Home Office Answers

Imagine spending 3 million dollars every time the cost of gas goes up one penny? That’s about 15 million dollars, or more, a day on average right now.

That is a real number for the US Postal Service.  A 3 Million dollar increase in expenses every time the cost of fuel goes up one cent!

YES 3 million dollars.

I believe it really is time to rethink the post office operation and the mail needs of this country.

As I have mentioned more than a few times, at least half of the mail I get in my box is unwanted and not necessary. Why should I be forced to contribute to this problem that I choose NOT to be a part of.

The problem in my opinion is HUGE! The cost OUTRAGEOUS and the waste of resources SHAMEFUL!

I have signed up for many do not mail list. I sign up and constantly request to stop catalogs and yet they still show up in my box weekly.

Why can’t it be simplified? How about a tag on my mailbox that indicates to the carrier, no deliveries allowed to occupant.
No fliers, no papers etc. Shouldn’t that be MY choice.

Shouldn’t my rights as a postal consumer be to only receive mail that is addresses to me?

I also favor elminintaing mail delivery at least one day a week. Think of the billions of dollars in fuel money that will save plus how much gas that will put back in the supply chain. If the USPS agreed to change to delivery 5 days a week starting in 2009 we could see gas prices back below $3.00 a gallon this summer. The announcement alone would stop the wild traders and speculators. I think if they announce it now and start in 2009 everyone will have time to adjust there schedules.

If we can eliminate a small portion of unwanted mail there should not be any extra burden on postal workers by eliminating a delivery day.

Maybe I should write in to Bill O’Reilly on FOX News, it really is time to stand up and do something!

Please share your thoughts by posting a comment

Junk mail is a real issue irritation for me.

There are ways to try to reduce junk mail. but they take time, and lots of it.
So while you are waiting for your www.greendimes.com service to reduce your junk mail, why not try and find ways to use all that paper instead of throwing it into the landfill.

I shred most of my junk mail and save it for packing items that have to be shipped.

I dream about using the shreds to make my own beautiful homemade paper, but doubt I’ll ever take the time to do that.
If you do make your own paper I would love to hear and learn about it.

This article on using the paper to mulch is very interesting. Frugality in Practice: Turn Your Junk Mail into Garden Mulch

If you have used paper for mulching or have another idea on how to use junk mail please share it.

The dark side of my brain wonders if we all saved our junk mail for 30 days and then returned it all to the post office on the same day, would “they” get the message.

When I am being rational I know it’s not the postal workers problem to solve and most of them probably hate junk mail as much as I do.  So who do we contact to STOP the madness?

The folks at ForestEthics have started a DO NOT MAIL campaign to petition congress. 

If you want congress to know you are frustrated with junk mail and want it stop, I recommend you sign the petition.

There are web sites organized around helping you stop your own personal influx of mail.

There is the free service Catalogue Choice.  It’s very user friendly.  It is only going to help reduce catalogues that you receive.

You can Cut Junk Mail up to 90%. Plant 10 Trees. All for $20.
www.greendimes.com  their service is designed to help you reduce all mail not just catalogues.
Green Dimes has also recently added a free version, where they will send you $1.00 to try it out.
Check it out www.greendimes.com

ProQuo is a free service designed to help reduce all junk mail and catalogues. 

41Pounds appropriately cost $41.00 and covers you for 5 years.

I think the bigger question we have to answer is why is something that seems so simple  really so complex?   

How did we get where we are and how can we get out?

In my former life I worked at a major financial institution that used direct mail solicitation on a regular basis.  The cost of direct mail advertising is so cheap compared to all other methods of advertising that to have a successful campaign the company only needed a 7-10% response rate.  I doubt that the rate is any higher today.

Simply put- Junk mail WORKS. 

Think about your own experiences, have you EVER been prompted by something you received in the mail to go out and make a purchase you were not planning?  I think if you are truthful the answer is yes.  Most of us, at least once, have seen an ad in the mail and said “I want that”. After all who doesn’t love a good coupon from their favorite store?

Accepting that fact that advertising works no matter how much we hate it, forces us to look at the junk mail problem from another angle.

A quick search on the USPS web site reveals that the bulk rate postage paid by advertisers is about half what we pay as consumers to send mail. 

My search also revealed the USPS web site is barraged with information about how to start a direct mail campaign to increase business.  Should the government be encouraging direct mail ads?

I think eliminating bulk mail rates for businesses may be a start.  I realize eventually the increased cost of mailing advertisements may filter down to us, the consumer, thru the cost of the products.  However; maybe an increase in mailing cost will cause each company to look for and find alternative advertising methods.

What do you think the answer is? 
Please post your comments maybe together we can find the real solution to stop junk mail.