Who came up with the idea of advertisements in bills?

Here's something I don't get at all: I'm opening up my bills to figure out who I owe what money to and suddenly the floor is awash in fliers and circulars offering to sell me a new telephone, different styles of checkbooks, watches, pens, all sorts of junk. In bills?

If these companies are selling advertisers the right to include printed material in the bills I get, why don't I see any sort of discount for this privilege, or, even more to the point, why isn't there some way to opt out?

Further, have you noticed how illogical some of this is anyway? I mean, think about it: I'm paying a bill by writing a check (old fashioned, I know) and both the bill and the return envelope are pushing me to pay electronically and save a stamp. But meanwhile, some dweeb in marketing has signed a deal with a check printing firm and so there's also a flier selling me nicer looking checks?

This is at best a mixed marketing message, and at worst the crassest kind of invitation to get further in debt, a problem that our country already suffers from to a far greater extent than we should.

So if these companies really wanted to do us a favor, they'd include a "tip of the month for managing your debt" or offers for discounts on personal finance books through a bookstore, or invitations to attend debt management seminars.

But that would get in the way of capitalism, wouldn't it.

What do you think? Do these little advertising inserts drive you crazy too?