Reducing Junk Mail

Any time you give your address to a business, whether you enter a contest, complete a warranty card or ask for information, it can wind up on mailing lists. If you want to reduce the amount of junk mail you get, be selective about who you give your address to.

If you order merchandise by phone, tell the operator not to add your name to the mailing list (or sell, rent, or trade your information). When ordering online, always check the opt-out box. If there isn't one, complete your order, then contact customer service by phone or email to make your request.

When you join a club, register for a conference, or fill out any form, tell the organization not to sell, trade, or rent your contact information. Also, check your credit cards’ privacy policies, which usually are sent annually. If you can’t find the information, call and find out how you can keep your name off their mailing lists.

You can keep your name off charity mailing lists (and keep from getting calendars, address labels, and greeting cards) by donating anonymously at networkforgood.org. They will send your donation, without your name or contact information, to the organization you choose, so you won't end up on solicitation lists.

You can visit www.optoutprescreen.com or call 888-567-8688 to remove yourself from the major credit bureaus' mailing lists for preapproved credit card and insurance offers. In addition, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) will remove your name and address for three years for $1 when you go to dmachoice.org/mps. The DMA says this will reduce your unsolicited mail by up to 80 percent.

Many banks, telephone companies and other services with monthly charges offer online- billing and payment options. Not only will you get less mail, you'll conserve paper and avoid the cost of mailing checks.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Reducing Junk Mail

Any time you give your address to a business, whether you enter a contest, complete a warranty card or ask for information, it can wind up on mailing lists. If you want to reduce the amount of junk mail you get, be selective about who you give your address to.

If you order merchandise by phone, tell the operator not to add your name to the mailing list (or sell, rent, or trade your information). When ordering online, always check the opt-out box. If there isn't one, complete your order, then contact customer service by phone or email to make your request.

When you join a club, register for a conference, or fill out any form, tell the organization not to sell, trade, or rent your contact information. Also, check your credit cards’ privacy policies, which usually are sent annually. If you can’t find the information, call and find out how you can keep your name off their mailing lists.

You can keep your name off charity mailing lists (and keep from getting calendars, address labels, and greeting cards) by donating anonymously at networkforgood.org. They will send your donation, without your name or contact information, to the organization you choose, so you won't end up on solicitation lists.

You can visit www.optoutprescreen.com or call 888-567-8688 to remove yourself from the major credit bureaus' mailing lists for preapproved credit card and insurance offers. In addition, the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) will remove your name and address for three years for $1 when you go to dmachoice.org/mps. The DMA says this will reduce your unsolicited mail by up to 80 percent.

Many banks, telephone companies and other services with monthly charges offer online- billing and payment options. Not only will you get less mail, you'll conserve paper and avoid the cost of mailing checks.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Procrastination and Perfectionism

I am finding that people are deferring decisions because they are looking for the perfect solution. Whether it is getting an area organized or starting a work project, they aren’t meeting their objectives because they can’t find just the right container or who will benefit best from a donation or what typeface to use. If you are waiting to find the perfect system, you are making a choice by not choosing, and allowing the details of your life to overwhelm you.

If you collect a lot of information to help you make a decision, you may end up feeling overloaded rather than prepared. Instead of helping you come to terms with what you seek, you end up with excess.

Think about what you need to accomplish and take one small step toward finishing. Schedule time to continue to take small steps and you will end up completing the project. Set a limit on how many samples you will get, bids you will solicit or opinions you will seek, for example, then decide to decide.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Procrastination and Perfectionism

I am finding that people are deferring decisions because they are looking for the perfect solution. Whether it is getting an area organized or starting a work project, they aren’t meeting their objectives because they can’t find just the right container or who will benefit best from a donation or what typeface to use. If you are waiting to find the perfect system, you are making a choice by not choosing, and allowing the details of your life to overwhelm you.

If you collect a lot of information to help you make a decision, you may end up feeling overloaded rather than prepared. Instead of helping you come to terms with what you seek, you end up with excess.

Think about what you need to accomplish and take one small step toward finishing. Schedule time to continue to take small steps and you will end up completing the project. Set a limit on how many samples you will get, bids you will solicit or opinions you will seek, for example, then decide to decide.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Put the Freeze on Identity Theft

If you are a victim of identity theft, you can put a fraud alert on your credit reports, which requires companies to call you to verify your identity when someone tries to get a credit card or loan in your name. In order to set up the alert, you need to contact one of the three credit-reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion); the other two will be notified by the one you contact.

While the fraud alert is effective, there is another action you can take. All three credit bureaus now offer you the opportunity to freeze your credit report. With a security freeze, businesses cannot access your credit files without your authorization, greatly limiting the chances that you will get credit. Of course, that means that thieves will not be able to open accounts in your name. If you decide to use this alternative, be aware that you need to contact all three credit agencies.

Find out more about security freeze laws, from Consumers Union, at http://www.FinancialPrivacyNow.org.

Protect yourself by getting a copy of your credit report from each credit-reporting agency once a year. Additionally, make a copy of the contents of your wallet and keep it in a safe place, in case you ever have to identify you are missing.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Put the Freeze on Identity Theft

If you are a victim of identity theft, you can put a fraud alert on your credit reports, which requires companies to call you to verify your identity when someone tries to get a credit card or loan in your name. In order to set up the alert, you need to contact one of the three credit-reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion); the other two will be notified by the one you contact.

While the fraud alert is effective, there is another action you can take. All three credit bureaus now offer you the opportunity to freeze your credit report. With a security freeze, businesses cannot access your credit files without your authorization, greatly limiting the chances that you will get credit. Of course, that means that thieves will not be able to open accounts in your name. If you decide to use this alternative, be aware that you need to contact all three credit agencies.

Find out more about security freeze laws, from Consumers Union, at http://www.FinancialPrivacyNow.org.

Protect yourself by getting a copy of your credit report from each credit-reporting agency once a year. Additionally, make a copy of the contents of your wallet and keep it in a safe place, in case you ever have to identify you are missing.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Income Tax Refund

While you’re thinking about the paperwork you need to do to get ready to submit your income taxes, consider the following: The IRS says 115,478 taxpayers are due refund checks worth a total of about $110 million; the checks were returned as undeliverable (see http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=164304,00.html).

If you think you might be due a refund that you never got, visit the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96596,00.html.

Refund checks are mailed to a taxpayer's last known address, so make sure the IRS can find you when you move. Just because your employer or bank has your correct address, doesn’t mean the IRS automatically has it, too. To change your address, you need to file IRS Form 8822: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8822.pdf.

When you file your taxes this year, consider signing up for direct deposit of your refund check, whether you file a paper return or electronically. Use Form 8888, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8888.pdf.

If you don’t have internet access, you can call 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) to order IRS forms.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!

Income Tax Refund

While you’re thinking about the paperwork you need to do to get ready to submit your income taxes, consider the following: The IRS says 115,478 taxpayers are due refund checks worth a total of about $110 million; the checks were returned as undeliverable (see http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=164304,00.html).

If you think you might be due a refund that you never got, visit the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96596,00.html.

Refund checks are mailed to a taxpayer's last known address, so make sure the IRS can find you when you move. Just because your employer or bank has your correct address, doesn’t mean the IRS automatically has it, too. To change your address, you need to file IRS Form 8822: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8822.pdf.

When you file your taxes this year, consider signing up for direct deposit of your refund check, whether you file a paper return or electronically. Use Form 8888, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8888.pdf.

If you don’t have internet access, you can call 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676) to order IRS forms.

Organized by Marcie: Getting you organized so you have time to do what you love to do!