Make 2013 the Year to Shred

It’s 2013, a fresh start to a New Year. Have you started shredding yet?

Not shedding in pounds, as so many make the resolution to do. But SHREDDING. You know, obliterating your personal information, from the leering eyes and hands of others? Maybe with a Fellowes PowerShred Shredder.

Protecting myself and my family from identity theft is a smart move, one of the best things I starting doing last year. Yet, it’s one of those things maybe not realized until it happens to you {knock on wood it doesn’t}. Over the holidays I spoke with many people who’ve experienced identity theft first hand. It’s a scary situation, yet one that can be prevented.

So, What do you need to shred to protect yourself?

According to Sylvain Patry, senior vice president of ProtectionPower.ca and identity theft expert, “shredding documents isn’t just for businesses and people with something to hide. Canadian households are full of documents that contain potentially compromising information.”

Top 10 documents you must shred at Home or at the Office

1. Monthly Credit Card Statements
2. Employment Paystubs – If you receive pay stubs on a weekly basis or otherwise, you should keep them only until you receive your annual wage and tax statement.
3. Personal Income Tax Reports – You should hold onto these (in a safe place) for five years. However, after five years, it is important that they be shredded.
4. Monthly Utility Bills – This includes anything from hydro bills to cable bills.
5. Spam Mail – Any document you receive by regular mail, including sign-up forms for a new credit card, a magazine subscription, or any other document that contains your personal information, such as your name, home address, phone number, etc.
6. Federal, Provincial or Municipal Government Documents – Examples of this would be your health card, driver’s licence or passport renewal notices, or even a confirmation letter of your children’s school registration for the new school year.
7. Express Mail Documents – Generally invoices or a confirmation of delivery that accompany a letter or package that was delivered to you by UPS, FedEx, or Canada Post Express – even the labels on delivery boxes or envelopes.
8. Membership Notices – If you are a member of any organization, such as a tennis club, fitness club, library, etc., be sure to shred all membership renewal notices and documents accompanying the delivery of membership cards, credit cards, store cards, etc.
9. Banking Documents – This includes bank account statements, used bank account booklets, old unused checks, etc…
10. Miscellaneous Documents – Any other documents you receive or possess that contain usernames and passwords.

I use, and use often, the Fellowes Powershred P-12C Shredder in my home. For personal use and our home businesses, I have made it my mission to destroy all documents with our personal information.

You can read my review of this Fellowes shredder at the link in the above paragraph, but to summarize, here are the features:

In addition to paper, this powerful shredder can handle credit cards, junk mail, staples and paper clips. It can shred up to 12 sheets of paper per pass, and it includes a four-gallon bin. Patented SafeSense technology stops shredding when a hand touches the paper opening.

• Features 4-gallon, pull-out bin
• Cutting Type: Cross-Cut
• Sheets Per Pass: 12.0
• Features: SafeSense Technology
• Dimensions: 16.0 ” H x 8.75 ” W x 17.0 ” D
• Compact design fits neatly under desks
• Shreds 12 sheets per pass into 5/32×2″ crosscut particles (Security Level 3)
• Patented SafeSense Technology stops shredding when hands touch the paper opening

So, is 2013 the year to start shredding and thus, protecting what’s yours? One lucky Canadian is going to win a Fellowes Powershred P-12C Shredder, which is available at Walmart for an ARV of $80 usd.

To Enter, Fill in the form below with your qualifying entries. Good Luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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