Now I’m nomadic don’t have an address yet want to receive some packages. My new phone provider wants to FedEx a phone SIM card tonight to my current city but don’t know what address to give them. Also want to order maybe 7 Amazon prime items but again don’t have an address for them. Ideas?
Temp place or address to mail small packages?
- Thread starter Malkmus
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user 29855
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Fedex will allow packages sent to them "hold for pickup." Some Fedex offices will not accept and hold ground packages. Check with the office closest to you. They're very helpful.
Check to see if there are Amazon Lockers in your city.
Any Amazon package can be sent there free of charge.
You can also have packages sent to UPS Stores but they may charge fees.
For the SIM you could see if they would send it to you General Delivery at the central post office in that city:
John Doe
General Delivery
Your City,ST 22222
Any Amazon package can be sent there free of charge.
You can also have packages sent to UPS Stores but they may charge fees.
For the SIM you could see if they would send it to you General Delivery at the central post office in that city:
John Doe
General Delivery
Your City,ST 22222
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frater secessus
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receiving packages
If you plan on receiving mail/packages regularly a mail forwarding service may be worth the money.
If you plan on receiving mail/packages regularly a mail forwarding service may be worth the money.
LauraAnneMarie
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Always check prices general delivery should be free but some people have been bitten by it.
You can have mail/packages sent to any Postal Annex or UPS store, or just about any mailing/shipping service. You don't have to have a box. Just call the store and ask them how to address the package, then give that address to the sender. The service will charge a fee, usually around $5 per package.
JeepLiving
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One problem I learned about General Delivery and even mail to a PO Box, is that if the sender uses UPS or FedEx (usually) and they don't address it properly, the post office will charge you shipping when you go to pick it up. I was shocked when I went to pick up a series of packages from Amazon sent General Delivery. I had to pay USPS shipping to get them. At least with Amazon, you can call after the fact and get reimbursed. Other companies, good luck. But UPS or FedEx has to use a special shipping system that gives delivery of the package to USPS at the end of the trip. Then it's okay.
I think it's awful that the post office accepts UPS shipments but then wants to charge the full USPS shipping just to hand it over the counter.
I think it's awful that the post office accepts UPS shipments but then wants to charge the full USPS shipping just to hand it over the counter.
JeepLiving
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That's fine if you hang out close enough to the service location to go pick up. But if you're wandering around you might not always be close by. Then you'll have to pay them to ship the item to your current location. I've found what works best for me is a friend back home receives my mail. I can decide on a case-by-case basis if I need it forwarded to me out here. They will then send it to General Delivery in whatever town I'm in. I don't send packages to that address, though. I will contact the company and ask what they use for shipping service. If it's USPS, I have it sent GD. If UPS, I try to find a local UPS store, have it sent there and pay the $5 handling.
Tony's Dream
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When I travel, I contact a USPS location and let them know I am in the area. I leave my name and phone number wtih them. Then have parcels/mail sent General Delivery. They will arrive and some will call you when it arrives, and you can go get your mail. FedEx and UPS will not mail to a general delivery address or post office.
In post #3 I should have mentioned that I've only used GD for USPS First Class Mail. A SIM can be sent in a letter but I see now that if it's sent by FEDEX it would be different. For packages it's always Amazon Lockers or UPS Stores for me. I hope the OP checks back in and tell us how things went...
BTW: I found out that in some larger cities GD needs to be sent to the main post office and not to the branch that you may be near. I asked my pharmacy to send a prescription to a branch in Corpus Cristi but the clerk at the PO from where they sent it from said it had to go to the main PO. It was a 60 mile roundtrip to pick it up at the main post office location.
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JeepLiving
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Safe to say that the take-away here is that nomads and other long term travelers are at a distinct disadvantage when it comes to a basic service that people with stable addresses take for granted. How does one go about effectively lobbying for reasonable access to mail and shipping services for the wanderers of the land?
The solution seems both simple and obvious. Demand that the US Postal Service accept any mode of shipment through their existing General Delivery system. If an item is sent by other than USPS, then they may levy a handling fee of UP TO $5 to pass the item over the counter to complete the delivery.
If they wanted to get really creative, they could institute a system whereby anyone could sign up for a "Universal Post Box" priced in line with the cost of a regular post box. It would be like having a box in a certain location except a parcel or letter could be sent to, and picked up at, any post office in the country, without having to pay any additional handling fees.
The solution seems both simple and obvious. Demand that the US Postal Service accept any mode of shipment through their existing General Delivery system. If an item is sent by other than USPS, then they may levy a handling fee of UP TO $5 to pass the item over the counter to complete the delivery.
If they wanted to get really creative, they could institute a system whereby anyone could sign up for a "Universal Post Box" priced in line with the cost of a regular post box. It would be like having a box in a certain location except a parcel or letter could be sent to, and picked up at, any post office in the country, without having to pay any additional handling fees.
frater secessus
Well-known member
That's literally what mail forwarders do. Log in, see the mail, scan/trash/remail etc. I am having a package delivered to General Delivery at this moment.
If one has a friend to do it for free then even better.
I've been avoiding mail forwarding service by using the fed ex store in a small town.
Unfortunately, you need to visit the towns to check them monthly and people in small towns do gossip.
If you need too much stuff, it looks like "Christmas in July" to them, so you'd better keep a close eye on your wallet.
I don't recommend it.
The stress isn't worth the savings, lol. I can't wait to get signed up with whatever forwarding service I can afford asap.
Btw, Zenni won't deliver to the Fed Ex store. If you order your glasses sent to General Delivery bwith express shipping, they arrive postage due but it you skip it, they'll get there just as fast with no extra service charge.
Angry at myself for knowing, lol.
Unfortunately, you need to visit the towns to check them monthly and people in small towns do gossip.
If you need too much stuff, it looks like "Christmas in July" to them, so you'd better keep a close eye on your wallet.
I don't recommend it.
The stress isn't worth the savings, lol. I can't wait to get signed up with whatever forwarding service I can afford asap.
Btw, Zenni won't deliver to the Fed Ex store. If you order your glasses sent to General Delivery bwith express shipping, they arrive postage due but it you skip it, they'll get there just as fast with no extra service charge.
Angry at myself for knowing, lol.
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