Layout:
Home > P.O. boxes a good idea?

P.O. boxes a good idea?

March 9th, 2009 at 09:20 pm

According to the news here, there has been a recent string of people breaking into mail boxes in apartment/condo complexes and stealing people's identities. The mail boxes they break into are the ones that are outdoors and not really protected.

The mail box in our complex is outdoors and not really protected.

I'm wondering if I should get a P.O. box to protect our mail. I don't get any credit card statements in the mail so all I get are banking statements and the occasional letter. We do get the house bills in the mail though.

Is it worth it? I think at one point in time we did have a PO box (I'm pretty sure we did)- not sure why we got rid of it. The smallest one here starts at about $20/month (depending on location). I just don't like having to drive somewhere to pick up my mail.

Your thoughts on a PO box? Is it worth it?

11 Responses to “P.O. boxes a good idea?”

  1. creditcardfree Says:
    1236634695

    I don't have a po box, but if I were you I would want my bank statements to arrive online rather than my mailbox. Is that an option with your bank?

  2. ADreamWarrior Says:
    1236634770

    Afternoon *s*
    I am a mail carrier (not sure if that bears any weight). A PO Box is a more secure way to get your mail, not many will break into a Post Office since it carries Federal charges.
    On the other hand, if your not getting alot of personel information in your mail, it may not be worth it. The cost of a Box can be anywhere from 10$ for 6 months up to 50$+, depending on where you are.
    The other drawback I have had customers comment on is alot of businesses will not ship parcels to PO Boxes. Alot of that is due to new shipping regulations that protect both the Business and the Consumer.

    if you wish to find the prices in your area here is a link:

    http://www.usps.com/receive/businesssolutions/poboxservice.htm

    Hope this helped

  3. whitestripe Says:
    1236636586

    my mum has a po box so if i ever want anything sent there (usually i send things from ebay there) she will give it to me when i see her. po boxes cost about $75 a year in australia. DF and I sometimes discuss gettting one, but the same as you we cant be bothered driving to get it everyday.

  4. cassandra Says:
    1236637111

    I didn't know some places don't ship to PO boxes. Hm. I don't order many things online, but one of the reasons I was considering get a PO box was for any packages I might order. Thanks for the link, ADreamWarrior. I got my prices mixed up. The price actually starts at $29/6 months here.

    You know, I can receive my bank statements online. I think I will change to online statements. Thanks creditcardfree!


  5. creditcardfree Says:
    1236648164

    Your welcome! The most sensitive information we get is our water bill and an occassional debit card replacement, so I'm not too worried about our box on the street. We have neighbors we trust to pick up our mail when it is necessary.

  6. baselle Says:
    1236660654

    I've thought about it, because we have had our mail stolen. I never mail anything out of my box, most of my banking is done online, and DH is home most of the day to pick up the mail as its delivered. When any of that changes, I'm going for the PO Box. We have one that I can walk to and is on my way home.

  7. cassandra Says:
    1236662070

    I do occasionally mail letters from our mail box but more often I drop them off at the Post office on campus. The PO is right at the entrance of the campus. I could get a PO box at the PO on campus, but when school is not in session it is inconvenient to go there.

    I'm not sure. $58/year is a little less than $5/month, which is very reasonable and affordable. I'll think about it for a few more days.

  8. momsfirststep Says:
    1236666147

    I have a PO box and even though some online businesses will not deliver to a PO box (some businesses will give you the USPS priority mail option), I think that it is worth it. The cost is minimal compared to the peace of mind that it gives me. The theft of one bank statement may not appear to be a great loss. But the problem is when the thief creates checks using your account number or creates a profile of you by stealing your mail over a period of time. Just some thoughts for you. Good luck.

  9. North Georgia Gal Says:
    1236695536

    I got a PO box when I was going through my divorce 6 years ago and have had it ever since! I do have a problem sometimes when I order things online...i never know what shipping service this will use, as UPS and FED Ex will not deliver to PO Boxes. I usually put both the po box and the street address on the ship to and it has worked pretty well. We usually check the mail every couple of days or twice a week or so.

  10. Amber Says:
    1236802243

    Me personally, if it is very common in your development I would get a PO Box or have my bills and statements received electronically, which cost nothing

Leave a Reply

(Note: If you were logged in, we could automatically fill in these fields for you.)
*
Will not be published.
   

* Please spell out the number 4.  [ Why? ]

vB Code: You can use these tags: [b] [i] [u] [url] [email]