Direct mailing and the like

[julianhj]

I'm really rather bored by the ridiculous quantity of junk mail that comes through the letterbox, or is wedged into newspapers and magazines I buy. It seems like such a waste of paper that recently I've been compelled to send it all back to the relevent firms when freepost or business reply envelopes have been provided.

Obviously it's not the fault of the poor person that has to open said mail, so I don't stoop to leaving rude of offensive remarks in said mailings. Instead, in an effort to spread peace and happiness around those involved in such a tedious role, I've be writing small notes of encouragement, cheerful quotes and the like.

Not only does this give the Royal Mail a little extra cash (I understand they're having a hard time of it), but it also puts to use the banal literature I am constantly bombarded with. I'd like to think that these titbits of joy are then recycled, but that could be too much to ask.

Would you consider sparing a few seconds to post your own thoughts back to these firms?

Thanks awfully

[Plotloss]

Alternatively you could join the Mailing Preference Service...

[stackmonkey]

Already done

and the telephone and email equivalents.

still get the odd one, but they stop over 95% effectively and the rest can be stopped as they occur.

[Raify]

Already doing this. I pass said junk mail through the shredder first, so the business reply envelope resembles a small pillow!

[t1grm]

I used to put them all back in the letter box with the address crossed out and "no such person at this address" written on them. It's stopped quite a lot of it. I think they do check returned mail and remove the addresses from their databases to try and save money.

[BliarOut]

MPS, TPS etc definitely work.... I must have saved an entire tree already

[cotty]

t1grm said:

I used to put them all back in the letter box with the address crossed out and "no such person at this address" written on them.

Do it about 5 times before you write on the envelope they get charged each time

[hornet]

Another vote for MPS and TPS - had a call from "3" yesterday evening...

"Good evening Sir, can I ask you a few questions about your mobile phone please?"

"Only if I can ask one first...I'm registered with the TPS, so why are you phoning me?"

*click*

Does seem to put the fear of God into them.

As for junk mail...I keep getting stuff addressed to previous occupants, even though I've lived here a year. Main offenders are Mastercare, HFS Finance and Always (!). Capital One don't seem to want to take no for an answer either...they've sent junk to my flat AND to my parents house, so I would appear to be on their mailing list twice. If anyone at Crapital One is reading this, you're not in my wallet, you're in my bin.

[srebbe64]

Rather than send the original stuff back to the company,which they can reuse, I send bak the wrong junk mail to the wrong address. See how they like it!

[julianhj]

I always write a little message on the stuff I send back - no opportunity to reuse. A particular favourite is Capital One, as they put leaflets in just about everything I pick up.