# Mail Forwarding



## ldwand (Nov 9, 2014)

Hi, any recommendations on the best mail forwarding service to use online? Thanks


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

I use Traveling Mailbox. Don't know that they are the best, but they have been dependable for 4 years. I pay $15 a month. They email me PDFs of my mail. They scan it all in. I choose what to forward, shred, or hold. Most of it Just download and have them shred the originals. They also will deposit checks. The forwarding is postage cost plus $2, and the check deposit is about $5. They also have a different address I can use to get packages forwarded (I have not tried that yet).

Main reason I got them was they had addresses in my home town. So my bank and credit cards just think I moved to the other side of town.  

Over the years I have had them forward 2 driver's licenses, a few ATM cards, numerous credit cards, and a few voter's registration cards. Everything arrives. Slow... but arrives.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

I use US Global Mail in Houston Tx. Full service facility, Costs less than $200 per year. You can view what they have received and select what to discard & what to forward to you. additional services available.

Fred


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Good topic guys, something I never really thought about though I have thought about the mail system and deliveries in PH and often cringe at the thought of important stuff going astray, does it happen? I'm sure it does.
I have heard of mail forwarding companies but never considered what they actually did and from what Tukaram said, sounds perfect, I will definitely look into the availability and costs for a service like this in Oz.
We have a Post Office Box in our local town that all mail goes to but I have heard it is costly for them to redirect and redirect is all they do so mail could potentially disappear that's for sure. Thanks for the info.

Cheers, Steve.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

bigpearl said:


> Good topic guys, something I never really thought about though I have thought about the mail system and deliveries in PH and often cringe at the thought of important stuff going astray, does it happen? I'm sure it does.
> I have heard of mail forwarding companies but never considered what they actually did and from what Tukaram said, sounds perfect, I will definitely look into the availability and costs for a service like this in Oz.
> We have a Post Office Box in our local town that all mail goes to but I have heard it is costly for them to redirect and redirect is all they do so mail could potentially disappear that's for sure. Thanks for the info.
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


We get mail delivered by the Philippine Post Office. A bill each month from PLDT for Phone & internet service & a bill each month from Cignal for the TV she watches occasionally. They also send out a Text bill each month. The mailed bill usually arrives on the day it is due or the day after and I have already paid them. Some years ago when she was here and I was in the states, I mailed her a birthday card and it did arrive about a month late. I also mailed her at a different time a small computer and it arrived after some time but no problem other than the delay. These were mailed using the US Postal System which then sent it to the Philippine Postal System. When I have things shipped from my mail forwarder, I have them ship by FedEX, usually arrives within a week. I have sent mail to a US address from here using the Philippine Postal System and have not had a problem other than about a week delay. 45 Pesos for a normal letter, which is just a bit more than what the postal rate in the states is. 

Fred


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

fmartin_gila said:


> We get mail delivered by the Philippine Post Office. A bill each month from PLDT for Phone & internet service & a bill each month from Cignal for the TV she watches occasionally. They also send out a Text bill each month. The mailed bill usually arrives on the day it is due or the day after and I have already paid them. Some years ago when she was here and I was in the states, I mailed her a birthday card and it did arrive about a month late. I also mailed her at a different time a small computer and it arrived after some time but no problem other than the delay. These were mailed using the US Postal System which then sent it to the Philippine Postal System. When I have things shipped from my mail forwarder, I have them ship by FedEX, usually arrives within a week. I have sent mail to a US address from here using the Philippine Postal System and have not had a problem other than about a week delay. 45 Pesos for a normal letter, which is just a bit more than what the postal rate in the states is.
> 
> Fred


Hi Fred, well that sounds positive for sure, you have restored my unsure faith in the mail system there. Though while on reflection over the years most of our mail has become electronic,,, you know save the forest, only print it if you need too, it seems to work, most of our mail (Australia post) is 6 bank statements monthly,,,,,,,,,in seperate envelopes from the same bank god help us, (They are the ones "sprouting" reduce costs but can't seem to get our 6 bank statements into one bloody envelope,,,,,,they are all sent at the same time in seperate mailings) these are available online to view or print, numerous vehicle registrations,,,,, they will go away when we move there etc, I suppose we need to be vigilant with the likes off the Australian tax Office, accountant, passport renewal, superannuation blah blah blah, most if not all off these are available online, just have to get off my bum and advise all who wish to communicate or send us a bill that all correspondence needs to be electronic, same for Chrissy and birthday cards,,,,,,, all very doable.
The Philippine internal mailing system appears to work according to Fred, a far more experienced man than myself and I will promise not to slap you Fred when they take our house away for not paying the Barangay fees.

I will investigate the availability of mail forwarding and costs as Tukaram outlined in a previous post.
Thanks all for the info and wisdom.

Cheers, Steve.


