Credit in the Mail

Tip:

If there is a downside to having a spotlesscredit record, it's the number ofpreapproved credit card mailings thatget stuffed into your mailbox. Althoughthe average Americanhousehold gets about 5credit card offers a month,those with good credithistories can expecteven more. Industrywatchers figure that it'sgoing to get worse—mailings willincrease once the national do-not-calllist takes effect. Also adding to the floodis the US Postal Service's plan to offerbulk discounts to creditcard issuers. To getout from under themountain of mail, callthe credit bureaus' opt-outnumber (888-567-8688) to get yourself off thelist of people who receive preapprovedcard offers.