A friend of mine has a PO Box. and after listening to why she does I am thinking of doing the same. I would feel comfortable doing fabric or book swaps if I have a PO Box. I do not and will not give out my address, phone number or my last name. Sadly in this world of you have to be careful. She also uses her PO box for her address on her credit cards and bank statements and for just about everything. You also can get a PO Box in a different state if you work in another state other then where you live.

When we were living in the Midwest, we used a p.o. box for all our mail. My husband's job required a lot of travel and I went with him most of the time. The mail was safe in the post office when we returned.

It is good but there are certain things that can only be delivered to a physical address such as Fed.Ex and UPS.

I went to a PO Box because one year my xmas cards that I put in the mail box with the flag up was taken by someone else and tore open and threw all over somewhere and someone found them and turned them into the Post office and they called me and gave torn up, ran over, cards and pictures. They were looking for money i guess.

I'm not quite understanding why you are leary about giving out your address. Anyone can look up your address by doing a reverse lookup using your phone number. Also, I would not want to waste gas going to pick up mail at the post office. Mine is not exactly around the corner. A friend of mine had a Xmas card returned because she mailed it to a street address instead of the P.O. Box the recipient was using. I would not have any idea of who all I needed to notify if I switched to a P.O. Box & would not want to miss out on a relative, etc. trying to get in touch with me.

I would not give out my name. Just the PO Box and the first name to people I do not know for book swaps and fabric swaps. I do not have a house phone so that solves that issue...both my husband and I have cell phone. I also have rec'd mail all the time that does not belong to me in my mail box. Wonder how many Items that I do not receive.

We had to get a PO Box after some incidents. Plus we have had our phone number unlisted for years.

But their are some places/people that will only ship to a street address. We only purchase from those if we know the people or the site well.

Last time I applied for a credit card you could NOT have a PO box in your address. I notice other things have the same restriction.
I don't have any problems using my real address, the people on this board are so nice, as are 99.99% of the people we meet everyday. If the ax man wants to come and hack you up, there is not much you can do, short of getting a gun and a big dog.

I am not driving to the post office everyday, but that is just me...everyone can make the decision on what is best for them.

My sister has one too...she does both depending on what it is. She only goes to the post office once a week...same with my friend. You do not have to go everyday. Both have family send mail to the house. I just think it may be a good idea for sites like these. Not that there is anyone bad here....but you never know. I do know people have problems with people taking packages when delivered and they are not home. sad that there are people out there that steal from others.

I Know I wouldn't have to go everyday, but I also know that it would bother me tremendously if I didn't.

I have a Mail box which is an actual street address rather than a PO BOX They will take packages and are just like the USPS but they are independently owned. We had our mail stolen too many times and with this I give what looks like a home address and I don't have to worry about strangers showing up at my door.

smart idea!!! I am going to look into that.

UPS Stores will also frequently have "mail boxes" which allow you to have the physical street address, another option.

So true.....

I have had a P O Box for years - I live in a rural area where the mail boxes were constantly wiped out by accidents on this road. I didn't want to be crossing the road and standing by the box one day when someone lost control and hit me along with my mailbox and several others boxes that are there too. Mail can be taken out of a mailbox by anyone too, so you don't know if you are getting all your mail or not - they are usually looking for checks. I get absolutely no mail delivery here since I do not have a box here, I can pick mail up from my box at the PO 24/7. If something doesn't fit in my box they will leave a key for a locker with the number of the locker on the key. The key stays in the locker after I take the package out. You have the option of how you have your packages shipped when you order - anything I need delivered here I have shipped by UPS or FedX. The Post Office will also forward any mail to the box once you fill out the proper form and keep it current. They will require 3 types of identification before you can open one and they update that information periodically to keep their records current. Here they will lock you out of your box if you don't update your information in a certain period of time after they put a notice in your box.

The only thing you cannot do in real life is live in a PO BOX so said the lady at the drivers' license office to the man in front of me!

I live in a city, have a street address, have a mailbox beside my front door and still have to pick up my mail. What they're doing here (Ontario) is using 'super mailboxes'. Each block or so has a multi mailbox - each box with a lock and key, you can mail letters there, and there are a couple of larger cubby holes for small packages. The postman will leave a key to the cubby in your mailbox and you just put it in with outgoing mail once you've retrieved your package. Larger packages they will try to deliver once. If you're not at home then they leave a note and you have to pick it up at your region's post office.
Sometimes it is a bother, but most times we just stop on the way home from where ever. At least the mail is locked, protected from the elements, and the dog doesn't eat it coming through the mail slot!

Then you need to complain to the post office if you are not getting mail or getting someone elses. They have an obligation to you to deliver mail properly.

Hmmm. Just a thought. Many people wouldn't consider swapping fabric or blocks with someone with no last name. Yes, we need to be careful living in this world, but if I ever have to collect mail from a PO box and disguise my identity from a bunch of quilters, well then just lock me up and throw away the key.

we use a post office box mainly because it is more convenient for us. here in northern michigan plow trucks tend to take out mail boxes every winter and they are expensive to have to replace over and over--and if they 'hit' after the mail has been delivered, well- you might find some of it in the spring...and our post office is on the way home from work so it's not out of the way.

