Junk Mail Derby - for the week of October 1-7

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
41

I only got 3 pieces of junk:
*postcard for an art show benefit for the SPCA next weekend
*postcard invitation to “our home” to meet “our candidate” on Sunday. I’m tempted to go, I think the address belongs to one of those gorgeous Victorians that I’ve always wanted to see inside of. I’ve never heard of the candidate before
*Renewal notice from Consumer Reports

And the usual Tuesday occupant recycling, but no postcard or PennySaver. Oh, and a package from Canada.

42

Today I got:
My credit card bill - doesn’t count
My History Book Club mailed - doesn’t count
Platinum Visa offer - addressed to roommate’s name, counts
Legionaries of Christ Thanksgiving Day Sweepstakes letter - addressed to roommate’s name, counts
Special offer from Gourmet Preferred Services - addressed to roommate’s name, counts
Lenscrafter sales flyer - addressed to roommate’s name, counts
Better Homes & Gardens subscription offer - addressed to roommate’s name, counts
3 magazines - addressed to roommate’s names, subscriptions, don’t count

That’s 5 more pieces that count towards the Derby. Strangely, no junk for me today.

43

Semi-cursed. I mean, sheesh, the postoffice can do better than this.

  • A postcard concerning the new Fairmont resort in Idaho.
  • Postcard from the local real estate agent, crowing about his making another sale in my condo complex
  • Flyer for professional training seminars located in various places in California.
  • Letter from GEICO, apparently proud of their cost comparison results against other insurance carriers.
44

I didn’t have an internet connection for a day and a half–am I disqualified for not posting yesterday’s results?

While I’m awaiting the judge’s answer, I’ll post what I got:

Monday:

-a credit card offer
-an AMAZING life insurance offer from my bank
-a belly dancing costume catalog (woo woo! except I don’t belly dance)

-plus two pieces of crap that don’t count (addressed to resident), including the USPS Cathy-illlustrated postcard

Today:

-a credit card offer
-an AMAZING balance transfer offer from my current credit card
-a discount book catalog (45 pages)
-a “Personal Creations” Christmas crap catalog with the tackiest garbage you’ve ever seen
-a “Collector’s Choice” music catalog, featuring 67 pages of music I would never listen to
-a “Video Collection” catalog, with 67 pages of DVDs I would never watch
-and finally, the “Critic’s Choice Video & DVD Big Book of Movies” catalog, with–get ready for this–243 full-color pages of pure crapola

-plus a few bills and my bank statement

And this is a pretty typical week for me…

45

Today wasn’t quite as good as yesterday, but at least we didn’t strike out completely:

  • Comcast offer to return to their high-speed internet (as if!)
  • Bally’s casino – two separate mailings from them
  • AARP magazine
  • Pennysaver (DNC)
  • Bed Bath & Beyond 20% off coupon (DNC)

This is a noticeable dropoff from our usual haul, however. Apparently the curse is starting to work here, too.

46

What a disappointing day.

-An offer from Qwest to sell me more of what I already buy from them
-A plea from the Republicans not to vote for the Democrats
-A plea from the Democrats not to vote for the Republicans

I didn’t get a credit card offer today, which may be the first day in months where that’s happened.

47

Yet another lean day. I can’t count the renewal notice for the magazine, since we will renew, but I have 3 items to offer:

  • Bank of America wants to give us $25K at some ridiculous rate of interest.
  • Citibank (who I just paid off yesterday) sent me 3 checks that I could use to run my balance back up again. riiiiiiight…
  • Geico wants me to switch. Except they have never been able to beat the rates we get thru AAA.

So, that’s it for me.

48

Today’s haul:

  • Postcard from the Long Beach Aquarium - Member’s Holiday Open House announcement
  • Discover Financial Services - asking pretty please would I start using a card I’ve haven’t been using much - look at what a great card it is!
  • E-surance - Yay! I’m pre-qualified!
  • Habitat for Humanity donation request - containing a free tape measure! 36-inches on one side, 92 cm on the other (let’s not overdo this metric stuff). Made in China from finest vinyl! Weighted metal ends that are already starting to rust! Presented so that I can respond with my own “measure of compassion” - their exact terminology. I’m touched… and I’ll make my donation just as soon (but no sooner) as I would without the, ah, fine gift.
49

The curse is now complete.

Today’s total mail haul:
Time Out Chicago magazine - roommate’s subscription (damn, she gets a freaking lot of magazines; why have I never noticed this before?)
Weekly sales flyers - addressed to Resident

That’s all. No real mail and no Derby-qualified junk mail. What’s up with that?

50

Actually, I wonder what would happen if we kept this Derby going. …Nah, dammit, I suspect that the center will not hold.

51

Oooh, ooooh…almost forgot. And today I actually got some qualifying junk mail! Yay! My first thought when I saw it 5 hours or so ago was: gotta go post to the Junk Derby thread! I got a little bit sidetracked.

