• VeganCheesecake
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    1 month ago

    In Germany, you can just put a little sign on your letterbox that tells the post person to not give you any free newspapers or mail.

    Only ads I’ve gotten in years where the ones directly addressed to me, and that’s like every few months from one of two slightly old fashioned firms, and tends to include a voucher, so that’s something.

    • faercol
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      1 month ago

      Same in France, and some cities are even experimenting the opposite: ads are opt-in, and you need to put a “I want ads” sign to get them instead.

    • cheddar@programming.dev
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      1 month ago

      Same in Estonia, I check my mailbox maybe 2-3 times per year, and that is just because I have nothing else to do while waiting for the lift to come. Also, now I want a cheesecake.

    • ikidd@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Canada too. My wife was a letter carrier for a few years, she would make a note of non-admail boxes if someone put a notification on the box or sent in a form to opt-out, and put a red sticker on their sort slot at the depot. Then when she delivered it would only be addressed mail that went to that box.

    • Don_alForno@feddit.org
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      1 month ago

      Sadly too many asshats ignore the stickers. I could now sue the shitty “free” newspaper ad delivery device, but that’s somehow more work and money than I’m willing to invest.

    • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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      1 month ago

      I’d love that. My current routine is to just toss the ads and whatnot in the recycling bin on my way in. I look at it just long enough to determine whether it’s important, I don’t even look at what their deals are.

      • JovialMicrobial@lemm.ee
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        1 month ago

        I don’t know know if you’re in the US, but the junk mail senders here have been making their ads look like official mail.

        I had one the other day that said IMPORTANT stamped across an otherwise nondescript, but official looking enevelope. So opened it just in case. It was an ad for some douchbag company stating that it wanted to buy our house for cash.

        I always worry that one day I’m gonna toss a piece of mail that I actually needed because of this bullshit.

        • TachyonTele@lemm.ee
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          1 month ago

          I got one from T-Mobile that looked like a business envelope and didn’t have a return address. Nothing but an ad inside.

        • edric@lemm.ee
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          1 month ago

          I got that same exact mail as well. lol. I hate that when you buy a house, your information is basically exposed for all these 3rd parties and scummy companies to spam you with mail that’s made to look official and urgent.

        • sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works
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          1 month ago

          Yup, am in the Us and have that issue. I generally hold my “important” mail up to the sun while walking back in, and can usually spot an ad within seconds. I have learned to recognize a few return addresses, so I know where the junk in my area tends to come from, as well as the official stuff from my banks and whatnot.

          It’s super sleazy though, and I hate it.

    • Klear@lemmy.world
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      1 month ago

      Same here in Czech Republic. Except some idiot neighbours of mine put up labels they took from magazines that have ads on them.