t know where you live, but you may have something similar.

Mean spirited? No, it is getting rid of an unwanted annoyance. How many thousand of pounds of jumk mail do you figure you throw out in a year? I get 2-4 pieces a DAY. It is a waste of natural resources, I'm sure it gives my mail man a back ache, and it is useless clutter for me to go thorugh, especially since it is not always obvious that it is junk mail.

Thanks… it’s good to be back grin

Funny you should mention credit card offers. I just got done ready a recycling newspaper that was mailed to me (ironically, it’s something I would usually consider junk mail, but it’s got some good info in it). It addresses the credit card offers that we so frequently get (I get AT LEAST ten per week). You can call 1-888-5OPTOUT to stop all pre-approved credit card and insurance offers from being mailed to you. When given the options, press “1” to have your name removed from lists for two years, or press “3” to have your name permanently removed. I haven’t done it yet, so can’t say if it works; but I’d give it a try if you’re being overwhelmed.

Also, just read a little more of the paper, and there’s an address for the Direct Marketing Association on there. It says “to dramatically reduce your junk mail, send a post card with all variations of your name to the adress below, and ask to be removed from the mailing list:”


Direct Marketing Assoc.

Mail Preference Service

PO Box 9008

Farmingdale, NY 11735

{God, I hope I did those HTML tags right} Anyway, hope this helps.

Tyler

Hey dont stop there… I will every once in a while just fill there envolope with a brik or rocks or sooo. I try to get it around 10-15lbs and then I send it back… Lets see if they like paying a bulk load rate… I hate junk mail.

You guys are all amateurs.


My solution? Move to Japan. BOOM! Instant no-more-junk-mail ever!


(I suspect a move to Zaire or the Maldives would probably be equally effective…)

You should really consider funneling efforts like these into improving your school-work, physique, job performance, etc… What you are doing is meaningless and puts you in a bad light.

Good idea Char… laugh but if I’m gonna pick up and move to get away from junk mail, I’m going to Holland.

TenMan - don't misunderstand me, I am not spending hours planning my revenge on companies that send me junk mail. But wasting their money is the only way to get them to listen (except for opt outs of course), I've called and told them to take me off the mailing lists and it has not worked yet.

Actually telemarketers are easy to get rid of. Either use the “take me off your list and don’t call here anymore” approach. Or say “that person doesn’t live here anymore.” Or say “that person died recently in a car accident.” The latter usually works better as they take you off their list, and if they still try to talk to you they usually feel bad.

Here’s what I’ve always wondered – why do people feel they are obligated to talk to telemarketers? I mean, I’ve seen/heard so many people who feel it’s necessary to say “no thank you, I’m no interested” or some other crap. I just don’t get it. I guess it’s because I worked as a telemarketer for a short time, so I know what it’s like there.


I have 2 reactions when they call, depending on my mood. Either I’ll give the whole “put me on your do not call list” which they are required to follow by law (check out junkbusters.org for more). Or, if I really don’t feel like dealing with it, I just hang up. Trust me, you’re not hurting anyone’s feelings. These people have to deal with talking to people all day. At least you saved them the time of pitching to you when you’re not going to get anything. And they’re not going to call you right back. They’re on an automated dialer that cycles.

I’ve been sending all grocery store flyers, store ads and other crap mail back to various companies in their postage paid envelopes for about a year now. Occasionally, I’ll include vegetable peels (or other nasty, decomposing but not overly wet items) between the wads of paper. I don’t think doing this is mean-spirited or immature or wrong at all. I didn’t ask the company for their garbage mail, but I got it anyway. They are not asking for mine, but they’re going to get it anyway as well. There is something mildly satisfying in returning the favor of being innundated with garbage. Luckily, there is a “no-call” thing here in Colorado. Only problem is that non-profit orgainzations and a few others aren’t included in the order. To deal with them, I simply ask to be removed from their call list.


I may be a vindictive bitch, but I’m ok with that. :wink:

When it comes to telemarketers, I have a LOT of fun with them. Yeah, I know they’re just trying to make a living. The one thing I ABSOLUTELY HATE is those services that they provide to you free up front, then “if you don’t want to continue, just cancel it.” Well, they’re making their $$ on people who forget to cancel. They know their services are basically worthless, which is why they can be provided for free initially. I make sure the person at the other end of the phone KNOWS that I find this marketing ploy to be deceptive, that I WILL NOT do business with comanies that employ these methods, and that they should run that comment up the flag pole of their company to whoever might care.

But in other cases I’ll just keep them on the line as long as possible before I tell them I’m not interested. I’ve even set the phone down (NOT hang up) and walk away. The phone will tell you when they’ve hung up.