# Commercial paper shredding: Be careful **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 11, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192 "2012-08-11T14:12:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/1 "2012-08-11T14:12:41Z")
If you take old documents to an outfit such as [shred-it.com](http://shred-it.com), note how they calculate their charges. Shred-it charges $10 per “box.” A “box” is _whatever unit of packaging **you** bring._ Laundry basket? Ten bucks. Banker’s file box? Ten bucks. Shoebox? Ten bucks. Half-full kitchen garbage bag? Ten bucks. **Papa Doug** , who is a hard man with a dollar, had to call the poor shlub on the truck some not very nice names to get his 5 half-filled trash bags negotiated from $50 down to $30. Avoid such unpleasantness or prepare for it. ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2012, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/2 "2012-08-11T16:11:01Z")
Our local assisted workplace for people with disabilities does shredding by the pound (14 cents/pound, IIRC). And it’s tax-deductible. Sweet deal. ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2012, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/3 "2012-08-19T22:24:43Z")
I bought the cheapest shredder available at the mart of wal …it jammed up in less than a week. since then I’ve just been taking my shredding to work. is that wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/4 "2012-08-20T03:01:33Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > If you take old documents to an outfit such as [shred-it.com](http://shred-it.com), note how they calculate their charges. > > Shred-it charges $10 per “box.” A “box” is _whatever unit of packaging **you** bring._ Laundry basket? Ten bucks. Banker’s file box? Ten bucks. Shoebox? Ten bucks. Half-full kitchen garbage bag? Ten bucks. > > **Papa Doug** , who is a hard man with a dollar, had to call the poor shlub on the truck some not very nice names to get his 5 half-filled trash bags negotiated from $50 down to $30. Avoid such unpleasantness or prepare for it. If the pricing policy is as you say, why was there an argument with the guy on the truck? Also, Papa Doug could’ve maybe paid even less depending on how much he could take from one bag and stuff into another. This is truly a glass half full/half empty sorta thing. At least you learned something abut ol’ Papa Doug. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/5 "2012-08-20T04:20:16Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > I bought the cheapest shredder available at the mart of wal …it jammed up in less than a week. > > since then I’ve just been taking my shredding to work. is that wrong? I’d make sure the boss is OK with that, just to avoid any problems when someone notices, but that’s me. 🙂 We own an office-grade cross-cut shredder, since both my husband and I are a bit less than comfortable handing shreddables over to strangers unless it’s going to be shredded right then and there while one of us is watching. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/6 "2012-08-20T05:14:05Z")
I don’t shred. Never have. Somehow, nobody has managed to pilfer my creds. I wish my life was exciting enough to have shredables. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/7 "2012-08-20T05:14:31Z")
I admit to mild paranoid tendencies. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/8 "2012-08-20T12:01:34Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I don’t shred. Never have. > > Somehow, nobody has managed to pilfer my creds. > > I wish my life was exciting enough to have shredables. wait, this is an option? but aren’t you constantly getting stuff in the mail with important personal information on it? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/9 "2012-08-20T12:12:40Z")
I have a shredder at work, but at home we just burn stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/10 "2012-08-20T12:25:19Z")
I bought a cross shredder (not cross dresser you perverts) that will mince credit cards. It cost next to nothing. And if you are really ikey, you can use the shredded paper as kitty litter. I guarantee no one will examine it after that anyway. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/11 "2012-08-20T13:39:50Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > Shred-it charges $10 per “box.” A “box” is _whatever unit of packaging **you** bring._ Laundry basket? Ten bucks. Banker’s file box? Ten bucks. Shoebox? Ten bucks. Half-full kitchen garbage bag? Ten bucks. Refrigerator box? The entire capacity of a box truck? ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/12 "2012-08-20T14:54:40Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > wait, this is an option? but aren’t you constantly getting stuff in the mail with important personal information on it? Not really. All my bank statements, investment accounts, bills, tax forms and whatnot are all online. The rare piece of mail with sensitive information that I do get, I dispose of by…throwing in the garbage. We’re not exactly talking national security, here. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/13 "2012-08-20T15:05:48Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > And if you are really ikey, you can use the shredded paper as kitty litter. You do know the origin of [ikey](http://en.glosbe.com/en/en/ikey), don’t you? It’s like saying someone gypped you, or welshed on a bet. Only worse, because it references the Number One outgroup on Earth for oh, the past 5 millennia. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/14 "2012-08-20T15:08:12Z")
