[MineralMan]

"Is that so bad? I do not wish to dedicate the remainder of my nights home to being polite to telemarketers who have called my house as many as a dozen times a day. "

My solution is to simply never answer the telephone. All people with whom I wish to speak know that they must call once, let the phone ring 4 times, then call again immediately. Since there are redial buttons on all modern phones, it's not really a problem.

When asked for a telephone number on a form, I simply provide my fax number. The ringer is off on my fax machine, so I never know if someone's calling it.

I refuse to speak to telemarketers.

[SamAdams76]

I do the same thing with my fax number. I put it on all forms that require it such as credit card applications, etc. That eliminates a lot of calls right there. Some stores have started asking for phone numbers which really tick me off. In those cases, I give them my work number so that I can really go off on them if they call there. Also, some stores (like Trader Joe's) now ask for your zip code, which apparently they use to target their flyers. In that case, I give them various zipcodes from rural Alabama (where most of my family lives). There must be a lot of head-scratching going on as these stores try to figure out why all these customers from Alabama are doing their shopping in Massachusetts.

I have caller ID and I never pick up the phone if the number is blocked (all telemarketers block their calls). I tell friends and family to unblock their number if they want to talk to me. Otherwise they have to rely on me checking my answering machine - another thing I'm not too fond of doing.