If your house is like ours, every day we come home to a mailbox filled with junk mail. Sure, catalogs can be useful but what bothers me are the solicitations for new credit cards or home equity loans. I mean, how many offers can Capital One send to the same household'? There is a quick and easy solution to this mountain of junk mail.

The major credit reporting agencies in the United States, Experian, Equifax, TransUnion and Innovis have formed a joint venture to make it simple to remove your name from the mailing lists of banks, consumer finance companies and insurance companies. Consumers can visit the web site www.optoutprescreen.com, fill out a simple online form and submit it to have their name omitted from these direct mail lists. If you would rather not fill out a form, you can call 1-(888)567-8688 or write to Optoutprescreen.com, P.O. Box 600344, Jacksonville, Florida 32260 to have your name removed. While using optoutprescreen will reduce the amount of junk mail you receive, it wont completely eliminate it.

The Direct Mail Association (DMA) works with other major companies to reduce the flood of unwanted direct mail. The DMA operates a Mail Preference Service which informs companies of consumers not wanting unsolicited direct mail. There are two ways to register for the Mail Preference Service. You can register online for a $5 fee at http://www.dmaconsumers.org/cgi/offmailinglist or you can register for free by mail by writing to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 643, Carmel, New York 10512.

Of course, your unwanted direct mail will not stop instantaneously. You should, however, see some results within 30-60 days. Be careful, however. Buying products online or through the mail can start the parade of direct mail all over again. Be sure to read the privacy policies of the web sites and catalogs you use to be sure theyre not sharing you names with others.