I have one and use it all the time. It has become routine to shred almost every piece of paper that goes into the waste basket.

Ah well, it's better than the burn bags we used in the Navy. Who needs an incinerator in one's back yard?

Shredded paper also makes an excellent mulch. Protect your identity and the tomato plants at the same time.

I have had a shredder for about 6 years, and use it for most sensitive papers and mailings.

I recall a time in the military, I worked at a site where papers were placed into burn bags, incinerated, and then the ashes stirred and added to a new burn bag.

Now THAT is secure.

hehe

Pix, at NCS Japan we used burn bags because it was high-volume, but on Kwajalein all I had was a blender for the three crypto cards I had to destroy each day. Now there was a lovely mulch.

I attended a meeting given by Consumer Relations in NJ.
The Rep said to buy a shredder that makes dots instead of shredded paper, it was more secure.
She also said to shred all the mail you receive from Credit Card companies-the applications have your name on it.
I also get political mailings (not by choice) which have my name on every piece of paper they mail me in the envelope.
It takes time, but I shred all this kind of stuff.
Of course this just makes me more paranoid than what I am-but I guess it's the price one pays for some sort of safe feeling...

I, too, remember the burn bags and the blenders we used in the Marines. That said, I bought my shredder late last year and use it for anything that has my name, SSN, or credit card info on it. One of the best purchases I ever made.