Identity theft

Lor gracesmum hes got it bad. Has he tried getting any information out of anyone with just an address lately. You need d.o.b, mother's maiden name, inside leg etc etc just to change yer library card!

Mind you hes not alone, over anxiety is not uncommon and we've had similar conversations on here. The more 'precautions' you take, the worse it make you I think. Certainly its wise to be sensible but its a vicious circle if taken too far.

I must admit, we shred everything containing names, address, telephone numbers, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, but that`s just because of advice on TV.

I saw something on TV the other night about fly-tipping. Someone had left their waste paper next to the recycling skip instead of putting it right in, apparently. So that the authorities could find out who had left the stuff, therefore being able to fine them, they raked through the shredded paper and lined it all up, finding the details very easily. It makes you wonder if the only way to really get rid of your details would be to burn them! There was a lot to be said for the odd bonfire now and again!

I bought one of those nice 'shiny' silver coloured bins to burn my papers...but boy if the wind suddenly changes direction...i get a more concentrated blast of smoke...then when you take the lid off to put more paper in...i feel like i just smoked a whole pack of cigarettes! Then there is the neighbours to think about....the smokey smell seems to get into the house!
My mother keeps everything...even all newspapers!

Lakeland sell a stamper Hide It £9.99 that obliterates address etc

www.lakeland.co.uk/22155/Hide-IT

My Dh is paranoid too shred everything then puts it in the compost!

I am self-employed so I have to keep receipts, copies of my invoices, bank statements etc. for a number of years because of Revenue & Customs rules. I keep them in files on a shelf in my office, filing them and entering them into my running total accounts once a week. I shred anything with customer numbers, date of birth, etc. in the way of personal mail, once a week, and the resulting confetti goes into the recycling bag once the shredded is full. I defy anyone to reconstruct any of the documents when they have been cross-cut and are all mixed up together. It's boring, but doesn't take up much time and leaves a tidy space for me to work. I would suggest a major sort out as soon as Christmas is over and then a weekly system of filing and shredding so that nothing gets out of hand. The shredder will last longer too.

Oh absentgrana - I wish! I am afraid it runs in his family and of course because he keeps everything, he can never find a document when he needs it and we get major strops!! I just wish I coudl get at it with the recycling bags when he's not looking!!

How nice to hear about someone else who is paranoid about paper with addresses on! I just can't bring myself to recycle the address bit on anything and so I tear the address off and burn it (use it to light the wood-burning stove - it is useful!) or shred the whole sheet. The shreddings go to the hens or the wormery and I defy anyone to put them together after that. Now after New Year I must get on and shred some of the old bank statements etc...

I put old credit card receipts, addresses torn from envelopes etc in a basin of water. Mix it all up to a soggy mess, mould it into balls and put in bin. It is a big mushy mess but destroys all info and is much quicker than shredding!

Shred all you old paperwork up and add to compost bin, or dig trenches and add directly to the soil - either way, it will rot away v quickly and boost your veggie crops!! You can also just rip off the address block and put the rest in the recycling bin - then whilst watching tv, sit and rip the address blocks into tiny shreds - these are more easily disposed off. They make v good paper sticks rolled up tightly and twisted up, as a base layer for woodburner, put wood kindling on top -goes up like a dream!!