I also got the Logee's catalog but haven't opened it (not that I don't want to). I'm beginning to look around at all of the houseplants vacationing outside, and how they've grown. Then I look at the indoor living space where they'll winter over and I try to control the panic. It's going to be crowded in here! I will NOT buy another cane begonia. No, I will NOT! And the Christmas cacti! My ancient one (of several), bloomed last Thanksgiving, and then Christmas, and then Easter, and Memorial Day. It missed the Fourth of July by one week, then rested for the summer. Looks like it's about to set buds again. I will NOT buy another Christmas cactus. No, I will NOT! Maybe I should shred the catalog. Claire

Here's some more info about who may be getting a check, and why. Hope you're included! We're not, alas. But I guess that means our insurance has been doing its job all along. But in many states, (not NY, where I live) there have been almost no controls on insurance companies, so that's why others are getting money back. May I point out that this is a part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act aka Obamacare? The insurance companies were waiting to hear if the Supreme Court ruled that the PPACA was constitutional, but now they have to get busy and send refund checks in cases where they weren't meeting the new standards that require insurance companies to actually spend most of the premiums on medical care, not advertising, bonuses and bloated executive salaries. What a novel concept! Sending the checks in junk mail is a really creative way to keep the money. L. Here is a link that might be useful: Are you getting a refund? What you need to know.

Yahooooo! I've had great success doing this: I save all those annoying card inserts that fall out of magazines and cram them in the cc return envelope. I have a postal scale so I make sure the fat envelope weighs over their pre-paid amount. That way, when they get it, they have to pay additional postage. I write "not interested, remove from list...and thanks for your help in my decluttering efforts." It works! I can't believe how effective this is! I've finally made them realize that sending me unasked for cc crap is going to cost them something.

I was curious when I posed the question. Years ago, I got the newspaper. Sunday ads were a "must look at" thing with me. It prompted me to SHOP - which led me to buy more than I anticipated! Other than that, the papers just piled up and made a mess. I finally discontinued the newspaper - (got tired of the mess). Junk mail is out of control! It comes in the house and gets thrown in a "pile" in the den. The only time I read it is if I'm thinking about going grocery shopping...I want to know if chicken breasts are on sale or? I get the big-lots, and some linens and some other misc ads that I may be interested in. Usually by time I read them, they are expired! lol. (A good thing - saves me money!) What I've found...IF I don't read the ads, I SAVE lots of $$$! And by cancelling the newspaper, I save more there too. I KNOW I can "save" using coupons from the paper, but if I don't SEE the coupon, I won't go to store! There is a way to cancel ALL junk mail delivered to house, but I won't do it - as there are two major and two minor grocers that I WANT ads from - to look for any sales on what I want to buy. (This is done sporadically - like, if I suddenly decide I want to cook a roast, "Are there any on sale?". (If not, I won't buy-lol!) I am currently gearing up for a huge shopping excursion on the sale items for Easter! (I like to buy lots while on sale to last for a few months - the good thing about holidays! lol) Other junk mail - like for auto related, I never know what to do with - as it seems everytime I throw them out, someone needs a coupon for oil change or something. There are two types of junk that REALLY irritate me: 1) CRAPPY PIZZA ads... they come in every week but expire three months from receipt. DH loves pizza, but geez...why pay for all the ads? (I think most people have their desired pizza places, and no ad will sway them.) So, if they just would QUIT, they could offer the same pizza at much lower price, and everyone would make out! 2) That MAJOR company that provides cable TV service! (I've been fighting them for three years now for "services not rendered" - so I especially have a very bad distaste for them). Now they "offer" phone and internet - as well as the "whole package deal". And I get NUMEROUS ads from them every single week, not to mention the ads on TV, and even when I call to complain about NON-service of TV, they STILL try to push off their new services! NO WAY! OK, that #2 was too graphic - need another thread for that one! To sum it up...I've actually SAVED a lot of $$$ by NOT reading the ads - even tho they enter my house. OTOH, when I DO decide I want to shop, I can scan the ads at home to see if what I want is on sale to save money.