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Many people wonder if they should go to the trouble and expense of purchasing a home shredder. Considering the amount of mail we receive each day, and the sensitive personal information contained in the bar codes (even on junk mail), opting not to shred is an invitation for identity theft.
If you decide to buy a shredder, you'll find many different varieties at the store. Use the information below to select the one that is right for your needs.
- Strip-cut or confetti? These shredders cut the paper just as their name suggests, either into long strips or into confetti-like pieces which have been cut both horizontally and vertically. As you might imagine, cross-cut shredders, even though they are a bit more expensive, are more secure.
- The cost of a good shredder can run up to $100, but they frequently go on sale. Most office supply stores stock a wide variety from which to choose.
- Home shredders can be quite powerful, but you don't need to overbuy. First determine the level of shredding you'll be doing. If you're just going to shred one piece of paper at a time, a cheaper model will probably suffice. However, if you receive a lot of mail or have a home office, you might want to consider a machine that can shred multiple pieces of paper at once.
- If you're interested in shredding discs or credit cards, make sure the model you select is specifically rated to handle such items.
- Look for a machine with a sensor that starts shredding when you put a piece of paper in, and knows to stop once the paper is shredded. This keeps you from constantly having to turn the machine off and on.
- Safety features are important, particularly if you have small children in the house. The throat of the machine where the actual shredding occurs is usually hidden. However, it's not a bad idea to unplug your shredder when not in use.
- If you have gone on a cleaning spree and have boxes of old files or records to shred, you might be best served by using a shredding service. Often, you can stand by while your documents are shred on the spot, thus you don't have to worry about handing over your personal information to a stranger.
The bottom line is that shredding is easy and convenient step to take toward identity theft protection.
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NFCC 801 Roeder Road, Suite 900 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Contact Us©2010 National Foundation for Credit Counseling
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