So how do you get your mail?
Today we drove to Bylthe, CA from Quartzsite to do shopping, laundry and pick up mail. I had it sent c/o General Delivery to the Blythe post office. Getting mail in Quartzsite can take forever, though this year they have a new annex for picking up G.D. mail. Sending your mail c/o general delivery works fine when traveling or in one place for a short time.
When you are working in one location for an extended time, how do you get your mail? After having a bad experience relying on an RV park owner in Skagway, Alaska for our mail, we now usually rent a box from the nearest post office. One Workamper used their employer's address and then reported that their employer got disgusted with getting lots of mail; he refused all mail that was not his and had it returned to sender. They did not receive an important piece of mail as a result.
Mail forwarding
When you begin traveling full-time, you'll probably get a mail forwarder. All your mail gets sent to this location and they then forward it to you in one envelope or box at your request. When you are in one location, you can set up a regular schedule for having your mail sent to that address while you are there.
We like being able to go down to the post office at our convenience. We can access our box after hours, if need be. Some rural post offices even have lockers where they will place mail that does not fit in your regular box, leaving the key in your mailbox so you can access it anytime. We have used General Delivery all season in some cases, but most post offices will not allow this unless there is a shortage of boxes at their location. Plus you have to pick up mail during business hours.
If you do have mail sent to an employer's, do not change your address to theirs. You will not be able to put in a change of address without causing their mail to be forwarded too. Jaimie Hall
For information on Jaimie Hall's recently revised book, Support Your RV LIfestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd ed., see RVBookstore.com
When you are working in one location for an extended time, how do you get your mail? After having a bad experience relying on an RV park owner in Skagway, Alaska for our mail, we now usually rent a box from the nearest post office. One Workamper used their employer's address and then reported that their employer got disgusted with getting lots of mail; he refused all mail that was not his and had it returned to sender. They did not receive an important piece of mail as a result.
Mail forwarding
When you begin traveling full-time, you'll probably get a mail forwarder. All your mail gets sent to this location and they then forward it to you in one envelope or box at your request. When you are in one location, you can set up a regular schedule for having your mail sent to that address while you are there.
We like being able to go down to the post office at our convenience. We can access our box after hours, if need be. Some rural post offices even have lockers where they will place mail that does not fit in your regular box, leaving the key in your mailbox so you can access it anytime. We have used General Delivery all season in some cases, but most post offices will not allow this unless there is a shortage of boxes at their location. Plus you have to pick up mail during business hours.
If you do have mail sent to an employer's, do not change your address to theirs. You will not be able to put in a change of address without causing their mail to be forwarded too. Jaimie Hall
For information on Jaimie Hall's recently revised book, Support Your RV LIfestyle! An Insider's Guide to Working on the Road, 2nd ed., see RVBookstore.com
4 Comments:
Hello Jaime,
Came across your blog and articles this morning. My wife & I expect to arrive in Quartzsite this Saturday, as we begin our first RV trip; from here in S. Calif. to our home in Chattanooga, TN - in a 1996 LAZY DAZE 26.5 MB we just purchased.
I'm keenly nterested in working from our RV via internet, blog, etc.
WONDER? Any chance you will still be in Q this weekend (Feb 10-11)? If so, could we perhaps meet for a few minutes? We have reservations at 88 Shades RV park.
Warm regards,
Jack & Jeannette Walker
423-667-7002 cell
jackw@agibooks.org
By Jack & Jeannette, at February 7, 2007 11:44 AM
Would love to AND we are heading out tomorrow (2/8). Another time!
Jaimie
By Jaimie Hall, at February 7, 2007 6:20 PM
Hi Jaimie,
Just a quick note here. Something we have run into...due to Sept 11 the post office requires proof of "local" residence to rent a box. We as worcampers do not normally have such. We used a "note" from an employer but that was a small town. We are now in Dallas and they would only take licence, rental/lease agreement or water/power bill. We had to use a business center rent a box to get our mail...very much more expensive. What did you use to rent your bx as proof of reidency?
By SKIPPER, at February 18, 2007 7:50 AM
Skipper,
Do you have a regular mailforwarder? I use the Escapees RV Club (Livingston, TX) for mail forwarding and have used bills I receive at that address for proof.
If you are staying at an RV park for a month or more, your receipt from there might work.
I just looked at instructions for completing Form #1583 from the Escapees Mail Service on what they need to open a box or add someone to an existing box. For home address, you can use your current mailing address (including mail forwarding) or, if you live in an RV, list the state it is licensed in & license #, make, model and color. They turn this form into the PO. You could talk to the postmaster in Dallas to see if this would be acceptable there.
Jaimie
By Jaimie Hall, at February 19, 2007 9:08 AM
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