Without further ado, I give you:

The ShopWise “Have you seen me” card that should have been in with yesterday’s flyers. Little lost boy makes me :frowning: . DNC as it’s addressed to Resident.

Important information regarding my auto insurance. Addressed to me (or current resident). Why current resident would want to know about my personal auto insurance is a mystery.

One of those attractive CapitalOne credit card offers. Addressed to me. (0% APR until October 2007 - how enticing.)

One of those attractive CapitalOne credit card offers. Addressed to previous homeowner. (0% APR until October 2007 - I happen to know that he’s not interested.) See aforementioned junk-shredding agreement.

So, hey, I had 2 pieces that counted. Do I win? :smiley:

GT

52

Addressed to me:
BMG CD club offer
Offer for a FREE Advent journal (I’m not a Christian)

Addressed to landlord:
IMPORTANT Financial Information

Addressed to loser who made up a name and used my address:
Let’s Communicate! from the Church of Scientology, addressed to the mythical Sandy Kelly. I get about one of these a week.

53

Today’s haul:

  • Credit card bill (actual bill, not junk, DNC)
  • Notification of dropping of interest rate on Young Tiger’s student loans due to regular timely payment
  • 2 casino postcards offering something or other if we come visit, thereby hopefully inducing us to leave more money behind than they give us
  • Venicle Warranty Notification! Final Notice! “We are notifying you that your auto warranty pre-qualification has NOT been activated.” This is your FINAL NOTIFICATION! Etc. etc. I assume this is for some after-market warranty scam, but I’m not calling their convenient 1-800 number to find out
  • State senatorial campaign flyer
  • Sam’s Club “Fall Entertaining and Business Gifts Guide 2006” catalogue
  • Postcard from the USPS reminding me of all the useful services they offer (money orders! shipping supplies! passport applications!) (“Postal Customer,” DNC)
  • Clipper Magazine, local coupon flyer (“Valued Reader,” DNC)

Thus far this week, that makes two, count 'em two actual pieces of mail we’ve received that we actually cared about receiving (the top two of today’s list). That’s two pieces of mail in three days. Which is actually better than some weeks.

54

Another light day -

  • A sale circular from Radio Shack that also announces: Now Hiring!!
  • A sales circular from Woodcraft trying to entice **FCD ** into buying more tools.
  • One more mailing from the governor trying to get re-elected.
    This is almost a record low week of junk.
55

One item: combined governor and state representative postcard. Humongous postcard, actually (8 1/2" x 11"). I’m still not enthused.

Really boring week for mail, junk and not…

GT

56

A few things today:

-The Community Food Bank wants me to feed people on Thanksgiving
-Amnesty International wants me to attend an AI conference
-And two separate but identical offers from Sallie Mae/Bank of America offering to lend me $25,000!!! These two offers were put in differently styled envelopes, apparently hoping that at least one of them will work on me.

57

Today the mail contained:
-Postcard from the USPS telling me to “shop where I ship”: Addressed to “Postal Customer”, does not count
-Trader Joe’s flyer: Addressed to “Resident”, does not count
-Invoice for Time Out Chicago magazine: Addressed to roommate, not “junk” though
-Publisher’s Clearinghouse Sweepstakes: Addressed to roommate and, although she actually reads it, still counts as junkmail
-Credit card offer for Platinum Mastercard (in a pink envelop!): Addressed to roommate, counts
-Capital One credit card offer: Addressed to roommate, counts.

So, 3 pieces that count towards the Derby total. No real mail for me, but I’ll take the Trader Joe’s flyer as a consolation prize.

58

Well, okay, this ought to count for something:

  • “MAKE $250,000 IN WEEKS. AS SEEN ON OPRAH & 20/20” … “100% LEAGLE,FEASIBLE AND TRUE. IF A 15 YEAR OLD BOYCOULD MAKE $71,000 IN JUST 5 WEEKS-SO CAN YOU !!!” … “THIS IS NOT A PYRAMID SCAM!!”

(Typos are sic) No, I’m not going to bother to read the whole thing.

Looks to be what it sez it isn’t - a pyramid scam - but how could it be, with so many claims of legality [snort]. This gem came postmarked from Seattle; sez to send $6 to a post office box in Phoenix, Arizona. Naw… I don’t think so.

In other mail:

  • A catalog of professional publications
  • A flyer from Ford concerning some amazing Factory Authorized Service Event. Nope, not useful, the car is getting it’s regular maintenance and is running fine just now.
  • A letter from Ford insurance services offering lower rates than those other guys. Ah, thanks, but no thanks. Or just plain no thanks.
59

Addressed to me:
*Late notice from my book club for a book I keep meaning to return
*Consumer Reports magazine
*Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer
*Sample ballot for November election

Addressed to landlord:
*First class letter from a development company.

60

Slim pickins today:

-A credit card offer from Costco
-A fat flyer from Costco with a lot of coupons inside

-and a bunch of election stuff addressed to “resident” or “registered voters.”