Getting Rid of paperwork

[EvianBaby]

I've got years worth of old bank statements, etc I need to get rid of preferably in the next two weeks.

I was going to burn them in the yard at work but landlord said we're not allowed anymore.

I could use the shredder at work but I've got so much it would take me forver and the last time I did a bulk the bloody thing started smoking.

What other options are there for getting rid of it all? I don't really want to pay anyone to take it and destroy it (can't afford that at the moment)

[Vicasso]

I have one of these at home....
http://www.comparesto...ross-cut-shredder.asp
You can feed your unwanted paperwork through it in your own time, and prevent future accumulations.

[ubasses]

Same as Vicasso, when its full I give it all a good mix up, then bin half in recycling rubbish and the put the other half in next weeks. Hubby thinks i'm neurotic.

[nannybooby]

you could buy a dutbin type burner and do it at home.

[Vicasso]

ubasses.....I think Hubby is correct :-)

[woofgang]

not sure where you live but here in Hampshire shredding is not accepted for recycling.

[VHG]

ubasses, I think you are doing exactly the right thing.

Unfortunately identity theft is on the increase and once people get your personal and banking details they can order credit cards or get loans on your behalf (that you know nothing about).

It can take ages to "prove" it was not you who ordered these credit cards and got these loans, and it can give you a bad credit rating that can take years to shake off.

A friend of mine, his father died, and the father's house was empty for a few months. Somebody broke in, stole enough papers to assume his father's identity and started ordering credit cards to be delivered to this empty house.

The family had no idea this had happened and the "burglers" just kept going round and picking up the latest credit cards.

It took ages to prove that his father WAS in fact dead and could not have orderded these cards, and it was very upsetting for the family.

[ubasses]

I think it was my 35 years of banking, one of my duties as a manager was to check the bins randomly to ensure that no confidential waste was being put in them.

[gness]

When my old shredder went up in smoke I filled the bath with warm soapy water, tore the papers in 3 or 4 pieces and gave the grandchildren 50p each to "grape tread" it all to a pulp. Time consuming with very shiny paper so they got a bonus.

[Dodger666]

You've had this paper hanging round a while now. You could have shredded it by now if you'd done a bit at a time.

http://www.theanswerb.../Question1111201.html

[EvianBaby]

I could if I had realised burning it was going to be a problem and if my entire life revolved soley around this task.

Jees.

Looks like trying to shred it is the only option, then try not to hoard so much of it.

[ummmm]

My way might seem a bit mad. I rip it up and put it a sink of hot water. I leave it there for ages...take out and scrunch into small balls.

[tenrec]

Get one of those like Vicasso's. Put your music headphones on and away you go.

[Mamyalynne]

I do the soaking method too lol

[heathfield]

Remember that HMRC consider that you should keep all paperwork to do with your finances over the last six years!

[cathfromsaron]

does anyone you know have a woodburner?

pop over and burn them scrunched up!

[pdq1]

Put it in a degradeable plastic bag and into you NON-recycling bin. This will go to landfill and decompose pretty quickly.

[MarkRae]

I have one of these: http://www.argos.co.u...chtext%3ESHREDDER.htm

Goes through credit cards and staples too.

[grasscarp]

my daughter told me the shredded paper is allowed to go in the green food waste bin of the recycling myriad containers we have in this area.