Moving: When to change addresses online?

[Amethyst]

We will hit Florida sandy soil next Saturday, and might not have internet to the home for a couple days. So I am wondering if it would be better to change our address with all the credit card companies, etc. shortly before we depart, or just let them think we're still in MD till we have a computer set up down there.

I don't care to do all that stuff by smartphone, especially since the connection is not 100% reliable where we'll be living.

Your thoughts?

 

[jimandthom]

When we moved in 2016, we just took our time to change them. Wait till the internet is up and running.

FYI--- renew your post office change of address at least once. The present address change timeframe is for 6 months--- had thought it was longer many years ago ago of course I just assumed!!!!!

We had a bill that finally caught up with us, in the first stages of collection, about 8 months after we moved. That's when I found out about the 6 month time frame.

 

[W2R]

We will hit Florida sandy soil next Saturday, and might not have internet to the home for a couple days. So I am wondering if it would be better to change our address with all the credit card companies, etc. shortly before we depart, or just let them think we're still in MD till we have a computer set up down there.

I don't care to do all that stuff by smartphone, especially since the connection is not 100% reliable where we'll be living.

Your thoughts?

Kind of a problem, I agree! You need to wait long enough so that mail sent to Florida would not be returned before you get there.

Maybe you could bookmark the URLs you need, and then change the addresses the night before you get on the road.

When I moved across town four years ago, I went to the post office and filled out one of their change-of-address forms. This was in their "Mover's Guide Packet" which also included some terrific coupons. Anyway, the form asked for a date at which the address change would be in effect, so I just listed the moving date.

BTW - - when I filled out that post office form, I accidently put in F's address (almost the same as mine, since our houses are next door to each other). Anyway, four years later he is still bringing me mail from that. The interesting thing is that 100% of what he brings me is either junk mail (mostly for older folks like AARP offers, hearing aid deals, or cremation services, but also credit card offers and more), or alumni magazines from private schools and universities I attended (which is essentially junk mail to me, too).

Oh, and I changed my address for SS online at that time, and they STILL have both addresses for me. I had to straighten that out on the phone earlier this year.

 

[RunningBum]

I'd probably do it before, just so you don't have any issues using the card when you first get down there, provided your address there is ready to receive mail. If not, it's probably fine to wait. I don't claim to know how the CCs detect hacked cards but a spending spree down in Florida, which would not be uncommon when you first move, may trigger something, and you wouldn't want to be dealing with that among everything else.

 

[Walt34]

Since the length of time it will take to get an internet connection in FL is an unknown (days? weeks? or shudder, months?) I'd be inclined to do it the old-fashioned way and do the change-of-address form at the post office.

Now, I still pay all that stuff the old-fashioned way by mail and checks for several reasons, the main one being that DW wouldn't have a clue how to deal with it if something happened to me. So that method would work for us.

Another reason we don't change is that so far, in our experience the post office has been much more reliable than any ISP we've ever had. Dropping out for a week at a time with no notice or apparent reason is not "reliable" or acceptable where I come from.

 

[joeea]

I'd probably do it before, just so you don't have any issues using the card when you first get down there

If you call your credit card and tell them you will be in Florida, you won't have any problem using it there.

 

[RunningBum]

If you call your credit card and tell them you will be in Florida, you won't have any problem using it there.

Of course, but why not eliminate that step and change your address since you'll have to do that anyway? Who needs yet another thing to do during a move?

 

[Nick12]

If you call your credit card and tell them you will be in Florida, you won't have any problem using it there.

+1/ if you don't call your credit card company to advise you will be using the card in another state, the company may freeze your account but also contact you in the process. I know because it happened to me.

 

[Aerides]

Credit card fraud detection is much smarter these days. Whenever I've traveled in the past 10 years I've had zero issues suddenly having new charges in another state. Some credit cards companies are smarter than others.

Amex, and Capital One, for example, say, nope, you don't need to tell us anymore.
Others have an easy way to do so online:

https://www.creditkarma.com/credit-cards/i/how-to-travel-notification/

As far as changing your billing address, sure do that anytime (and go paperless anyway so then it's really just a formality, and no worries about mis-directed paper).

 

[SecondCor521]

You can put your mail on hold for IIRC up to 30 days. Maybe put your mail on hold starting next Monday and then a change of address in effect for Saturday would work for you. It's also nice not to deal with mail the last few days before a move I think.

 

[audreyh1]

Are you having mail forwarded? That will take care of bills getting to you. Then you have a year to change billing addresses with all providers.

You'll be able to find internet if you really need it - easy for a couple of hours, Starbucks or similar.

 

[steelyman]

The Informed Delivery service from USPS might be useful for being alerted of mail still being delivered to your old address. It’s easy to forget a few senders of important mail during the moving process.

 

[joeea]

The Informed Delivery service from USPS might be useful for being alerted of mail still being delivered to your old address. It’s easy to forget a few senders of important mail during the moving process.

You won't be able to have Informed Delivery to your old address once you have moved. (Obviously the new owners wouldn't like that)

 

[steelyman]

You won't be able to have Informed Delivery to your old address once you have moved. (Obviously the new owners wouldn't like that)

Good point. I’m thinking during a tight window right around moving date. I’ve not experienced a move since signing up for ID so don’t know the details and how things coordinate with an official address change at USPS.

 

[ivinsfan]

+1/ if you don't call your credit card company to advise you will be using the card in another state, the company may freeze your account but also contact you in the process. I know because it happened to me.

International that I get, but domestically? I'd probably find another card. I bet I've used my Discover card in at least 2 dozen states in the last 20 years, with zero problems.

 

[Amethyst]

Most of our bills and payments (except for small contractors) are done electronically, so my main concern is having my home address/zip match the address/zip associated with various CC's.

For example, I notice that ALL gas stations now demand that you enter your zip code when you buy gas with a CC, and I just had a gas transaction canceled/had to go inside the store to pay because I accidentally mis-typed a digit on my Zip code so it did not match the one associated with the CC.

 

[gwraigty]

For example, I notice that ALL gas stations now demand that you enter your zip code when you buy gas with a CC, and I just had a gas transaction canceled/had to go inside the store to pay because I accidentally mis-typed a digit on my Zip code so it did not match the one associated with the CC.

Not where I live.

 

[steelyman]

I didn’t read your initial post carefully and see that you mentioned the card companies as the main concern.

I wondered why my ZIP was required at the pump after I moved and thought it may be due to differing tax rates in counties (my billing addy ZIP is in a different county than residence).

I’d probably stay with the old ZIP and address until after the move is over.

[ADDED] It wouldn’t hurt to carry a little extra cash during the move, just in case.

 

[RunningBum]

I didn’t read your initial post carefully and see that you mentioned the card companies as the main concern.

I wondered why my ZIP was required at the pump after I moved and thought it may be due to differing tax rates in counties (my billing addy ZIP is in a different county than residence).

I’d probably stay with the old ZIP and address until after the move is over.

[ADDED] It wouldn’t hurt to carry a little extra cash during the move, just in case.

Fraud prevention. And probably marketing on the side. Not taxes, you're going to pay whatever tax rate the pump is in.

 

[Walt34]

For example, I notice that ALL gas stations now demand that you enter your zip code when you buy gas with a CC, and I just had a gas transaction canceled/had to go inside the store to pay because I accidentally mis-typed a digit on my Zip code so it did not match the one associated with the CC.

Not where I live.

Apparently it varies by cc and location. When I'm within the same county or so they don't want a home zip code, but farther than that the CC co. wants a zip code. Seems reasonable to me.