US Postial Service Forwarding

[thekennys]

Since Nov 2011 We have tried to get the USPS to forward our mail to our mail forwarder and it basically hasn't happened despite forms, calls (mostly unanswered, and complaints). The biggest problem is the loss of prescriptions by mail. Fortunately we have great neighbors who help but it's getting old. I'm going home to the stick house this week and will make a personal plea.
Any suggestions and help --?

The Kennys

[sfish]

I did mine online and it worked just fine.

[thekennys]

so did we but only 11 pieces have been forwarded

mike

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

When we mail order drugs, we change our mail address to the one we want the drugs delivered to. We can do that online, and so far that has worked quite well. We do look very carefully at the delivery address every time we order, very CAREFULLY!

Online changes of addresses and such must be done for each individual, we sure learned our lesson last summer when we attempted to change our deliveries back to the stick built. We used just the surname, UGHAA, huge tactical error. To get it right, after mucho frustration we refiled our requests and used one for Al and one for Carol. I still prefer to do this in person at our small and super friendly local post office.

We have all our mail sent to our son, as a temporary change of address, do not pay the postal service to forward our mail to us once a week. With internet payment and billing and auto pay on just about every bill we don't get a lot of mail anyway.

Oh, and some institutions, like our bank, have on the envelope, no forwarding, we must change those addresses with the specific institution.

[c214dick]

We also change the shipping address to where we are staying when ordering prescriptions and almost anything else where the default address is our stick home. Mail forwarding also lost one of my prescriptions last year but have not had a problem since changing the shipping address.

As mention previously be careful because sometimes the new shipping address will replace your old address unless changed back.

[boylanag]

We also had problems with the USPS several years ago and changed our mailing address to a UPS Store box. That gave us a street address for billing purposes and have no problem getting it forwarded to wherever we are at. It also takes a burden off of friends and neighbors. It is inexpensive, too, because we pay for a year and get an added three months free and then they give 15% more for Good Sam members, now.

[CamillaMichael]

There are some mail forwarding services some members have mentioned as being a good alternative. Each year we go on the road we have experienced mixed results...some years are pretty good; however, last year was terrible. We try to avoid the USPS as much as possible.

[richfaa]

We have not had a problem with the USPS mail forwarding in the last 6 years. You do have to be very careful and read the instructions very closely. A simple error or oversight can have your mail dissapear forever.

[kdeiss]

We never have a problem with USPS as for Drugs we use Walgreens they have many locations
We just like walking into a store and getting our Drugs

[mail2us]

Mike,

Appreciate your frustration. Here's some input to consider:

Important mail (1st class). Notify those mailers via internet or call them of your change even if temporarily such as meds,statements etc even your banks.

Magazine mail: go online to those magazine sites. Change that address to where you will be. if more than 2 months.

If you move around alot during winter or your season, try and reduce those temporary changes with USPS. If you move around alot, just think, sometimes even friends and relatives can't keep up with you. Why expect a beaucratice agency to keep up!!!

It is free forwarding. What do we get today for free???? Nothing. USPS will do it's job, sometimes great, sometimes no so great.

So inject some of your own initiatives to keep your mail on track. It will work. Oh, when you return home, do it all in reverse. Good Luck Mike.

[thekennys]

Thanks for all the input.

the idea was to simplify, pay bills on line and go paperless, forward all mail to Sam's Mail, then get them to send it to us when and where we are. As for prescripthion we do use Walgrens but mine come from the VA so... but i stock up and can get by, but it is very inconvient. The missing piece is the USPS fordwarding not happening!

mike

[richfaa]

Mail2us gives good advise from a position of knowledge. We follow these recommendations and have no problems.

[thekennys]

Thanks everyone

Mike and Diane Kenny

[TheCoachPotatoes]

You had mentioned that you had gotten some mail. Also, you said you were trying to go paperless. This may be the key. USPS does not forward bulk or 3rd class mail. You probably won't get magazines, catalogs, credit card offers, or any other type of solicitation type mail. Our mail decreased dramatically when we started having ours forwarded and as long as I got the important mail, that was all that mattered to me.

[pappy65]

We worked in Yellowstone Natl Park a couple of years ago and had a USPS box assigned to us there. We forwarded our mail using the internet and had the same experience you are having. We got some mail, but it was obvious not all of our mail. After calling back to our local post office and talking to the supervisor we were told just what the last poster said. They do not forward magazines, advertisements, etc. I worried we might still be missing important mail. We travel most all summer and I am fortunate to have a neighbor that gets my mail daily and then one of my kids forwards to us upon request. Several good suggestions within this thread. Good luck.

[richfaa]

If you want your magazines change the address on the magazine . That is what we do. As for not getting junk mail that is a good thing.

[thekennys]

Thanks again everyone

Yesterday after taking a number I wated ~50 min then I got to the counter my(?) Post Office and asked to talk to the muckety-muck.
The surprised clerk wanted specifics so... ,then he disappered into the bowels of the office returning telling me the superviser was busy but would be out as soon as she could. Ten minutes later the carrier supervisor came out and she was the same person who had recieved phone calls from a small PO where I was camping, responding then that she would look into it. Well the gist of our conversation was the few pieces forwarded was because computers did it, they never recieved the stickers to forward from the national office that handles forwarding. She then proceded to inquire whether Iished action against my neighbors for picking up my mail--- . While I was talking to her my old carrier came out and saw me and imediatly askes me if I was going on a trip again - he no longer has the route. I asked why and was told the computer changed his route and that locally they had no input about it. Oh well at least I got her number to call, not the national hot line for those who like musak till they die.

Fordwarding is still in place and I got mail delivered to the house. I think I'll print up lables for the neighbors to put on delivered mail.

We do have all our bills and banks as paperless, the prescriptions come from the VA so I will not mess with my declared home location.

Mike

[1retired06]

Cannot beat Express scripts for prescription drug service. They will ship to whatever campground address you give them.

[richfaa]

We also have our prescription drugs delivered to the address we are at on the road or use Wallmart or CVS.Never had a problem.

[thekennys]

Hi
My health care provider is the VA so they don't like to move you around into different regions.
They do deliver overnite refrigerated meds to me out and about.
My wife's meds are from Walgrens
thanks
miket