Name of Blog

Author :Blog Editor in RV Tips & Education

By Stephanie A. Mayberry

One of the most common questions I get asked when I tell someone we are full-timers is, “How do you get your mail?” We sort of figured it out for ourselves, but have also run across some other good options as well. If you are new to full-timing or if you like to take long vacations, this information might help you.

Have a Relative or Friend Forward it to You.
I you have someone who can accept your mail and forward it to you, that is a pretty inexpensive option. You just do a change of address so that your mail goes to their address, then they send you your mail once a week. If the RV campground where you are staying accepts mail they can just send it there via USPS, FedEx, or UPS. If not, there are other mailing options while traveling. Keep in mind, the least expensive mailing method is ground service, but it can take your mail as long as 7 days to reach you.

General Delivery Mail Service
General delivery through the USPS is a good option, especially if the campground where you are staying does not accept mail. You’ll have to call the local post office to find out where the post office is that handles general delivery. All they have to do is stick your mail in a large envelope or box, affix the appropriate postage, and fill out the mailing label like this:
JOE FULL-TIMER
GENERAL DELIVERY
ANYTOWN MT 12345-7777
Then you just go to that post office and pick it up. You will have to have your picture ID with you so they can verify that you are the person whose name is on the label.

Good Sam Mail Service
I you are a member of Good Sam you can take advantage of their mail service. They will accept your mail and forward it to wherever you are. They also have an online mailbox that allows you to view a log of your mail, packages, and magazines. It shows the sender of the items as well as items that have been sent within the past 30 days. Important mail can be faxed to you for an additional fee. This service can also be used to establish residency for getting a driver’s license, vehicle registration, and voter’s registration – but that’s another blog post.

UPS Mail Forwarding
When we first hit the road we got a P.O. Box at a UPS Store then forwarded all of our mail to that address. Once a week the guys at UPS would put our mail in an envelope and send it to us. All you have to do is call them to let them know where to send your mail. It’s pretty easy. The guy who handled our mail would call us that Monday to let us know when he sent it out. If there wasn’t much mail or nothing was really pressing, we could request he skip a week. It was pretty easy.

Dakota Post
I don’t know much about this outfit, but have read some pretty good things about it online. It also allows you to establish residency – in South Dakota. Dakota Post has mail forwarding services along with a virtual mailbox that you can check right from your smartphone or computer.

Temporary Mail Forwarding
If you are going on a long vacation and will be staying in one place you might want to consider temporary mail forwarding through the USPS. All this service does is forward your mail to the address that you provide for a specified amount of time. Check with the campground where you’ll to staying to make sure they accept mail before you set up the forwarding. It is pretty easy to set up though; you can do it online for about a buck.
These are the services and options that I am aware of, but if any of you have suggestions, please post them in the comments below!

Also check out my post on establishing residency when you have no fixed address. Now hit the road!