Final Decision On Mail Forwarding Service

[ispjs]

We are just under 30 days from closing on the sale of our house so we want to get our address changed in the next couple of weeks.  Since we want to keep a Florida legal address we have pretty much narrowed down our decision on what service to use, it will either be Good Sams or a local UPS Store.   I have read some old posts on mail forwarding but nothing recent.  Any full timers out there have an opinion one way or another about either one of these mail services?  It looks like both Good Sams and a local UPS Store will provide a legal street address, hold mail, forward when we want, etc.  Any other suggestions?

[manholt]

I would think you can use any service you want, including FMCA or Escapees...just make sure it's not set up as a legal add. change.  I used to have a cabin, some time ago, and would spend 4 months a year there, it  had a P.O.Box and I would receive all my mail there, then I just filled out the form when I left and it would revert back to my house in Texas.  Don't know if it's different now!

[tbutler]

You might want to check to see if the local UPS store will provide a legal residential residence.  There is a difference between a street address and a residential address.  You may find some companies and government agencies that require a residential address.  Things like voting, passport and drivers license may require a residential address.  A box at the UPS Store may not work to get those items.  An address like the Good Sam, Escapees or FMCA mail forwarding service are structured to give you a residential address that will work for all of the above.  Investigate the difference carefully.

We used MyHomeAddress in Emery, SD for 11 years, until we went back to a fixed home.  They are a smaller operation but provided just what we needed including taking care of registration and licensing of our coach and toad, assisting with voting registration, etc.  If you want to stay with a Florida residence, I would suggest looking for a smaller operation located in Florida.  As a state with no state income tax, they surely have some small operations that can meet your needs. 

[ispjs]

11 hours ago, manholt said:

I would think you can use any service you want, including FMCA or Escapees...just make sure it's not set up as a legal add. change.  I used to have a cabin, some time ago, and would spend 4 months a year there, it  had a P.O.Box and I would receive all my mail there, then I just filled out the form when I left and it would revert back to my house in Texas.  Don't know if it's different now!

That is the point Carl, we need it to be a legal address change and be permanent.  Not sure about FMCA's forwarding service or Escapees, but both Good Sams and of course UPS Stores close to us can offer a Florida street address.

[ispjs]

8 hours ago, TBUTLER said:

You might want to check to see if the local UPS store will provide a legal residential residence.  There is a difference between a street address and a residential address.  You may find some companies and government agencies that require a residential address.  Things like voting, passport and drivers license may require a residential address.  A box at the UPS Store may not work to get those items.  An address like the Good Sam, Escapees or FMCA mail forwarding service are structured to give you a residential address that will work for all of the above.  Investigate the difference carefully.

We used MyHomeAddress in Emery, SD for 11 years, until we went back to a fixed home.  They are a smaller operation but provided just what we needed including taking care of registration and licensing of our coach and toad, assisting with voting registration, etc.  If you want to stay with a Florida residence, I would suggest looking for a smaller operation located in Florida.  As a state with no state income tax, they surely have some small operations that can meet your needs. 

Tom, I talked to the manager at the closest USP Store to us here in Cape Coral.  She gave me an example of what our address would look like. 

Joe Spidle

1242 SW Pine Island Road STE 42-444

Cape Coral FL  33991

According to her it is a real street address that works for having on your Florida DL and registrations.  I'm not sure about using it for renewing a passport, which is a very good question.  The draw for using the UPS store is that for 5 or 6 months out of the year we will be in a CG close to Ft. Myers/Cape Coral, so instead of having mail forwarded every week or every couple of weeks we can simply stop in and pick it up.  If we go with FMCA, Escapees, or Good Sams it always has to be forwarded no matter where we are.  Good Sams forwarding service provides a street address in northern Florida for everyone which looks similar to my example from the UPS Store.  Decisions, decisions....

[ispjs]

Was doing some additional research Tom since you mentioned FMCA mail forwarding.  I looked in the "benefits" list and couldn't find anything about it through FMCA.  I did a search for old posts and discovered they used to offer it but stopped back in 2014 or so?  If they began offering it tomorrow I wouldn't trust them and sign up, even if it was free.  I can't think of anything worse than to be full timing and have your mail service pull the plug on you.  You would have to go through the issue of changing your address with everyone, changing your registrations, licenses, etc.  

