How to Get Paid for Junk Mail

March 2, 2010 By Rachel Leave a Comment

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Did you know there’s free money in the mail you don’t want?

Well, sort of. You can get paid for junk mail, within certain parameters.

Get Paid for Junk Mail with the SBK Center

Many of you are looking for ways you can increase your income by small degrees, by things you can do online. (Swagbucks and MyPoints, for instance.) Survey opportunities also abound, ‘though some are decidedly better than others. This opportunity is a bit different, though. The Small Business Knowledge Center will actually reward you for sending them your junk mail. Not all of it, but some of it.

I’ve been participating for a while. The group does marketing research, and they do it by gathering your junk emails and direct mail. (Not all of it, just certain categories, which they explain thoroughly.) You earn points for sending it in and every 2,000 points earns you a gift card — not bad for simply saving and submitting mail!

What Kind of Junk Mail?

Free insurance quotes, health insurance company newsletters, etc. — basically, if it’s from an insurance provider or a financial service provider, they’re interested in it. They also accept mail that comes from drug companies and certain retail categories. (Not catalogs and ads, but directly-addressed mail, like what you might get if you’re a VIP customer.)

You can send the SBKC snail mail in (provided) prepaid envelopes, and you can also forward them qualifying emails. They use the information to track how these companies are communicating with consumers.

A tip: if you have certain email fitting the requirements, that you receive regularly, set up a filter to automatically forward it. Then you don’t have to remember to send it in, or miss out on the points!

What About Security/Privacy?

The company is on the up-and-up, and they had no BBB complaints when I was looking into them.

They also carefully protect your information, in case that’s something you were concerned about. SBKC destroys any personally-identifying information, etc. In fact, they probably destroy my mail more effectively than I would have been readily able to do at home. (So that’s a win-win.)

Yes, I Really Do Get Paid for Junk Mail

Yes, it’s really true that you can earn money from your junk mail. You’re not going to get rich or anything, but I’ve gotten occasional rewards from them for one-time special projects they’ve done, and every few months I get a gift card from them for $20.

Not too shabby for something that was otherwise just trash.

Find Free Money in the Mail You Get!

If you choose to join, I’d love for you to use me as a referral. (In the “how were you referred?” space write my name — Rachel Ramey — and if you’re a business owner, please add “BIZ” and your state’s two-letter abbreviation.)