Mail Forwarding - Short Term

mgirardo wrote:
our local water company still sends a paper bill, but because they address it to me by my last name followed by my first name it is not being forwarded. I called the Post Office about it and they told me that I would have to submit a forwarding request for any combination of our names.

Bureaucracy at its finest.

Last year we camped in one location for 6 weeks. The campground is mostly a seasonal place, but does not accept incoming mail for campers. Since the Post Office does not hold mail for longer than 30 days, we decided to use the Premium Hold Service as mentioned above.

This year, we are at the same campground for 4 months and decided the Premium Hold service would be too expensive and decided to temporarily forward our mail through the Post Office. Although it cost us $85 last year for the Premium Hold service, it was well worth it. No matter what was mailed to us, it was put into a Priority Mail envelop. We received it 2 days later, every time.

This year, we are barely getting any mail. Almost every bill is paid online, our local water company still sends a paper bill, but because they address it to me by my last name followed by my first name it is not being forwarded. I called the Post Office about it and they told me that I would have to submit a forwarding request for any combination of our names. When I setup the forwarding, I entered each of our names and marked the option for whole household.

I asked what was the point of the whole household option if I need to submit multiple requests. I was told it is there so the people that are moving into our house wouldn't have their mail forwarded. I told her that made no sense. I also told her we weren't moving and that's why I requested a temporary forward instead of an official change of address. She didn't have an answer for me.

I don't think we'll use USPS' temporary forwarding service next year. I'd hate to spend the money for the Premium Hold service, but that seems to be the best way to go.

-Michael

GMandJM wrote:
If it is marked "Do Not Forward" it goes back to the sender. This is generally stuff like new/replacement credit cards and tax refunds.

and medical bills. Tax refunds can be done online.

GMandJM wrote:

oldcarfun wrote:
DmaxWW, I don't understand the difference. If I have USPS mail forwarded to my son will mail marked "Do not forward" be forwarded? Will it be forwarded to MyRVMail because it is a full time mail service? Is there a difference?

USPS will not forward anything marked "Do Not Forward" on the envelope, no matter where your forwarded address may be. If it is marked "Do Not Forward" it goes back to the sender. This is generally stuff like new/replacement credit cards and tax refunds.


If you have a forward (to your son or anywhere else), USPS should/will forward all first class mail. Magazines will be forwarded for 90 days.

Anything that is not first class (junk mail, ads, solicitations) isn't forwarded and goes in the trash.

I'm not familiar with the pricey USPS service mentioned above and don't know if they forward "junk mail" or not.

This is what I found out as well, you get the stuff you don't need and the important things you don't get. When I used a mail forward to a private mail box at the UPS store all my important mail was sent back because it had do not forward on it.

We used premium forwarding from usps when we snowbirded. They forward everything, junk mail as well as mail marked " do not forward". Our own mail carrier boxes it up & sends it once a week.

Before using this pricey service, we used the regular, free mail forwarding and missed some important mail.

oldcarfun wrote:
DmaxWW, I don't understand the difference. If I have USPS mail forwarded to my son will mail marked "Do not forward" be forwarded? Will it be forwarded to MyRVMail because it is a full time mail service? Is there a difference?

USPS will not forward anything marked "Do Not Forward" on the envelope, no matter where your forwarded address may be. If it is marked "Do Not Forward" it goes back to the sender. This is generally stuff like new/replacement credit cards and tax refunds.

If you have a forward (to your son or anywhere else), USPS should/will forward all first class mail. Magazines will be forwarded for 90 days.

Anything that is not first class (junk mail, ads, solicitations) isn't forwarded and goes in the trash.

I'm not familiar with the pricey USPS service mentioned above and don't know if they forward "junk mail" or not.

oldcarfun wrote:
We will be traveling for two months this year. We are FMCA members but they have stopped their mail forwarding service. The other services I see are for full-timers. Does anyone know of a short-term mail forwarding service other than neighbors?

It may not be suitable for your purposes, but FMCA has not really stopped their mail-forwarding service, they've just outsourced it. See here: FMCA Mail-Forwarding Service. I note that one of the offered services is a "virtual mailbox." They scan the envelope/package and then you let them know whether they should shred it, send it, or open it and scan the inside of it so you can read your mail online.

Incidentally, I've never used a mail-forwarding service so I can't comment on whether this service is any good. I just read about it and thought I'd pass it along in case it helps.

Skip

DmaxWW, I don't understand the difference. If I have USPS mail forwarded to my son will mail marked "Do not forward" be forwarded? Will it be forwarded to MyRVMail because it is a full time mail service? Is there a difference?

Keep in mind that most mail forwarding will "NOT" forward the mail that is marked as "do not forward AND forwarding address required".

Nothing more than a new change of address to a full time mail service will cover this. Been there, tried that, and have the T Shirt.

Thank you for the responses. We have a legal matter pending and still want to make our scheduled trip. MyRVMail sounds perfect. Thanks again.