[hermanmullins]

Several years ago FMCA stopped the mail forwarding service but they did announce it for close to 6 months.  They did did have a service company in South Dakota lined up for those that wanted to switch. Dakota Post was the company's name.

They didn't leave folks hanging. They all had fair warning and a new alternative. 

Herman 

[manholt]

Joe.  The UPS works fine for Passport, DL, Voting, etc.  Checked with a friend who is full time in coach, but he's on cruises 4 to 5 months a year.  That's what he has in Winterhaven, FL.

[ispjs]

Thanks Carl, needed that last bit of information reference it working for a passport.  I just renewed mine but the DW's is going to expire soon.  One of the biggest draws I guess for going with a local UPS Store is that we return to this area of SW Florida every winter.  This is where our doctors and many friends are now located.  In addition, we will no doubt buy our next property in this area some day.

Herman, if FMCA gave advance notice plus had someone else set up to take over the mail forwarding that was nice of them.  The fact remains that it is a huge issue when you have to change your permanent address, it can effect everything from health care, income tax filing, banking issues, etc.  Not sure why FMCA dropped the service but they should have never started it in the first place if they were not in for the long haul IMHO.

[smithy]

On 10/17/2017 at 9:16 AM, ISPJS said:

Thanks Carl, needed that last bit of information reference it working for a passport.  I just renewed mine but the DW's is going to expire soon.  One of the biggest draws I guess for going with a local UPS Store is that we return to this area of SW Florida every winter.  This is where our doctors and many friends are now located.  In addition, we will no doubt buy our next property in this area some day.

Herman, if FMCA gave advance notice plus had someone else set up to take over the mail forwarding that was nice of them.  The fact remains that it is a huge issue when you have to change your permanent address, it can effect everything from health care, income tax filing, banking issues, etc.  Not sure why FMCA dropped the service but they should have never started it in the first place if they were not in for the long haul IMHO.

FMCA provided mail forwarding for over 30 years, so we were in it for the long haul.

[manholt]

smithy.  Your correct, but then FMCA went shopping for another provider and came up with one in South Dakota....who now is out of business and FMCA is also not in that business any more!  RIGHT?

[ispjs]

Well, I didn't have any "skin in the game" when FMCA dropped their mail service.  If I was full timing when they did drop it I wouldn't be a happy camper.  After having just went through a change of address for everything I can tell you it is not an easy feat.  Making excuses and thinking it was okay for them to drop it by saying "well we had the program for 30 years" is like saying "she was faithful for the first 30 years of their marriage....but...".  

Smitty, I expect you to defend everything FMCA does because that is what they are paying you for.  If I were in your position I would be saying the exact same thing.  But like I said we weren't members back then so it doesn't matter.

[wolfe10]

At a time when an organization is spending more money than they are taking in, they should evaluate all programs for "cost/benefit" to the largest number of members.

I suspect that the mail forwarding program was found wanting on the number of members it helped vs the cost to all members.

[manholt]

Brett.  I will agree that is probably what happened...I also still wonder why no one got cut from the magazine that is not cost effective, now that we have digital.

[ianbullock]

Like myself, I am sure that many members prefer reading the actual magazine than reading a digital copy on a PC.  I dislike eBooks and such.  I consider the actual magazine one of the most important benefits of FMCA.

I suppose to save $$, FMCA could ask each member at sign up or renewal to select which format they wanted?  If many members chose digital only, the savings could be big.

[chindog]

As a full timer, I prefer the digital version of the magazine.  It is just as easy to read on a computer or tablet than a print copy (easier in my case, since I can enlarge it enough that my tired eyes can see it better).  And, I don't have to pay postage to have it sent to wherever I happen to be.

[manholt]

Also, you can download it, or parts that you want for future reference and it takes up no space in or under rig!