> [@JackieLikesVariety](#): > > wait, this is an option? but aren’t you constantly getting stuff in the mail with important personal information on it? I just toss everything in the recycle bin. I guess no one bothers to look, assuming everyone shreds the important stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/15 "2012-08-20T15:10:47Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > You do know the origin of [ikey](http://en.glosbe.com/en/en/ikey), don’t you? It’s like saying someone gypped you, or welshed on a bet. Only worse, because it references the Number One outgroup on Earth for oh, the past 5 millennia. Well, I didn’t actually. Thank you for drawing that to my attention. I won’t use it again. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2012, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/16 "2012-08-20T15:19:19Z")
My local garbage dump charges $6 for three bags of household waste. I immediately went out and bought the 55 gallon drum liner bags. It’s sometimes hard to fit it all into the trunk. Cheapskates unite!! ---
**Author:** ![littlespeedysuperbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/53a042/32.png) [@littlespeedysuperbike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/littlespeedysuperbike)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/17 "2012-08-22T06:34:30Z")
Papers make nice kindling and put out useful heat if you’ve got a bunch of them. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/18 "2012-08-22T06:45:50Z")
> [@littlespeedysuperbike](#): > > Papers make nice kindling and put out useful heat if you’ve got a bunch of them. And have a permissible place to burn them. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![NetTrekker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nettrekker/32/2909_2.png) [@NetTrekker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NetTrekker)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/19 "2012-08-22T18:26:19Z")
Great topic…you asked for it: I live in a condo community with dumpsters so anyone could easily grab my discarded trash and get more information about me than I would like, and there are some not-nice people here. So I used to have a home-office cross-cut shredder but it took up space and was a bit annoying to deal with the resulting confetti (I never just dumped the whole bucket into one garbage bag because a determined ID thief could still piece it together like a jigsaw puzzle). I eventually got rid of the shredder and on a few occasions was able to take a few bags of sensitive docs to burn at my parents’ who live out in the country. But since I live in a large metro area I can’t do this whenever I’d like and what’s frustrating is even if I drive out of the city there’s no go-to place to burn stuff other than a campground. So the last time I had an accumulation of shredibles I ended up taking them to Staples where they charge by the pound. I had hesitated to do this because who’s to say a low-paid store employee wouldn’t pilfer my papers in the back room. But I was glad to see that after weighing the bags, they fed it all into a thin slot in a seemingly secure receptacle behind the counter where it couldn’t be reached which made me more confident that they have security procedures in place for safe disposal. I’ll tell you what, anyone that wanted to invest in a quality shredder could have a nice little home business going mucho pronto. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192/20 "2012-08-22T18:32:54Z")
> [@NetTrekker](#): > > Great topic…you asked for it: > > I live in a condo community with dumpsters so anyone could easily grab my discarded trash and get more information about me than I would like, and there are some not-nice people here. So I used to have a home-office cross-cut shredder but it took up space and was a bit annoying to deal with the resulting confetti (I never just dumped the whole bucket into one garbage bag because a determined ID thief could still piece it together like a jigsaw puzzle). I eventually got rid of the shredder and on a few occasions was able to take a few bags of sensitive docs to burn at my parents’ who live out in the country. But since I live in a large metro area I can’t do this whenever I’d like and what’s frustrating is even if I drive out of the city there’s no go-to place to burn stuff other than a campground. So the last time I had an accumulation of shredibles I ended up taking them to Staples where they charge by the pound. I had hesitated to do this because who’s to say a low-paid store employee wouldn’t pilfer my papers in the back room. But I was glad to see that after weighing the bags, they fed it all into a thin slot in a seemingly secure receptacle behind the counter where it couldn’t be reached which made me more confident that they have security procedures in place for safe disposal. I’ll tell you what, anyone that wanted to invest in a quality shredder could have a nice little home business going mucho pronto. This is what I’m talking about. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/commercial-paper-shredding-be-careful/631192.md?page=2)