Poll USPS: Junk Mail!!!

[JP.mpls]

I've been thinking about this topic lately. We want to travel on and off, and not worry about mail and junk mail building up.


I know we can stop our mail delivery for short periods of time, but I don't like the idea of telling the PO that we won't be home for 1-2 months. Maybe no big deal.


Is it possible to establish a PO Box, and cancel home delivery completely? I was thinking they might not continue to add junk mail into the PO Box. What happens if these get very filled up?


This would still leave the problem of misc. junk mail flyers being thrown around our door. Will have to ask friends or neighbors to check periodically for that.


What is everyone else doing about mail build up when they travel?


Thanks for comments.




JP

[scrabbler1]

Three years ago, I went out of town for 17 days and had the PO hold my mail. When I went to pick it up upon my return, it was amazing how little of it was actually legit mail, mainly a few bills. The rest was all junk, even the bills had lots of junk inserts.

[audreyh1]

When I hold my mail, they seem to leave out most of the junk. At least the big fliers.

[GrayHare]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP.mpls Is it possible to establish a PO Box, and cancel home delivery completely? I was thinking they might not continue to add junk mail into the PO Box. What happens if these get very filled up?

A friend did that, and would pick up the batch monthly. He paid for a large p.o. box and the office held the overflow for him but I doubt that's standard procedure. Might take a few gifts at a smaller office for that rules-stretch to happen. Certain letters are marked "if undeliverable, return in 5 days" and similar. Anything that takes up lots of space, i.e. boxes, will likely get returned after a week or so too.

[davismills]

I'm thinking about wiring the shredder directly into the mailbox.

[CaptTom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP.mpls I've been thinking about this topic lately. We want to travel on and off, and not worry about mail and junk mail building up

We were gone for 3 months last year.

We used a mail forwarding service. They helped fill out the paperwork to have our mail temporarily forwarded to them. They opened and scanned anything that looked legit, then put it on line so we could look at it. Anything we told them to hold, they would. Everything else got shredded after something like 14 or 30 days. We ended up having everything shredded.

The place we used was local. There's a more well-known one in Florida that all the RV'ers and cruisers use. I'll look up the name if no-one else has it handy.

[ducky911]

It would be nice if you could go on a cruise and not let them know your address. We have gone on Princess and Viking, it is shocking how many catalogs we get. Not odd to get three on the same day.

[SumDay]

Quote:

If you haven't already done so, you can set up an account at the Direct Marketing Association's website DMA choice.org

We moved a couple of years ago and noticed the junk mail creeping back in. Apparently the DMA choice thing doesn't follow you, so I signed up again and it's way down, again. Both of us have accounts.

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ducky911 It would be nice if you could go on a cruise and not let them know your address. We have gone on Princess and Viking, it is shocking how many catalogs we get. Not odd to get three on the same day.

Don't hold your breath.
I told one company I was dead a few years ago and after a nice interval of about a year I started getting catalogs and offers addressed to "Estate of Braumeister". I'm still getting them

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister Don't hold your breath. I told one company I was dead a few years ago and after a nice interval of about a year I started getting catalogs and offers addressed to "Estate of Braumeister". I'm still getting them

They probably figure that it took a year to settle the estate and now your heirs are eager to spend that big fat inheritance you left them. And what better way to honor "good ol' Braumeister" than by going on a cruise paid for by him!

[Tom52]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister FWIW, my standard answers in stores: "Can I get your phone number?" "Sorry, it's unlisted and I don't give it out." "Can I get your address?" "Sorry, we just moved and we're still in an extended stay hotel until we can find an apartment."

My simple answer to the questions are No an No. No need to make up an excuse.☺ Some years ago I was at a Kmart making a small cash purchase. The cashier asked for my zip code. I informed the cashier that I could see no reason why that was required for a cash sale. Cashier, in a nasty tone, told me they wouldn't sell the item to me in that case. In a slightly raised voice I demanded to speak to the manager. They quickly decided my zip code was not required after all and completed the sale.

[euro]

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldShooter Yup. Big source of revenue for the struggling postal system though. I don't mind throwing it away if it helps them maintain service levels and reduce postage price increases.

Agreed!

[sengsational]

I get 15 pounds of catalogs from Viking River Cruises alone!

[aja8888]

I'm really helping the PO out this year.

In the Spring, I had small amounts of frequent flyer miles left on Delta and American that we would never add to in any significant amount. These were quantities that would not support a free ticket. So we ordered magazines to use up the miles (5,000 - 9,000 miles). Now we get about 8 to 10 monthly magazines that we end up throwing away most of the time. We also get some magazines that just show up that we never ordered. Go figure...

[Sunset]

This is what I did to hold the mail in one house I owned, how long do you think it would take to fill the garage with letters

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JP.mpls .... I know we can stop our mail delivery for short periods of time, but I don't like the idea of telling the PO that we won't be home for 1-2 months. Maybe no big deal. Is it possible to establish a PO Box, and cancel home delivery completely? I was thinking they might not continue to add junk mail into the PO Box. What happens if these get very filled up? ..... What is everyone else doing about mail build up when they travel? JP

We redirect our mail to a relative's house, the flyers automatically stop and sometimes take a while to start back up after we are back after the trip.

Problem with a P.O. box is that all the mail goes into it, it will fill up and be full , and then the post office will cease delivery to you. They have to by law deliver everything, so your P.O. box gets the flyers and becomes full.

Redirecting works well, it takes about 10 days to start showing up at the new place and can be set up online for $1 at the post office web site.