3 Tips to Stop Junk Mail, Once and For All

You know the feeling all too well — you go to your mailbox and pull out a huge stack of letters. After the initial rush of receiving so much at once, however, disappointment sets in quickly. It’s all junk mail – pre-approved credit card offers, furniture sales for stores you’ve never heard of, menus from restaurants. Not only is it annoying to have mail you never asked for crowding your mailbox, but it's also a waste of paper and time as you sort through it all by hand. Luckily, there are a few tried and true methods to stop junk mail once and for all.

Opt Out of Direct Marketing

Experts unanimously recommend reaching out to the Direct Marketing Association to unregister from marketing mail. DMA can stop most unwanted junk mail for under $10, depending on whether you mail your preferences or go online. It may be annoying to have to pay to end marketing mail, but it’s worth it to eliminate junk from your mailbox.

Opt Out of Credit Card Offers

Similar to asking the DMA for help with eliminating direct marketing, you can contact Opt Out Prescreen for help with avoiding credit card offers. With this service, you can choose to opt out of offers for the next ten years or permanently. Be prepared to provide personal information so that their system can securely check three of the major credit reporting companies out there — though you can opt out of sharing your Social Security number and date of birth.

What About Catalogs?

Some people like to shop, and some people don’t. If you want to opt out of catalogs specifically, you can check out the website Catalog Choice. This service lets you choose which (if any) catalogs you want to get in the mail. Catalog Choice is run entirely by donations, which means that you will not have to pay for their help — though you’re welcome to make a donation yourself.

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