How to Stop Companies From Mailing You Junk Mail

No one likes opening their mailbox to find it stuffed full of credit card offers, unwanted catalogs, and other junk mail. Unfortunately, there are a lot of marketers who have your address on file and it can be nearly impossible to completely get rid of. However, there are steps you can take to minimize the amount of junk mail you receive.

Firstly, you can look for postage-paid return envelopes on the junk mail you do receive and write "return to sender" on them in large letters (use a marker that won't smear if it gets wet). This should encourage the company to stop sending you mail. You can also try calling or emailing them and asking them to remove your name from their list. If you are still receiving junk mail, you can try registering with the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service. This will remove you from a number of companies' mailing lists for five years.

You can also register for Catalog Choice, a free non-profit that works to help consumers eliminate unwanted catalogs. They will send your catalog opt-out request to the merchants on your behalf.

If you are still receiving a lot of junk mail, try switching to paperless billing with your utility providers and credit card companies to reduce the amount of paper you use. This should significantly cut down on the amount of junk mail you receive.

It is important to remember that no matter how many steps you take, you probably won't be able to completely eliminate all the junk mail you receive. This is because your address has been shared with a number of different marketing agencies and companies.