[pbedell]

Hello, we are brand new villagers having just bought in Liberty Park. We will be snowbirds/snowflakes. How do others deal with receiving mail while at your main residence and vise versa? Do you forward ALL mail to your primary residence? Put a hold on Villages mail? This is our first time considering spending an extended time away and I would love advice on how veteran snowbirds deal with this issue.

Thanks,

Pat

[dewilson58]

Forward all mail.
Go online to USPS and set your dates.
They will want a credit card to verify it's you.
They charge $1.


Have your end date about 3 days prior to returning North.
It has worked great for us.


Two options: Forward mail for all in the Northern household, or do it by name.

[davem4616]

timing is everything

USPS will hold and will forward mail...timing is your challenge

after living that life for years we finally went as 'green' as possible with all the bills....that makes a huge difference

Good Luck

[Stu from NYC]

As a backup would give mailbox key to neighbor and ask them to forward any mail that is important to you periodically.

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

As a backup would give mailbox key to neighbor and ask them to forward any mail that is important to you periodically.

Seriously, it’s a $1.25 to forward mail, until u change date. To send mail in a larger envelope starts at $1.10, plus how does your neighbor know what is important to them is junk mail to you.
OP forward the mail I stop mail forwarding 2 weeks before we arrive

[vintageogauge]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Seriously, it’s a $1.25 to forward mail, until u change date. To send mail in a larger envelope starts at $1.10, plus how does your neighbor know what is important to them is junk mail to you.
OP forward the mail I stop mail forwarding 2 weeks before we arrive

A backup is needed due to the fact that some of the mail slips through. It happened to us just recently after we signed to have our mail forwarded. A simple text with a photo will solve your question regarding junk vs important mail. Better safe than sorry.

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by asianthree

Seriously, it’s a $1.25 to forward mail, until u change date. To send mail in a larger envelope starts at $1.10, plus how does your neighbor know what is important to them is junk mail to you.
OP forward the mail I stop mail forwarding 2 weeks before we arrive

It is the post office they do make mistakes. My suggestion was a backup just in case. Ask your neighbor to call with what comes in.

Reimburse them for cost of sending mail and on your return take them out to a nice dinner to say thanks

[asianthree]

Originally Posted by Stu from NYC

It is the post office they do make mistakes. My suggestion was a backup just in case. Ask your neighbor to call with what comes in.

Reimburse them for cost of sending mail and on your return take them out to a nice dinner to say thanks

With informed mail u know what is coming. Every month my lawn guys letter is not forwarded, i check report mail, and they forward. Have not had a problem since 07 forwarding mail in TV. We pay for a home watch who once a month checks post box, but never any mail or junk mail, in box

[Joe V.]

Originally Posted by asianthree

With informed mail u know what is coming. Every month my lawn guys letter is not forwarded, i check report mail, and they forward. Have not had a problem since 07 forwarding mail in TV. We pay for a home watch who once a month checks post box, but never any mail or junk mail, in box

I have informed mail. It daily sends me images of mail at my Houston address. I sold that house and left Houston 3 years ago and moved here.

I never was able to get the USPS to fix the issue. So now I just look for 'surprise' mail in the PO box here.

[davem4616]

if you are traveling back and forth 8+ times during the year like we were previously for business and elder care support dealing with the USPS and 'snail mail' is a lot more challenging than for folks that relocate for the season and then goes back

best advice is to go as 'green' as you can with as many bills as you can...have the bill automatically charged to a credit card, or if you trust them taken directly out of your bank account

when we were traveling back and forth often I finally gave up on the USPS because of their 'sluggish' service and had everything that was still 'snail mail' sent to a UPS box that I rented. When up north I would call the UPS store, they'd tell me what 1st class mail was in the box and overnight it if I needed it (especially any incoming client checks)

real estate tax bills most likely will be the only bill that you won't be able to go green with...but that one is easy to manage

[SIRE1]

This is the reply I gave to a similar question to mail forwarding. We are snowbirds, in The Villages for 5 months and in Michigan 7 months. Based on our experience, I have some recommendations for mail forwarding.

First, set up either email delivery of many of your bills (e.g. credit cards, cable, utilities) or set up EFT for them. The forwarding process is sometimes very slow and bills may not arrive before the due date.

Second, use the US Post Office web site to enter your forwarding request. Using the web site cost $1 but at least you know it was entered and the dates and forwarding address are correct. We used to send in the post card, which is free, but had some bad experiences when the info was entered into their computer incorrectly. By using the web site at least you will know what is entered into the post office computer system. It always amazes me that it cost me money for saving the post office from doing something they have to pay someone else to do, but that is the process.

Third, set your start and stop dates with enough lead time for mail that will be in the pipeline. We usually set the START forwarding date about 5 days before we leave. That way, any mail that has already been processed will arrive before we leave. And STOP forwarding about 10 days before you plan to leave. That way any mail that has already been processed and directed to the new address will arrive before you leave. It really does take around 10 days or so for forwarded mail to arrive vs. the 2-3 days for mail sent directly to the new address.

Fourth, for mail that you expect to receive on a regular basis (e.g. credit cards, cable TV, utilities, bank statements) , use their company web site and change your address on their Profile page. That way, this mail will be sent directly to your new address and avoid the long forwarding lead time delay. Then, before you return, use the company web site and change your address back. And remember, even though you submit a forwarding request to the post office, in addition to the junk mail that won't be forwarded, they also do NOT forward certain financial related mail. For instance, some of the income tax statements are not forwarded (learned this the hard way when we first became snow birds). So these must either have the address changed on the company web site or you have to print on your computer. Also, new and reissued credit cards are not forwarded, even though they are mailed in a regular looking envelope. So if you are expecting newly issued credit cards or even new books of checks, you must use the web site to change your mailing address.

Also, be aware that the post office will only forward magazines for a month or 2 (can't remember what it is but it is not long). So if you are going to be gone longer than that, make sure you go to the company web site and change your address on their Profile page or contact them by phone. That way, this mail will be sent directly to your new address. Then, before you return, use the company web site or phone again and change your address back.

Finally, Remember, if you change your address on a credit card web site, the new zip code is your address (we have a credit card that always requires me to enter my zip code at the pump when I get gas, and I have to remember which zip code to use).

[Stu from NYC]

Originally Posted by asianthree

With informed mail u know what is coming. Every month my lawn guys letter is not forwarded, i check report mail, and they forward. Have not had a problem since 07 forwarding mail in TV. We pay for a home watch who once a month checks post box, but never any mail or junk mail, in box

We have informed mail also and regularly we get stuff that is not shown. Often they will tell us that mail has not been scanned.

That is why I like to have just in case protection.

[Fredman]

You can have the post office bundle your mail and they will send by priority mail once a week. I believe it costs $17 per week That is what we do and it works out fine

[camaguey48]

Originally Posted by pbedell

Hello, we are brand new villagers having just bought in Liberty Park. We will be snowbirds/snowflakes. How do others deal with receiving mail while at your main residence and vise versa? Do you forward ALL mail to your primary residence? Put a hold on Villages mail? This is our first time considering spending an extended time away and I would love advice on how veteran snowbirds deal with this issue.

Thanks,

Pat

Snowflakes? That's funny

[GaryKoca]

We just fill out the forwarding cards at both places and take them directly to the local post office, here and there. Avoids any charges.