I will be full timing starting 1 Jan 2014 so I need to pick a mail forwarding service pretty quick. I intend to retain my Florida residency, so I'm looking at either the service provided by Good Sam, which is really MyRVMail.com out of Crestview, or using St Brendan's Isle in Green Cove Springs. I'd appreciate any comments about either of them, pro or con; also how does mail forwarding work out for you ? Do you just have your mail forwarded to general delivery at the local post office ? Seems like a lot of campgrounds will not accept mail. Do you actually get all your mail or does some of it get lost in transit ?Do you use the basic cheaper plan or is it worth it to get the more expensive plan ? I also see that there are sometimes 'add-on' packages but don't know if they are of any value. What about packages ? Does that work the same way ? Just have them sent to the local post office ? Are there any other good choices in Florida besides the 2 I've named above ? I guess I'm asking you how this mail forwarding process really works out. Any words of wisdom ?Thanks very much. Tim

Also realize that vehicle insurance rates are based on zip code, so you may want to contact the company that covers both your RV and any other vehicle and understand coverage based on the zip code that will become your mailing address when you pick a forwarding company.But to answer your other questions - I use a service out of South Dakota and things getting "lost in transit" is not really an issue. They do not forward items one by one typically, but save it up and send to you in a package based on the timing and location you specify. In 8 years of full-timing, I think I have only had to have it send to the local PO "general delivery" once.The forwarding companies offer different levels of service. Some will open and scan your mail so you can see it online. I don't care for that, but chose the option to NOT get junk mail - like circulars and bulk mail. I just get things actually addressed to me. Personally, I can go 3-4 weeks before getting my mail forwarded. Most things are done online and snail mail is almost of no use to me.

I would check them all. Even local private mail box services forward. GS? I am a GS member but knowing how slow they are I would be inclined to pick a local private p.o.. box service. We have a p.o. box in Cody WY. They forward our mail and small enough that I can talk to them on the phone and it is more personal. They will sort through our mail for us. Really more personalized service. Talk to your local private mail box people first. JMHO

You can have a residence address and a mailing address. Are you looking for a company that can simply forward your mail or are you trying to find somewhere you can use as your residence address as well.

check www.myrvmail.com in Crestview FL. They will assist you. They have different plans depending on the level of service you want. We used them for awhile until we had a permanent FL address. Very good customer service.

Yes, whichever service I choose will be my residence address. That is why I do not want just a P.O box number. tkcas01 - If you did not have your mail sent to general delivery, where did you have it sent to ?

Which Mail Service | Good Sam Community

MTPockets1
Explorer
Dec 04, 2013
covetsthesun wrote:
So the best mail forwarding services are Good Sam, Escapee's and UPS stores... whether or not you are a FL resident?

I'm currently in FL and a sign goes in the yard tomorrow. So I'm on a real steep learning curve.

cts

I can't speak for Escapee service, but used UPS for two years and am on second year with the Good Sam service. Prefer Good Sam due to Internet capability. UPS was all e-mail and telephone.
covetsthesun
Explorer
Dec 04, 2013
So the best mail forwarding services are Good Sam, Escapee's and UPS stores... whether or not you are a FL resident?

I'm currently in FL and a sign goes in the yard tomorrow. So I'm on a real steep learning curve.

cts
hitchup
Explorer
Dec 04, 2013
We're down to once a month from every two weeks of mail forwarding. We have been using the same UPS Store in FL that has a physical street address since Jan 2005 before we went fulltime.

If I know something has arrived I can call them and get an early shipment. Otherwise, they have the current campground address or if the campground doesn't allow direct delivery - a local UPS Store address to receive them. Any boxes ordered from Amazon, etc are sent directly to the campground office. I have tracking #'s and can tell when pkgs have arrived.
MTPockets1
Explorer
Dec 03, 2013
We full time and use the Good Same RVmail service and really like the ability to go on line to see what is in the box and forward when and where we want, all on line, and send it US Mail, or UPS. They will take your phone call too. If an urgent letter, they will scan it for you so you can see it right away for a $1.50 fee. This is our full time permanent/legal address and are very satisfied with it.
BarbaraOK
Explorer
Dec 03, 2013
We also use Escapees ( 8 years) and usually use General Delivery - never call and ask if it is ok, just type in General Delivery in the Address line on the US Post Office website, then the city and ask for the zip code. If one comes up they accept GD at that post office, may not be the closest one to you as only one per city will accept GD.

Barb
HappyKayakers
Explorer
Dec 03, 2013
2gypsies wrote:
tkcas01 wrote:
GoPackGo wrote:
tkcas01 - If you did not have your mail sent to general delivery, where did you have it sent to ?

all other times I had it sent directly to the rv park where I was staying - I've just not found it to be an issue. Regarding general delivery, my mail forwarding company warns that not all post offices will accept general delivery and you have to check with them first.

16+ years of full-timing and traveling constantly and have never found a P.O. that doesn't accept General Delivery. We never call to check.

I ran into that situation in Amarillo. When there are several POs in a city, not all of them accept general delivery mail. In my case, I checked with the closest one and they directed me to the proper PO, further away naturally.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Dec 03, 2013
tkcas01 wrote:
GoPackGo wrote:
tkcas01 - If you did not have your mail sent to general delivery, where did you have it sent to ?

all other times I had it sent directly to the rv park where I was staying - I've just not found it to be an issue. Regarding general delivery, my mail forwarding company warns that not all post offices will accept general delivery and you have to check with them first.

16+ years of full-timing and traveling constantly and have never found a P.O. that doesn't accept General Delivery. We never call to check.

Escapees Mail Service

We've used Escapees Mail Service who gives us a street address is only $85/year and will ship the method we want (we do Priority), and how often we want - it could even be daily. We've had excellent service through them. Anyone can use this service...you don't have to have a domicile of Texas, but we do.
HappyKayakers
Explorer
Dec 03, 2013
Another vote for SBI, going on 7 yrs fulltiming now. Never had anything lost although I will select priority mail instead of standard if there's something important in the package and I want the ability to track it.

Had a few campgrounds that wouldn't let me forward mail to them, mostly because they had to go into town to get their own mail. Never had a problem finding a local PO for general delivery.
06ViewH
Explorer
Dec 03, 2013
We have used travelingmailbox.com for the last two years. They have a Florida address in Tallahassee, FL. We are not fulltimer's and probably will never be completely full time, but I love the ability to travel whenever we desire (about 4 months a year now and soon to be more). I have 5 businesses that I also send the mail to travelingmailbox.com - all get very little mail (rental properties).

We have a few monthly rental checks that get sent to our traveling mailbox. If I'm around a printer, then I just print the checks and use mobile deposit via our bank / iPhone. If I don't have a printer, then I email traveling mailbox and they will mail the check to my bank ($4.95 per deposit).
tkcas01
Explorer
Dec 03, 2013
GoPackGo wrote:
tkcas01 - If you did not have your mail sent to general delivery, where did you have it sent to ?

all other times I had it sent directly to the rv park where I was staying - I've just not found it to be an issue. Regarding general delivery, my mail forwarding company warns that not all post offices will accept general delivery and you have to check with them first.

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