A few weeks ago I came home to spot a large full plastic bag sitting on the front steps of our house. I thought it may have been a package my wife ordered or some nice baked goods from the neighbor. After getting closer, I discovered what it was:
The Yellow Pages phone book.
“Do they still send those out to folks?” I thought to myself.
In the Internet age and online directories for everything and anything – I was a bit surprised to see this at the doorsteps.
While there still is a segment of the population who doesn't have access to the Internet (or chooses not to for whatever reason), I suspect that many who are online will end up tossing theirs in the dumpster or recycling bin.
In an effort to help you declutter and opt out of unwanted junk mail you may not want to receive – here's a few resources and links to get your name removed from these lists. Please let us know of any other places we should know about in the comments section.
No more Yellow Pages
At the National Yellow Pages Consumer Choice and Opt-out Site, you enter your info to be removed from receiving any future bulky directory deliveries. You will need to “register” at the site – but it shouldn't take more than a few minutes.
No more direct mail (or less of it)
The Direct Marketing Association's (DMA)website allows recipients to “manage” the amount of mail they receive via their online portal. Again, you'll need to register for the site and enter the pertinent information. According to their site, the DMA separates direct mail into four categories: credit offers, catalogs, magazine offers and other mail offers. You can request to start or stop receiving mail from individual companies within each category—or from an entire category at once.
No more Red Plum offers
Now I may be stepping on some thrifty toes here – but if you are fed up with all the coupon offers and ads you are getting in the mail, Red Plum (one of the largest purveyors of coupons) has a webpage where you can opt out of future mailings. It will take about 5-6 weeks to be taken off their list.
No more of any junk mail
Then there is this handy app that I discovered reading Reddit, called PaperKarma. All you have to do is take a picture of your address on the piece of junk mail using the app – and it will automatically take you off the list. I don't know how they are doing this – but it was featured on the Today show recently and (from the host's comments) it seems to work.
11 Comments
I had no idea you could opt out of getting phone books. I feel so wasteful picking those up off my porch and throwing them straight into the garbage.
Thanks for these amazing tips. Hope to hear more from you!
Thanks for this information Aaron! I hate phone books too, in fact I received two phone books every year and I don’t use it either.
This is definitely must know details. I didn’t know about these, but I’ll go on DMA’s website and sign-up.
This is definitely must know information. I didn’t know about these, but I’ll go on DMA’s site and register. I might also give PaperKarma a try.
Would love to hear about your experience with PaperKarma if you give it a try
Those massive phone books are SUCH a waste of paper. It makes me sad.
And unnecessary for a large portion of the population
I think I love you. We get far too much junk mail and I was JUST saying to myself I needed to look up ways to reduce this crap. Thank you!
You bet! Just say no to junk!