practical tips for snowbirds, full-time travelers and remote workers to receive mail and packages
A challenge faced by people who travel full time or who have homes in two different states is receiving mail and packages. delivering mail while traveling or “snowbirding” for a long time can be tricky.
Many don’t realize all the options they have to receive their mail in a timely and secure manner.
Fortunately, there are many reliable mail delivery services that make the nomadic lifestyle easy. it is possible to receive all kinds of mail no matter where you are in the world.
mail and package delivery when “on the road”
For US residents, please contact the United States Postal Service and request a temporary hold or redirection of your mail.
You can also secure a PO Box and let your mail pile up there. (For those in other countries, please contact your mail service provider to explore your options.)
- hold your mail or use a post office box at your local us office. uu. the post office works best if you are traveling for a relatively short period (2-3 weeks).
- mail forwarding works best when you know it will be in a central location for several weeks or months at a time.
In addition to holding or forwarding your mail, USPS also offers some mail scanning services. informed delivery® by usps® will provide digital notifications to users prior to delivery of mail to a physical address. Learn more about this new service and if it’s available to you.
We explore many other options below if these don’t work for you.
1. ask a friend or family member to pick up your mail
This first option is how many people get mail delivered when they snowbird or travel. Having a trusted friend or family member pick up your mail and deliver essential parts to you once a week or a few times a month is a great option.
don’t want to bother anyone by going to your mailbox?
I could send the mail directly to your home. this is beneficial when you expect deliveries of priority mail, credit cards, or other important mail.
You can do this by setting up USPS mail forwarding or by contacting businesses and submitting a change of address or special delivery request. Please be sure to include “c/o your name” in your residential address to avoid possible delays.
Your friend or family member can hold mail for you until you return or send you what accumulates periodically.
But what if you don’t want to burden someone else with the task of receiving your mail? Did you know that there are private mail services for travelers that allow you to manage the delivery of your mail virtually?
2. choose from several private online mail forwarding services
A private mail forwarding service is a new concept for many, especially older retirees who may be used to old-school mail delivery methods while traveling.
mail forwarding services offer travelers several ways to quickly receive their correspondence by email or by having it delivered to their current location.
We live much of our lives online. Why should receiving mail be any different?
A common problem frequent travelers face when traveling or living in two different states is responding to urgent mail.
Having an online mailbox allows you to view and respond to urgent mail, such as bills and notices, and stay on top of important matters.
One virtual mailbox option is post-scan mail. all packages and mail are sent to secure mail facilities and handled by registered mail operators with this service.
You can choose to have the mail opened and scanned for viewing on a smart device or computer, or to have it forwarded to your current address. postscan mail also gives you the option to shred, recycle, or archive your mail.
anytime mailbox is similar to postscan, one of the first virtual mailbox solutions for remote workers and travelers to view and manage their mail from their mobile devices, desktops and laptops.
how to choose the best virtual mailbox service
Mail forwarders and virtual mailbox services such as Anytime Mailbox, Scan Later Mail, Travel Mailbox, and others offer similar services. therefore, when choosing a mailbox service, keep the following in mind:
- Does the provider offer unlimited online mail storage?
- Can you file mail into specific folders for easy organization and reference?
- Are there sub-accounts available? so that each person accesses their mail separately?
Instant notifications, physical mail storage and forwarding services are also crucial points to consider.
It’s also important to know if the mail service provides a physical address or a PO Box. cash register. while some carriers will deliver to p.o. boxes, fedex and ups require a physical address.
When using private mail delivery services, whether you receive your regular mail at home or abroad, you’ll also want to think about the cost. private services are not free.
The price of the service varies depending on the plan you choose and the amount of mail you expect to receive each month.
for example, the price of postcan ranges from $15 to $120 per month. a long-term traveler or snow lovers expecting to receive large volumes of mail will pay more for the service.
Travel mailbox, which offers services similar to scanned postal mail, has a basic plan starting at $15 per month and includes shredding and spam filtering.
Those less cost sensitive may be interested in checking out ground class mail. they pride themselves on values such as security, consistency, and dedicated customer care, as their services are handled by employees and never by third parties.
3. use amazon lockers or shipping stores for package delivery
People who aren’t interested in paying for private mail service or who don’t want strangers handling their mail can choose to let their friends or family forward the envelopes and then have their packages delivered to amazon lockers.
With so many items available on amazon with free shipping, it’s a great way for travelers to safely receive their packages. Amazon lockers are available in many places around the world.
fedex and ups also offer in-store pickup at most of their locations. This is quick and convenient for people who don’t use Amazon or need other items like medication. you just want to confirm with the company you’re ordering from which carrier they use for shipping.
(ups currently offers discounts to those with aaa or aarp membership)
Many mail centers will also provide you with a physical mailing address to use to receive deliveries or mail pieces that cannot be delivered to a PO Box. mailbox address.
Additional Tip: In addition to shipping services you may need while you’re away from home, several shipping stores also offer faxing, document shredding, passport photos, office supplies, and mail, notary service and more.
4. have items shipped to a mail center or store where you are staying
- Several campgrounds, resorts, and lodging facilities have mail centers and are happy to provide a shipping address and mail delivery options to travelers who stay with them. ask about a mail center where you will be staying. some of these options may have limited hours or business days, so be sure to call ahead.
- Secure a PO Box at a postal location near where you are staying or at a store (ie fedex or ups) that provides these services.
- Order items from retailers with a physical location near your travel destination and have items “shipped to store” for in-store pickup.
don’t miss any important letters or packages!
Technology makes it easier than ever to receive mail and other deliveries when you’re in the snow, working remotely, or traveling for extended periods away from your permanent address.
Using a virtual mailing service, friends and family as a delivery address, or a business resort or consignment store address, are all helpful ways to receive mail away from home.
Also, sending mail to your email address, using online bill pay, switching to online magazines, and opting out of spam are wonderful ways to manage the amount of mail you receive. and reduce your carbon footprint!
Regardless of the method you choose to stay on top of your mail, do your research to make sure you’re comfortable with who handles your mail pieces. When your deliveries are handled properly, you’ll never lose an important letter or package.
then you can enjoy your time away from home with less worry.
next: the best ways to protect your home when you’re away
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