[DougCashmore]

I hope I am not to late in jumping into this conversation (I hope you have not made a decision yet.) I would strongly advise against a UPS store. We used one for a year and the UPS store overcharged us a lot in shipping fees.  It was 4 years ago and the average cost of forwarding our mail was $30 each time. I won't waste your time with the many horror stories just take my word for it the UPS store is not the way to go. FYI the store we used was owned by a personal friend who we haven't spoken to in four years.

We switched to Escapees and do not have any complaints. They have sent our mail to any location we have asked them for in three to four days including General Delivery to the Post Office for $10 or less.

As to providing a "legal" legal address Escapees is set up to give you a legal address in Texas, Florida and South Dakota. Go to this link for more info on Florida. https://www.escapees.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220

You can write to me directly if you have more questions on Mail, domicile, or best ideas for communication while full timing. We would be happy to answer any questions amecnet59@gmail.com

Doug & Lanita Full Time Since July 2012
2010 Itasca Ellipse 40CD TOAD 2012 Jeep Liberty.
Retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer

[ispjs]

7 hours ago, DougCashmore said:

I hope I am not to late in jumping into this conversation (I hope you have not made a decision yet.) I would strongly advise against a UPS store. We used one for a year and the UPS store overcharged us a lot in shipping fees.  It was 4 years ago and the average cost of forwarding our mail was $30 each time. I won't waste your time with the many horror stories just take my word for it the UPS store is not the way to go. FYI the store we used was owned by a personal friend who we haven't spoken to in four years.

We switched to Escapees and do not have any complaints. They have sent our mail to any location we have asked them for in three to four days including General Delivery to the Post Office for $10 or less.

As to providing a "legal" legal address Escapees is set up to give you a legal address in Texas, Florida and South Dakota. Go to this link for more info on Florida. https://www.escapees.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220

You can write to me directly if you have more questions on Mail, domicile, or best ideas for communication while full timing. We would be happy to answer any questions amecnet59@gmail.com

Doug & Lanita Full Time Since July 2012
2010 Itasca Ellipse 40CD TOAD 2012 Jeep Liberty.
Retired US Navy Chief Petty Officer

Thanks for taking the time to respond.  Just before I pulled the trigger on one of the UPS Stores in Cape Coral we decided to go another direction.  A good family friend had purchased a condo and moved to our area of SW Florida last year.  She is there all year and offered to let us use her address.  When we were full time previously we did the same thing, except we used our oldest son's address in Illinois.  We have everything changed over (DL, registrations, etc.) and the mail is being forwarded to her residence.  It works out very well because we were already a key holder for her place and she was one for ours.  When we travel we will stay in touch with her and she can forward us our mail.  We plan on leaving her the large soft envelopes she can stuff with our mail for forwarding.  

I will keep in mind your advise though.  If something happens and we have to go another route someday I certainly will look at Escapees.

 

[manholt]

Joe.  Now that you have (I hope) your new rig, any buyers remorse?  Problems?  I'm thinking of buying a Ventana!

[ispjs]

Carl, I can't begin to describe my excitement.  There is no buyers remorse, or at least not yet.  Delivery day was a long one.  The walk around demo took every bit of 2 hours.  I asked a lot of questions and Cindy took video of their presentation of some of the stuff.  Since we had moved onto our other coach it also took us a couple hours to transfer stuff over.  Anyway, when we left the dealership we were pretty beat up and just wanted to get back to the CG and set up, which was only one exit away.

When I got to my site I had to do a little back and forth so I was positioned just right with my new enclosed trailer.  Anyway, while backing up and hearing the "beep beep" of the backup alarm plus air being released from the brakes.......it was a feeling hard to describe.......almost like getting your first big bicycle when you were a little kid, or when you hit your teens and Sally Rotten Crotch agreed to go out with you......it was just pure EXCITEMENT!

After living in it for over a week and traveling in it for just under 5 miles......it is great!   Before anyone runs out and deals on one based on my vast experience they probably should consult someone who has actually owned a Ventana and traveled in one for a little longer than me.

All joking aside, I really love the coach and I'm thinking it will be a good one for us to full time in.