Want to punish AARP for their Medicare sellout? Here's one way.

[stopbush]

I just received AARP's direct mail piece today (go figure, I just turned 49 in September). The piece is the "Welcome to AARP" thingy they send out in bulk to troll for new members. If I got it today, then I imagine millions of others will be getting theirs' this week as well.

Anyway, the package comes with a postage-paid BRE (Business Reply Envelope). If AARP's direct mail response is similar to other direct marketers, they are expecting about a 3% response rate on this mailing. They need only pay the first-class return postage on those enevlopes that are actually returned to them.

So, why not help bust their postage budget by mailing their envelope back to them - but EMPTY? They'll still have to pay the postage. Imagine what would happen if the other 97% of the people who they are not expecting to respond returned their BREs empty? Cha-ching! Plus, they'd probably be paying overtime to someone to process all the additional empty envelopes.

It doesn't cost you anthing, and it'll make you feel good.

[ibegurpard]

1. I read somebody suggesting mailing them back

attached to bricks....LOL.

[peekaloo]

2. I returned one for my father

with a note that read "Peddle your peanuts elsewhere".

[rfranklin]

3. Mine said "Novelli is an asshole"

I think that was succinct.

[peekaloo]

4. LOL

:thumbsup:

[stopbush]

6. Yeah, that's good, too

Just don't write the note on the reply card that contains your name or they'll remove you from their house file. I'd hate for them to not re-solicite me in another 3-6 months' time, because I plan on sending THAT envelope back empty as well. A 3X5 card with "Screw Novelli" written on it will do nicely.

The other trick I used to see was envelopes being returned with nothing but a few pennies in them. That usually added just enough weight to the envelope to push the postage due higher than the single first-class stamp they planned for.

He-he. Fun at the expense of the junk mailers.

[frank frankly]

10. perfect

that's it!

"Novelli is an asshole!!!"

[catmandu57]

5. They got one back from

U.R. Phucked with a nasty note inside.

[Pegleg Thd]

7. I tear our address and other info

from other "junk" mail and stuff it in their envelope and send it back.

[eleny]

8. great idea, but...

i think i'll include a note. i still get them, even though i'm 57. and hubby gets them, too. so, thanks for the heads up! we'll give them a double whammy.

[oasis]

9. I'll round up a few elderly folks I know and give it a shot.

[Don_G]

11. Can You Tape It To A Brick?

:evilgrin:

[Sven77]

12. Junk Mail

How to piss off credit card companies and get away with it.

There are two types of junk mail that everyone gets: coupons for stupid bullshit that you don't want, and credit card applications for credit to buy stupid bullshit that you don't need. Here's how to take care of all your junk mail in one fell swoop: use the postage-paid envelope that credit card companies send you with their applications to send them the OTHER junk mail you receive.

http://maddox.xmission.com/junk_the_junk.html

[doc03]

13. good idea

I have been doing this with the NRA crap for years. I quit the NRA
back when Bush I quit. I would quit the AARP but I got auto and homeowners insurance at about 1/2 of what I had been paying.