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Substitutes to paper shredding machines include the following: making a new piece of paper, recycling the paper, and burning the paper.

Identity theft is a big issue due to the increasing capability of swindlers to obtain vital information from unwary victims. Thus, more and more individuals have been buying paper shredders for home and office use. Nevertheless, you don't have to buy these costly devices because there are substitutes for keeping your information protected, and which are just as effective, too. Read this article to know some paper shredder substitutes.

Create a new piece of paper

Skip the paper shredding machine but defend yourself from identity theft all the same by creating a new piece of paper out of your old invoices and other papers that have your important information. In order to do this, begin by cutting the piece of paper into tiny squares, about an inch in size. Then, dip these scraps of paper in hot water for a couple of hours, or even overnight. After which, prepare your blender and fill half of it with warm water. Next, pour in the soaked scraps of paper into the blender or food processor and turn the blender on. Do not forget to close the cover so you don't splatter tiny pieces of drenched paper all over the place. Blend it until the texture of the paper has turned pulpy, or slurry. Then, pour the pulp into a big basin and fill it with water, just enough to let the pulp scatter well. Next, get or make a frame out of an old and unused photo frame and cover this tightly with a nylon stocking. Put this frame onto the basin and fill it with the mushy material. Take the frame out of the basin with the mush in it and let it dry. You may also decorate your paper with little flower petals or leaves by mixing these with the pulp.

Reuse the paper

You can simply recycle the old scraps of paper that are no longer essential. There are several ways that you can recycle paper. For one thing, you can make them into notepads that you can put beside the telephone to jot important messages. You can use them to jot down your grocery list. The ways are countless. To do this, first you need to cut away any important data, including your social security number, bank account number, as well as other important details about you. Carefully destroy these tiny pieces of paper that you cut away that have your info. Next, cut the remaining part of the pieces of paper into the size that you want. Just ensure that you cut the pieces of paper into the same size for each purpose, so that they will look neat as you pile them together. Then, staple or fasten a paper fastener on top of them so they all stay neatly together.

Burn the pieces of paper

You can also simply burn the pieces of paper you no longer need that contain important data. During winter season, not only will you be able to keep warm beside a tiny fire, but you will also be properly destroying pieces of paper and protecting yourself from identity theft. Keep in mind, though, that scraps of paper burn very quickly, and if you are not careful, you could injure yourself. Just make a small fire and feed the fire one piece of paper at a time so that it will be very easy for you to regulate the flame until all the pieces of paper are gone.

With just a little imagination and determination, we can continue to keep our family and ourselves protected from identity thieves without buying expensive tools. Sometimes, we can even help save our planet by recycling some of our old and unused materials at home.