To PO Box or not?

mannybolone

So I'm about to move down to LA in a month and I'm debating whether to get a PO Box or not.PLUS:More secure location to receive mail and packages.Stable address that won't change even if I move again within L.A.MINUS:If I ever move to a whole new neighborhood, I'd have to drive back there to get my mail (unless my PO Box was based down where I work, but I'm not on campus 5 days a week)Shit ain't free. I'm assuming a lot of folks here have dealt with PO Boxes. What's the better balance ?

ayres

man I wish I had a PO box. I'm always stressing missing a UPS or FEDeX when I'm out of town then having to go pick it up in Queens or wherever. I say get one at a Mailboxes Etc or whatever near where you live, so you don't have to deal with the Post Office. Because fuck the Post Office.

DjArcadian

Pros: Secure and packages will be held and won't be left out in the open.

Cons: cost, inconvenience, having to wait in line to pick up packages, no Fedex/UPS delivers. Some UPS Stores offer PMB's where you can receive UPS packages but they usually cost more than a PO Box.

Po Boxes are best if you travel a lot or if you receive payments a lot through mail.

I had one for personal reasons years ago and found it to be a major inconvenience.

The_Hook_Up

I have one and although it is great for packages kinda, ya gotta pick them up during bidness hours, it can be a pain in the ass. The inconvienece factor causes me to end up only picking up my mail once a week, sometimes only once every two weeks. I am glad I am moving to a house in a nice neighborhood soon so I can get rid of it.

mannybolone

Real talk. Thanks fellas.

meatyogre

Odub, I say go for it if there's gonna be one nearby where you live. You dont want stuff being snatched off your porch again, and sometimes you can get your mail faster than it would come in the mailbox. They're pretty cheap over here, like 25$ for 6 months. Plus you have anonymity, and every weirdo you deal with in the record biz isn't gonna have your physical address.

Ive had one for a few years now, and its worked out great. Everyone at the post office knows me, and they usually don't make me wait in line to get my mail.

ZuffNomed

Word, I had a MailBoxes,Etc PO Box for years till I got my crib & then the PO Box place switched owners, so I bounced.
sometimes if you get in good with the people in charge they will take care of your stuff.
My spot was cool untill they got new owners.

Pros:
no worries about missing UPS/FedEx, Privacy.
Some spots (like mine) you could hit up 24x7 after hours with a key.
Outta town, you can forward your regular mail, have them sign for you etc...

Cons:
If you move you may end up far from your box like I did.
They may start getting aggravated cuz you got shit piling up... bam, here come the extra charges.
If you get lots of "packages" you better make sure they are cool with it, some places will be on some 2-3 packages a month type steelo, unless you upgrade to a `business-size` mail box, which is lame as records don't fit in any boxes period.
They just want you pay more each month.


Definitely shop around, and find a balance between location, quality of service & cost.
my local UPS Store (formerly mailboxes Etc) is perfectly close by for me but completely lame with there prices so I stick with getting my shit sent to my home.

USPS can be a pain, but if you get in good with your mail carrier, they might go the extra step to place your stuff in a good discrete location when you aint home for non-signature req'd delivery.

SoulOnIce

Pros:
no worries about missing UPS/FedEx

I thought these guys didn't deliver to PO boxes?

ZuffNomed

I think they mean USPS PO Boxes to be specific.

Mike_Bell

After this weekend, I've decided to get a P.O Box. I got a package in the mail yesterday (Wednesday) but it was supposed to get here on Saturday.

It's going to suck to have to drive 10 minutes to the P.O but my box will be FREE!!!