At Catalog Choice we think about all the ways we can go paperless in our lives, but not disconnect from the basic activities of life. Today the options abound -
- electronic billing for all your monthly services (gas, electronic, phone, etc.)
- electronic statements for your bank accounts
- online manuals for your home appliances
- online directories for phone numbers – read more about opting-out of phone books here
- online newspaper and magazines
- electronic book readers
The paperless life is not for everybody, but if it is for you the ability to go paperless is getting easier everyday.
Going paperless is a mixed bag. I’m out front of that movement, having systematically downloaded manual, eliminated catalogs, read news online, etc. However utility, bank and financial statements are not equivalently available online. Most companies “deliver” them by sending an email that I can go get them instead of emailing an encrypted pdf or something, and they don’t keep records very long. This forces me to keep getting paper. The few companies that do provide them for longer have no simple way to download them in quantity. One rep told me her credit card company didn’t want me to have a full set of statements as the more information I could get the more likely to call about something that didn’t appear correct. Simpler for them to eliminate more than 6 months worth of statements so I wouldn’t be able to call and question. One checking account only gives me 45 days worth of back data. Thus forced to accumulate and store paper. Really bad attitude I think.
This is a fabulous idea!! I just learned about your website in AARP magazine. I get sooooo many catalogs and finally have a way to put a stop to unwanted ones. Thanks a bunch!!