Junk Mail is on the Out, But...

by Bruce Simmons :

The unsolicited offers called junk mail that we all get from financial institutions is on the decline, as the amount of junk mail sent fell an estimated 12% in the first quarter of 2008.

This follows a year where consumer awareness is becoming more acute with present housing market and the consumer is reassessing their situations. (And here I thought they didn't care.)

Why do I think this a good thing?

• People aren't sucked into the mindless offers that really don't do them any good.
• It's less paper wasted. (I love my fireplace.)
• Less junk mail mean less opportunity for trash thieves to *F* your credit rating. (I love my fireplace)

Despite this wonderful news of declining junk mail, we still got an estimated 4.2 billion, (A billion is 100 million. Isn't it?) pieces of direct mail.

Did you know that junk mail is responsible for:
Each year,

• 100 million trees are used to produce junk mail;
• 250,000 homes could be heated with one day's supply of junk mail;
• Americans receive almost 4 million tons of junk mail every year.

Sadly, while direct marketing is still effective, we'll never get rid of it. That means you have to stop responding to the unsolicited offers and sales folks.

If you didn't know you needed or wanted something before you got the mail, you should stick to that premise and toss the stuff. Don't open it... toss the junk... your eyes are getting droopy, you want to toss the junk mail...

In other words, be smart shoppers, not victims.

Here's at least one resource:
Junkbusters is a site that has information on how to stop junk mail and telemarketing calls, this service is free. (It's a reference to get you started looking. I haven't used it myself.)

Sources: wsoctv; epa