It’s one of those classic questions – and I’m here to say there are plenty of ways to handle your snail / paper mail.
Photo by veggiegretz
If you’re moving to another country, there are plenty of loose ends to tie up, and quite a few of them have to do with receiving snail mail or paper mail. You might not get that much if you’re a millennial, but think about it – credit card statements, bank statements, newspaper or magazine subscriptions, utility bills…
Step 1: Set up electronic statements where you can
If you’re a Millennial or frequent mover, you may already have these set up for all your accounts. It’s worth reviewing the stack of postal mail you’ve received in the past month to see what you might have missed.
Step 2: think about how much mail you get…
Then consider how time-sensitive it is. Are you really getting that much paper mail that needs to be acted on ASAP?
Step 3: Set up a receiving or forwarding address
Both Laura and I use our parent’s address for the few pieces of mail that need them, and (usually) our current mailing address for stuff like packages or things ordered on the internet. (This isn’t often, since we’re not always in one place for any length of time, and it’s usually easier to find what we’re looking for in real life.) It’s pretty rare to need to receive mail, but when it’s needed, it’s important. Our parents are good about sending things on, but obviously your mileage may vary.
If you’d rather not use a parent’s address or don’t want to bother a trusted friend, it might be time to consider a mail forwarding service. These vary in plenty of ways, and in the interest of disclosure, I should note that some of these are affiliate links.
Mailbox Forwarding
Mailbox Forwarding offers three plans starting at $14.95 a month. That nets you up to 50 items received and up to 10 items scanned, but the nickel-and-diming adds up if you want to do most anything else:
The site is quick to point out there’s “no contract, setup fees, prepayment, or cancellation fees”.
Overall: best if you need a cheap plan and only get a small amount of mail.
Earth Class Mail
One of the originals in the industry, Earth Class Mail’s programs are aimed at businesses needing to receive lots of mail, deposit checks, or otherwise have a higher level of convenience. Plenty of addresses are listed across the US (currently 21 of them, though not all of them are able to receive mail from all carriers) At $49 / month for the cheapest residential plan and $99 / month, it’s definitely on the higher end of price points.
Overall: it’s more convenient, but more expensive. Best for businesses where the owner is nomadic but needs a prestigious-looking address.
PO Box Zone
With a prestigious street address in Las Vegas available now and street addresses in Wyoming and Delaware coming soon, PO Box Zone works like the other services. They can receive FedEx UPS, DHL, and the US Postal Service’s Mail. By default they offer shredding and the deletion of junk mail for free, You can also choose to have everything scanned and sent your way or just select pieces (scanning incurs an extra cost, but as you might guess it gets sent your way faster).
Overall: looks like a great option if you want the Las Vegas address, or need a real street address that’s not a PO Box-looking address.
Scan My Post
Scan My Post does all the usual stuff, but with a UK address and priced in British pounds. At 12 GBP per year for the Very Light User, it’s one of the cheapest plans I know of. I’m not a fan of a testimonial dated from 2010 on their home page, but everything else looks to be in order – forwarding, cheque cashing, etc.
Update 13 Sept 2016: I’ve been told via e-mail that the company now offers a free trial to students. Head to their site for any rules and limitations.
Overall: if you need a UK address or prefer a UK presence for cheap, this is probably the best option out there.
Clevver Mail
With 22 locations across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, getting an address on a different continent (or at least one outside the US) is easier with Clevver Mail than other services here. They don’t seem to offer check deposits, but other basics like scanning, shredding, forwarding, and storage are all there. Pricing is definitely on the cheaper side, starting at less than one euro a month with a ‘pay-as-you-go’ plan, but even the high-end business plans are decently priced (20-30 € a month). There’s still some nickel-and-diming here, but it isn’t an pricey as elsewhere.
Overall: if you need an international address or don’t need to deposit checks, this is likely to be the best offering.
Traveling Mailbox
Offering real street addresses instead of PO Boxes, Traveling Mailbox has 17 addresses across the US. All but one are a premium upgrade, so if location isn’t important to you, stick with the Standard address. All the usual features are here, and there’s an app available for both iOS and Android to help manage your snail mail. At $15 / month, the basic plan is likely enough for most, with two other plans suitable if you receive more mail.
Overall: a worthy, straightforward option.
My Dakota Address
My Dakota Address works a bit differently from the others on the list. To be clear, it does offer mail forward – but as you might guess by the logo it also aims to help you register a vehicle in South Dakota and otherwise show the benefits to getting started in the state (notably, no state income or inheritance tax and no annual safety inspection for vehicles).
Pricing is based on how often you want your mail delivered (from $8 / month if you can handle getting a monthly shipment to $18 / month to receive things on-demand. This is the only one that looks to require a deposit or any sort of long-term agreement (three months at a minimum, with a month free when you pay a year in advance).
Overall: it seems more limiting than the others, but promises fewer hidden fees.
The winner?
For being one of the cheaper plans and having address on multiple continents, ClevverMail would be my choice.
For people that need a fuller-fledged business solution, Earth Class Mail ticks a lot of the boxes.
