Lauren's List: Tips To Cut Down On Junk Mail
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - If your mailbox looks anything like mine, it's mostly filled with junk.
The average American household receives 848 pieces of junk mail, equal to 1.5 trees every year.
Forty-four percent of it gets tossed out unopened.
Today's Lauren's List has some tips for eliminating all that junk.
Do Not Mail List
Much like the "Do Not Call List", you can sign up to opt out of direct mailings. You can visit DirectMail.com to indicate if there are any types of mailings you would like to receive from the list provided. DirectMail.com will then contact you every six months via email so you can review and update your preferences. It's not guaranteed though, so the mailings may not stop completely.
Contact Banks
Many of us have opted for "paperless billing", which means our banks and other financial institutions don't send us actual, physical statements anymore. But that doesn't mean they stop sending promotional offers. The Federal Trade Commission says you can opt out of these offers by visiting optoutprescreen.com. Or, you can write directly to the credit reporting services like Experian, Transunion and Equifax to be removed from these pre-screen lists.
Refuse Delivery
Keep an eye out for mailings sent to "current resident" rather than your actual name. Then check for the phrases "return service requested", "forwarding service requested", "address service requested," or "change service requested". Go ahead and mark these envelopes "RETURN TO SENDER," and put them right back in your mailbox.
Protect Your Information
You may not even realize that you've given away your information simply by signing up for things you actually do want and need. So contact anyone you pay a bill to-- like credit card companies or utilities-- and tell them not to release your name, address, Social Security number, email address, or phone number to anyone for any type of marketing or promotional reasons.
How much junk mail do you get?
Tell me on Facebook or Twitter.
If you have an idea for a future Lauren's List, send it to lpastrana@cbs.com.