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Old 04-19-2017, 08:39 AM   #1
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Name: Walter
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Mail issue

I'm going on the Southern Utah Tour next month. Also a trip in August to pick up a new Escape.
Each trip will last about 5-6 weeks. My problem is that USPS mail holds are limited to 30 days.
This is different than full timing where you have systems like Escapees that can be used for long term regular forwarding.
It's obviously something many here have dealt with but it's the first time for me and I'd appreciate any constructive solutions, suggestions, as long as they stay on topic.

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Old 04-19-2017, 08:42 AM   #2
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I tell the post office that a relative will pick it up about once a week. As long as that is done they keep it on hold for us all winter, about 4 months.
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Old 04-19-2017, 09:28 AM   #3
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We have a locking mailbox (fake stone look) with a removable floor.
When away, we pop the floor out and all the mail falls down into the bottom.
when we get home we unlock the bottom and remove the mail.
After five or six weeks it is seldom more than a 1/4 full.
the picture below shows the back open and the capacity.
Sold at Toys R Us or Ace hardware.


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Old 04-19-2017, 10:28 AM   #4
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We forward our mail to my Mom when we will be gone for long trips (5 weeks). We cancel the forwarding a few days before we will get back if our return is earlier than our guesstimate return date. Mom will text us if something looks important. As a side benefit you get a bunch of coupons for your "new address".
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Old 04-19-2017, 10:44 AM   #5
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My post office recommended not forwarding our mail because of delays in starting and stopping it. We could not use Floyd's method while gone in the winter because the State Highway snowplow would surely hit it.
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Old 04-19-2017, 12:28 PM   #6
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Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
My post office recommended not forwarding our mail because of delays in starting and stopping it. We could not use Floyd's method while gone in the winter because the State Highway snowplow would surely hit it.
Must be good we live on an Albany County road Bob/Mary. We have never had our mail box hit.

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Old 04-19-2017, 01:39 PM   #7
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If you have home delivery, we've always had a neighbor collect it and I do the same for them. In my little desert town we only have PO boxes so just pass the key along. Both ways have worked out very well.
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Old 04-19-2017, 03:31 PM   #8
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We're at the stage where 99% of our mail is junk. Insurance bills come outside of camping season, electric bill is the only other monthly bill that comes to the house. Everything else is paid by the bank. Perhaps there might be a doctor's bill but they'll let you know if it goes astray. My point is stop your mail and pick it up when you get home. I doubt they will notice if you go beyond 30 days. If they do, what will they do? Yell at you? Throw it away? Life's short. Go enjoy. If nothing is said, remember them at Christmas.
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Old 04-19-2017, 04:14 PM   #9
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I forward to my daughter when I'm going to gone longer than 30 days. She will send the mail General Delivery to where ever I want and when I want.

USPS has the same service except it's expensive and they only ship to single address. They ship your mail once a week. Which doesn't work for me.

UPS stores will usually have a mail forwarding service again expensive. Escapees use the forwarding service out of Texas. Many full timers do it out of South Dakota.
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Old 04-19-2017, 07:05 PM   #10
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America's Mailbox has a vacation mail forwarding service for just under $15/month, but they have a three month minimum. They also charge a one time $25 set-up fee. Might be what I use when I go out of town for a few months.

http://www.americas-mailbox.com/home/plans/silver

In the past, the Local Post office has extended my hold mail to five weeks when I asked nicely. Plus, once the 30 days is up, you have 10 days to pick up your mail before they return it according to the stated policy online.
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Old 04-23-2017, 03:00 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
My post office recommended not forwarding our mail because of delays in starting and stopping it. We could not use Floyd's method while gone in the winter because the State Highway snowplow would surely hit it.
Then there's THAT!
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Old 04-24-2017, 05:50 AM   #12
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We have a neighbor pick ours up about once a week. He throws away the junk, calls us if something looks important, and bags it till we get home. Congratulations on the Utah Tour. One of the best journeys we've ever taken. I know you'll have a great time.
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Old 04-27-2017, 02:48 PM   #13
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Thanks for all the input. Many good ideas. Following some of your suggestions today I asked our postmaster about extending the hold and she agreed right away. Problem solved.

Walt
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Old 04-28-2017, 06:45 AM   #14
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Our post office would not let anyone pick up our mail. Not even one of our sons! So we rented a nearby mail box from UPS. They will hold it or forward it every so often when you want it. It is not very convenient and we don't have home delivery anymore but no big loss.
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Old 04-28-2017, 10:17 AM   #15
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the local office supply store offers a mail forward service, especially visiting the snowbirds who come for the winter, most of whom aren't in campers. I asked (in writing) the campground owner where I'll be in mid June. No problem to hold for me (I reserved for 3-4 nights). So I will forward my mail to them, and they'll forward the first part of June's mail to me. don't know how much it will cost..
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Old 05-10-2017, 10:53 AM   #16
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I have been told, but have not tried it yet, that once you are traveling that you can extend your mail hold for up to 30 days from the date you make the extension.
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Old 05-10-2017, 12:24 PM   #17
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I've had problems with the post office holding or forwarding. As long as you get nothing that's extremely time sensitive they work.

The postmaster told us that they'd hold it for 5-6 weeks as opposed to the usual 30 days. Took an extra 2 weeks before the hold started, and at the end of 30 days, while we were still gone, they resumed. So much for holding. We had dropped of the hold order with the postmaster.

Tried forwarding to my son this past winter, tried it on line. 1st mail made it to my son about a month after we left, never did resume to our home after we returned and canceled the forward on line. Had to go up to the post office where they punched the cancel into their computer. Had our mail the next day.

I have pretty much everything paid via my Visa or the bank, only the odd Dr bills and tax stuff from the town come to the house. The taxes I pay ahead before I leave. My son would drop me a scanned copy of any other bill that I pay from the bank on line.

Like I mentioned, the post office hold or forward works as long as you don't care when it goes on hold or resumes. My son stops by the house once a week, checks the mail box when he's here.
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Old 05-10-2017, 12:53 PM   #18
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Originally Posted by padlin00 View Post
I've had problems with the post office holding or forwarding. As long as you get nothing that's extremely time sensitive they work.
We frequently put our rural delivery mail on hold, anywhere from a few days to a week to a few months. I'll leave the hold card in our mailbox a few days ahead of when we want to start holding it, and they get it right every time. When we get home I go into the Post Office, pick up the mail, and tell them to resume delivery. Probably helps that we live in a small town, and I went to school with my mail carrier.
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Old 05-10-2017, 01:47 PM   #19
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Originally Posted by mary and bob View Post
We frequently put our rural delivery mail on hold, anywhere from a few days to a week to a few months. I'll leave the hold card in our mailbox a few days ahead of when we want to start holding it, and they get it right every time. When we get home I go into the Post Office, pick up the mail, and tell them to resume delivery. Probably helps that we live in a small town, and I went to school with my mail carrier.

I'm in a fairly small town, doesn't say much for our post office.
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Old 05-10-2017, 02:22 PM   #20
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Put the post office hold on but be sure you have a locking mailbox just in case the post office messes up. It always makes sense to have a locking mailbox as mail theft is pretty common. One would have to weigh leaving a note taped inside the mailbox as a way to keep the mailman doing the right thing versus notifying someone who is stealing your mail that you are out of town and that no one is in your house.

As a belt and suspenders security measure hire or ask a favor of someone you trust and have them check your mailbox once a week or so.
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