To be a bit gobsmacked at the sort of junk mail I now receive

[5foot5]

I have been reflecting today on how the type of unsolicited mail I receive has changed over the years.

I remember when I was young being sent numerous catalogues for clothes, nice fashionable clothes. Also offers of credit cards and other store cards.

When I became a parent then, not surprisingly, I started to get baby and child related mail. Clothes, toys, books etc. These continued almost until my "child" was at University.

The minute I turned 40 the seed and gardening catalogues started to arrive. Not to mention the ones where you can have a makeover before sitting for a portrait photo!

It seemed like only shortly after that the Saga brochure began turning up.

For a while now I have been getting regular leaflets from local developers advertising retirement villages and other assisted living places. Oh and in case I do want to stay at home I am regularly being offered stair lifts.

Today though I think we have reached a new low. My post brought me a catalogue from Damart (thermal underwear anyone) and, worse still, an invitation from a nearby natural burial ground to go and look around to see if I want to choose it as my final resting place.

Not sure what my AIBU is exactly but something like, AIBU, in my early 60s, to be a bit dismayed that while I consider myself a still active middle aged person with lots of hobbies, the marketing departments have me down as someone only interested in a nursing home for my declining years and a leafy spot for when it is all over.

Anyone else feel a bit put out at the sort of advertising material they receive?

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat I’m very fond of a bit of Joe Brown !

I'm in my early 30s. No idea why mobility scooter brochures turn up in my letterbox, it would be pretty clear to anyone who delivered it that my house is completely inaccessible to such things.

I get the Chums catalogue which is a real insult 😐

I had to look up Chums catalogue. I’ll take the Tenaladys!

I can't remember the last time I got any junk mail by post.

Junk emails however drive me round the bend - continually get gambling ones, "you've won x million pounds in an African lottery" and recently advice on how to make my penis bigger and better so I can go all night!

I've tried everything possible to stop them but to no avail.

Turn your spam filter up really high. I rarely get junk email any more - there's a lot of scam 'we want to option your book for a film' and 'our book club wants to read your book' emails about at the moment, apparently, but I rarely get any of these, despite many of my cohort being absolutely plagued by them!

I love my spam filter. I wish my letterbox could be fitted with the same.

I am in my 40s and have started more gardening (ordered some plants and seeds in the past 2 weeks), think more about retirement and have been thinking more about how I can reserve a burial plot and where this should be (but haven’t yet, no reason to think I’ll die soon).
I don’t get much junk mail, maybe it was meant for me?

Regarding the funeral stuff and the retirement homes, in these days of longevity you are likely to be the demographic that is looking at that sort of stuff for your parents rather than yourself, so the age bracket they are targeting is correct. Plenty of people in their 50s and 60s are caring for parents.

That’s how I would take it, targeting those looking at that for their parents. Gardening though is for any age but retired people usually have more time for it than FT workers.
I don’t get much junk mail addressed to me personally. Usually our poor post lady is laden with flyers for conservatories and reclining armchairs.

I'm more gobsmacked that none of you have opted out of receiving junk mail. I've not received any in 25 years since going on Royal Mails list. There is another one for phone calls too if you get a lot of unsolicited calls.

https://help.royalmail.com/personal/s/article/How-to-opt-out-of-advertising-mail

I received a funeral plan leaflet on my 55th birthday.

At 31 the only junk mail I’ve ever received is pizza leaflets and sometimes Iceland crap.

In the post this week I have had free samples of Tena lady pads, local Slimming World classes leaflet (how dare they?!), looking to sell your home adverts, and Virgin wines. Only the latter is of any interest and I am 60s. My junk emails are even more dispiriting - weight loss patches, 'botox' bee venom serum, Saga holidays, insurance for those with existing medical conditions (neither DH or I have an ill-health), vitamin supplements for the over 60s. Depressing stuff. I recycle the hard copies and delete all the emails, unsubscribing as I go.

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat sorry but I'm very non tech savvy. How do I turn my spam filters up high. I've been on my emails but I can't seem to find any way of doing it,

Someone clearly thinks I have an attic full of antiques, gold coins, war medals and other treasures as I regularly receive junk mail from auction houses and a "gold roadshow", whatever that is.

In reality, my loft houses Christmas decorations and a couple of suitcases.

We opted out of receiving junk mail many years ago and it does work (btw thanks to the OP who provided the link to the MPS ). It's controlling the post and setting preferences for companies and charities we've dealt with in the past which is the pain(Pavers,for instance,think I'm ready to buy a new pair of shoes every week and I have asked them to stop), and an awful lot goes into the recycling bin after the address labels have been torn off.

Despite the fact that we're both in our 70's and I've dealt with a few companies selling disability aids for DH,we don't get much targeted advertising.

I did very well out of a Tena leafleting campaign round our way some years ago; vouchers which could be exchanged for a full pack of pads and pants at Superdrug so that saved a bit!

The online ads are an annoyance,more than upsetting.The Argos ones on YouTube with that creepy doll are the worst and pop up incessantly!

I had never heard of Chums until the end of last year when my (older) sister requested a warm nightie for Christmas and I ended up getting her something long sleeved and Winceyette from Chums. Oh dear! I only have myself to blame don't I?

Well I can direct you to a Natural Burial Ground that apparently has space. I wonder if those wicker coffins are mandatory?

Oh now you are asking the wrong person! I know my spam filters are turned up high but I am damned if I can remember how I did it - I might even have got someone to do it for me!

Have you got a teenager anywhere handy?

My Dad gets junk mail from them. He was actually cremated 12 years ago. Whilst Mum thinks it quite amusing others might not so I have contacted them about their mailing list twice to no avail. I even asked if you could be done twice.

Last year he also had a letter asking him to make to make a glaucoma check up appointment. A letter from the very hospital at which he died.

@Vroomfondleswaistcoat I'll ask my son next time he's down. He sorts all our tech issues 😅

I remember receiving a spate of these and I was never sure whether it was because of my own age or because I’d been investigating some care options for my own parents (not the places I received the info for).

I still get the Damart catalogue after ordering stuff from there for my mum. Every now and then I have a flick through and think ‘Oh that’s quite nice’, and have to quickly chuck it in the recycling!