Mailbox Crap, Pt. 2 - Newspapers & Flyers

I used to love receiving my flyers each week. The local newspapers provided me with plenty to read and drool over, delivered right to my mail box. I'd pull them out and immediately start searching for the flyers I liked best...JYSK, Home Outfitters, yadda yadda yadda. My husband would pull out the Canadian Tire flyer, then complain the rest of the week about all the flyers lying around that he had to gather up and carry out in the gray box every two weeks. Two weeks worth of flyers is a LOT to carry.

Then, one week, I didn't receive a flyer for my favourite grocery store. So I went and looked their flyer up online, and found that it looked exactly like the one that was delivered to me...but after reading it, I could just close the window, rather than adding it to the stack. Then I thought about how much stuff I wouldn't want and how much money I wouldn't spend, if I didn't get ANY flyers...most especially my very favourites, as mentioned above.

I never read any of the newspapers that I receive. All my news comes from the internet, as all the newspapers that I'm interested in have websites. And after finding out that all the same flyers were available online...

...I decided to stop receiving flyers and free newspapers. Believe me, this is much easier said than done. Please keep in mind Friday's post, in which I mentioned the rather large, cute, polite sign covering the front of my mailbox, which asks that no newspapers, flyers, or unaddressed mail be delivered.

Three local newspapers deliver things to my home. Two are small, free papers that are delivered door to door, and the third is the "Flyer Pack" that is distributed by our city's one large newspaper. I have, on different occasions, called each of them.

One was friendly, returned my call, agreed with my protesting this waste of paper being thrust upon me, and I've happily never heard from them again.

The second small paper blamed the kids that deliver the papers. They're new to the route, they don't know which houses want them and which don't, excuses, excuses. (They should know I don't want them...sign and all.) I asked them to send someone to pick up the paper, which of course they laughed at.

The large city paper never called me back, but at least they stopped delivering the flyer pack.

My advice? Call and complain, complain, complain. Even if it is kids who deliver the papers, this is a job for them, and they should do their job properly, or lose it to someone who will.

Another little tip...I have an old newspaper from a couple of weeks back sitting in my mailbox, and it seems to be repelling more papers from landing there. Keeping one in the bottom and letting it turn yellow may well work for keeping away more.

My husband couldn't be happier about the reduction in our recycling. He's the one who trots it out to the curb anyway, and he's more than happy to read Canadian Tire's flyer online.

And, dear readers, if you're reading THIS, then you have the resources to:

1. Lighten your recycling load.
2. Clearly send the message that flyers and newspapers aren't wanted or needed.
3. Still shop for the sales of your favourite stores.

Oh yeah...my shopping list has been reduced phenomenally now that I don't know about every little gadget or "must-have" that's currently available. Check out "Story of Stuff" to find out where 99% of our shopping ends up.