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## pronse (Apr 3, 2009)

Problems begin when the overseas mail hits the Philippine postal system. 
I get mail from the US but when? 2 months after the content has passed the deadline 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

pronse said:


> Problems begin when the overseas mail hits the Philippine postal system.
> I get mail from the US but when? 2 months after the content has passed the deadline
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


This was a good post and worthy of investigation, as follows:

I use Traveling Mailbox. Don't know that they are the best, but they have been dependable for 4 years. I pay $15 a month. They email me PDFs of my mail. They scan it all in. I choose what to forward, shred, or hold. Most of it Just download and have them shred the originals. They also will deposit checks. The forwarding is postage cost plus $2, and the check deposit is about $5. They also have a different address I can use to get packages forwarded (I have not tried that yet)

Main reason I got them was they had addresses in my home town. So my bank and credit cards just think I moved to the other side of town. 

Over the years I have had them forward 2 driver's licenses, a few ATM cards, numerous credit cards, and a few voter's registration cards. Everything arrives. Slow... but arrives.

Tukaram, what is the turn around time? Mail sent from sender to when you see it digitally?

Cheers, Steve.


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## fmartin_gila (May 15, 2011)

I maintain 2 accounts at 1 bank and 2 accounts at another in the states and only receive online statements from them. Prior to moving here, I checked the websites and found the option to stop receiving paper statements and only receive online statements. Now I don't have to be concerned about lost or stolen statements. Not sure if you have the option in Au.

Fred


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## Tukaram (Dec 18, 2014)

bigpearl said:


> Tukaram, what is the turn around time? Mail sent from sender to when you see it digitally?
> 
> Cheers, Steve.


Digitally I get it the same day the mail forwarder gets it. I get an email saying I have new mail, and within an hour or two they have it scanned in. I got a time sensitive request from the VA, printed the pdf file, filled it out, scanned it into the computer and emailed it back to them - all in the same day.

The actual forwarding takes 6-8 weeks, usually. US to Manila is fast. Manila to Iloilo is over a month. 

I would imagine most of the forwarding companies are about the same. I just picked mine because of a Dallas address.

But on the plus side I still get mail from the US faster than I get it from Globe in Manila ha ha. 

Here is a post, from 2012, comparing services of various companies... it has not been updated since 2012, though. https://expatinphilippines.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/mail-forwarding-services/


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## BGCExpat (Oct 26, 2015)

Tukaram said:


> The actual forwarding takes 6-8 weeks, usually. US to Manila is fast. Manila to Iloilo is over a month.
> .....
> But on the plus side I still get mail from the US faster than I get it from Globe in Manila ha ha.


It takes almost two months to the day for mail to go from Los Angeles to may address in Manila. The vast majority of that time is on the PhilPost side... On the other side, when I mail something from here to the US it usually takes about 10 days. 

Mailing just about any sized package through the postal system I end up with a note from PhilPost saying I've got a package and I need to go to 'xxx' postoffice to claim it, and that office is usually across town... Once I get there it is opened by a customs person and inspected, if it's deemed that duties are owed I have to pay both duties and taxes to receive my package. Over time I've learned that if I pay more and use either FedEx or DHL I get my package in 4-5 days delivered to my door with no nonsense from the people at Customs or PhilPost... 

I've resorted to paying most bills online as by the time I get the paper statement it's already past due and services are about to be shut off - and I live in Manila! Between the ultra slow service and the taxes/duties to be paid, its faster and more reliable to use a private company for deliveries...


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

fmartin_gila said:


> I maintain 2 accounts at 1 bank and 2 accounts at another in the states and only receive online statements from them. Prior to moving here, I checked the websites and found the option to stop receiving paper statements and only receive online statements. Now I don't have to be concerned about lost or stolen statements. Not sure if you have the option in Au.
> 
> Fred


I am slack and have never hit the "opt out of paper statements" button in Oz, regardless I do need to supply my accountant with hard copies from 6 accounts, they print/I print the only benefit in printing myself saves my bank on processing and postage costs, they need to streamline their business practices as all my statements arrive within 2 business days,,,,,end of month, so much for automated systems and program writers. When we move I will go down that path obviously. 
Our 2 accounts with BDO, no statements, no correspondence mind you there is only 15 or 20 K PHP in each account, did check them a year or so ago and still there with some centavos of interest earned, and tax of course.
In Oz we do have the electronic option with most businesses but not all that I deal with but if I retire more than likely I won't deal with them any more.
Car Rego is another interesting one, never seen the option to digitise, will look into that though when we move it won't matter as we will sell all the cars. 
Many things to think about with a move.

Cheers, Steve.


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## bigpearl (Jan 24, 2016)

Tukaram said:


> Digitally I get it the same day the mail forwarder gets it. I get an email saying I have new mail, and within an hour or two they have it scanned in. I got a time sensitive request from the VA, printed the pdf file, filled it out, scanned it into the computer and emailed it back to them - all in the same day.
> 
> The actual forwarding takes 6-8 weeks, usually. US to Manila is fast. Manila to Iloilo is over a month.
> 
> ...


Thanks for your input and the link, good story and info, lol, will see if similar services are available in Oz.

Cheers, Steve.


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