Mail Call! How do you get it?

[Lepke]

I use a commercial mail box company near where I winter. When I'm gone, they throw the mail into a box and ship it to me when requested. I converted any monthly bills into yearly like insurance.

[Shrew]

To me this is like getting ones head around loosing the land-line and relying on a cell phone. Consider what you're actually going to need once all your accounts are configured to be digital.

Lately my mail is primarily junk. Those minor exceptions are from family and friends. That could be directed to a marina address or Post Office easily.

The US Post offices will hold mail if sent directly to the post office in your name and marked "Hold for Recipient". Long distance hikers along the AT and PCT drop food shipments along the trail system this way.

[Hud3]

Here're some other advantages of having a mail service like SBI if you're going to cruise outside the US for long periods.

You will need to have a US address for financial institutions (banks, many credit card companies, and investment companies). An SBI address will simplify your life with the IRS, Social Security and Medicare. SBI will forward their all mail to you.

If you have a mail order prescription drug service, they will likely not mail your prescriptions to a non-US address. Have them sent to SBI so they can forward them to you.

Also, FedEx and UPS will ship to your Personal Mail Box at SBI. They won't ship to a USPS mailbox.

[Zven]

Just for the record, mail management services are also available in other countries. I'm using one in Singapore, and earlier used one in London.

There's always going to be some documents that you just need to get physically ... like certificate of registration for the boat...!