Does junk mail work?

[johnlambert]

Morning ABers
the usual crop of post has just arrived and alongside the letters from friends, Credit Card bill etc is the ever present load of "To the owner" trying to sell us:
1) Double glazing from 3 diffrent companies,(we already have this)
2) Affordable debtbuster Loan (no thanks)
3) cheap car insurance (once again we have this, for both our cars)
4) Soffit/Facia replacement, (nothing wrong with the ones we already have)
5) A coach holiday to Italy, (no thanks)
Does anyone reply to this unasked for unwanted mail?
Anything that the Royal Mail deliver to my door trying to sell me goods gets marked "return to sender, unwanted junk mail". What do you do with yours?
TIA

[melons]

I get sick of coming home and trying to push the door open but cant because of all the junk mail! I do actually pop it into the recycling bin as i think it is a waste otherwise. I tryed returning them to sender but they still kept arriving. I personally have never brought anything from one that has been pushed through the door.

[melons]

just read comment about it making it worse to send it back!! Oops!
next time you get a cold caller speak really slowly.... and drag out sentances, i used to work on the cold calling bit for a home improvements firm. You only have 12 minutes for each call so they want to get it over and done with, if you slow them down we hated it! I left because i got one at home and thought how annoying!!

[Mammar]

Great tips you lot.
I use the "whiffey" method so I don't wear the shredder out too quickly.
Sense4all - great idea but if I didn't shred my name and address I'd never sleep at nights.
Will bear in mind the other tips about phone calls.
I usually interrupt them and tell them to erase my name and number from their database and I'll hold on while they do it. Don't for one minute think they do but I enjoy the umming and ahhing they make.

[rccatnap]

You could try the Opt-Out link and tell the Post Office you don't want any unaddressed mail delivered by the postman.
See < http://happenchance.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2 006/08/royalmail_junkmail.doc >
Write to the address on the top of the form first, say that you want to opt-out and they will reply giving all sorts of compelling reasons why you shouldn't. Be firm and they will send you this form (or you could print it out yourself) and send it after signing it. It takes about a month to comeinto operation. Not 100% but a definite reduction. Good luck.