Whether it is junk mail, spam emails, telemarketing calls, or door-to-door sales people, nobody appreciates unwanted solicitations. Junk mail means more trash or recycling for you to deal with. Spam in your email inbox takes precious time out of your already packed day. Telemarketing phone calls and solicitors at your door interrupt family time and can leave you feeling harassed in the privacy of your own home. If you are tired of unwanted solicitations of any kind taking up your time and costing you piece of mind, here are some steps that you can take to stop these unwelcome solicitors once and for all.
You can stop junk mail from cramming your mailbox by visiting a few websites – all of them free of charge. First, go to the Direct Market Association website (click here). DMA’s Mail Preference Service lets you remove your name from organization mailing lists. Next, visit Opt Out Prescreen (here) to opt out of those infamous pre-approved credit card offers. If much of the junk in your mailbox consists of catalogs, head to Catalog Choice (click here) and opt out of those mailings as well.
Many grocery stores now require you to obtain one of their customer loyalty cards in order for you to receive sale prices. But did you know that these cards can also mean more junk mail for you? Next time you fill one out, leave the address blank. Or, here’s a novel idea, use the store’s address! And those registration and warranty cards that seem to come with everything these days? That’s right, nothing more than junk mailing list fodder; don’t bother filling them out.
When you give a donation to a charity or order merchandise through a catalog, tell the customer service representative, “Please do not rent or sell my information.” If you are ordering or donating through the mail, write a big note stating the same on your form or the bottom of your check to help stop unwanted solicitations and junk mail.
Spam
Spam email is nothing but a waste of time. It can also be dangerous, when it is used for phishing (read a great related article here). One way to stop spam from filling up your inbox is to adjust the settings on your provider’s spam filter.
If you find yourself frequently entering your email address on websites – such as when registering for an account, requesting freebies, or anything along those lines – consider establishing a second email account just for that purpose. This will greatly cut down your spam. When you receive spam due to something you have signed up for, take a moment to click on the “opt out” link usually located at the bottom of the email message. This might seem time consuming but by taking these steps you’ll have more time in the long run.
Telemarketing Calls
The first step you should take is to go to the National Do Not Call Registry’s website (click here) and register both your home and your cell phone numbers. Once you have done this, telemarketers covered by the Registry have up to 31 days from the date you register to remove your number from their list.
Next, start answering any telemarketing calls you see on your caller ID (if you are like me you might have avoided them). Before they have a chance to start their spiel, firmly assert that you are not interested and you want your name and number removed from their list. If you want to take it a step further, ask for and write down the telemarketer’s name and employee number in case the same telemarketing firm calls back after you have made your request. If you aren’t sure what to say, click here for a great script (hey, they have one, shouldn’t you?).
Door-to-Door Solicitors
You might think you don’t need to do anything to stop unwanted solicitors from ringing your doorbell because it has never happened at your current home. That’s what I thought, until last weekend when a representative from a – ahem – “big old” tire and auto maintenance chain showed up at my door at an inopportune time and refused to take no for an answer! Not only is door-to-door solicitation a nuisance, but it can be dangerous as well. Opening your door to a stranger is, sadly, not a wise thing to do in this day and age. First and foremost, hang a “no soliciting” sign on your door in prominent view. If you feel guilty for the poor little kids you might turn away, consider this: how many times have you been approached to buy Girl Scout cookies or school fundraiser items by friends, family members, or even while walking out of Wal-Mart? Don’t worry, they will find you another way.
If an unwanted solicitor ignores your sign and rings your doorbell anyway, and you decide to answer, open only your inside door and leave the screen door locked. Ask to see the solicitor’s license, permit, or company ID. And remember, you are not being rude or mean if you simply state you are not interested and close your door. You did not invite this solicitor to your home!