And then there are those of us who do not have a choice. Our town of 2000 does not have home mail delivery. They deliver to those who live in the country, but us "town folks" have to have a PO Box. It is not usually a problem unless I am dealing with a "city" person who does not understand our mail delivery.

I use my home address for most mail, since I have a slot in the door for letters/etc. The Mailman himself suggested that when he had a small package that he could stick it in between the screen door and house door, then lock the screen. Larger packages he can put down behind a shrub and beside the porch, out of the sight of passersby. I also have a post office box for valuable stuff, and check it every week. I try not to often order large stuff that could be stolen, but sometimes do, so have it delivered to my brother's Security office.

Even with using a cell phone number, it's ridiculously easy to find information about people. I used to work for a bank and we had access to a website where you could do free searches on people. You then paid if you wanted the report with all the details. I searched my name, found my SSN plus I was slightly linked with my parents', found every address my parents and I ever lived at as well as some property my dad put in my name and sold 10 years prior. If I had pulled the report, it would've shown full information about my car/license, any tickets, any properties I own, any businesses I'm apart of. Scary stuff.

When I had just met my now husband whilst working there, I did a search on him (and he has a common name). That was it. The search found his SSN plus every address he lived at. And that was just the free search.

So you can do a PO box to avoid giving out your address, but it is very easy to find. Oh, and you could search people by any phone number, including your cell.

Amen to that. We DO have to be careful in this world, but you can also worry needlessly. Your human instinct alone should tell you what and where to be careful. Quilters, IMHO, do NOT fall into the "be careful" category.

If you are having problems with mail delivery or receipt, let the post office know ..... and have some trust in your fellow man (or woman). :D :D

I certainly do not want to spend the rest of my days being paranoid over every little thing like giving out my name and address to any person who asks!!! Life is to short and yes, unfotunately their are people in the world who like to take advantage of others. Just call me gullible, I quess, I want to believe that most people are very honest and those that aren't will pay in the long run!

I use to have P.O. Box until one day I thought why should I pay (rent) to get my mail when it can be delivered to me for free. Most places want a physical address anyhow. I can now buy an extra 8 or 9 yds. of quilt store fabric every year.

I believe in being careful but I agree there is a line that you can cross and live in fear. I don't want to live my life in fear. If you sign up for a swap voluntarily I hope you would trust the group you are in to give your name. I think anyone really up to no good can do it randomly and not have to know you personally or can buy whatever information they need from someone. No matter how careful you are your information is out there and available to some one who really wants it bad enough such as simple things with bank accounts and SS information with the federal government. No electronic information is fool proof.
Just my opinion.

Pay for a PO Box to get our junk mail delivered? Don't think so.

I have a po box as I have no choice. The mail will not come to my house because I live so far away from the next stop, over 3 miles. I found some things will not come to a po box and it is a pain having to go get the mail all the time, but fortunately UPS has finally learned where I live.

I lived in Atlanta for 15 years. Had the house with the burglar bars and the security system. It was still broken into and we spent a month in a motel. I now live in a double-wide in the middle of a pasture field. (my gated community but I have to open the gate, lol). Most windows don't even have curtains on them. Doors are never locked. Point is that you can try to "secure" everything but if someone wants to know something about you bad enough they can and will find it with a few simple searches and very little money. Living in fear is a life not lived.

After my dh & I moved in to the duplex we are currently renting we discovered that this little house in the alley behind us has the same address we do except with the letter "r" for rear attached to the address. We are constantly getting that person's mail, pkgs delivered by UPS or Fex Ex, etc. There used to be young women living there who never paid their bills so we would get people showing up as collectors as early as 8:00 in the morning. We were so happy we also have a PO box because Lord only knows how many people would have had access to our bank acct & other info. It only cost $40 a yr for a small box & well worth it. Plus this duplex only has those little boxes attached to the house. Birds build nests in there & rain & snow gets in there. Not conducive for mail delivery that is for sure! I have not applied for a credit card in yrs so I wasn't aware some of them will not accept a PO box. I'm sure that is so they can hunt you down easier if you don't pay your bill.

Hi I have a P O Box. It is great except for UPS, FED Ex etc.
Then they only deliver to your home. So we are right back in the same sitution. Person to Person sales will do Post Office, companies do UPS etc as they have a deal with them.
Good luck

How do you live life with this 'fear' over your head? I understand the need for safety but anyone can get any info on anybody..

I have seen mail boxes on the market that the owner needs a key to get into. The mailman can drop your mail through the slot but then nobody but the one with the key can retrieve it. If you have trouble with theft, it might be worth investigating this sort of box. Drop outgoing mail at the post office or put it out for the mailman shortly before his probable arrival.

I have all mine sent to the house, I don't want to drive 2miles (one way) to the PO unless I really have to. They will pick up my packages & deliver them, if they think we are not home they leave a card to pick up or bring it the next day. Our PO use to be the smallest in the US back in 1966.

I just refuse to live that way. Maybe I'm too trusting but I trust until there is cause not to. I will continue to believe the good in most folks. I try to be careful in my dealings with people but I'm not going to waste too much time hiding...Life's just too short to worry about someone stealing my identity, which I know can happen but so far, people have always treated me professionally...My Mom wants everything with her address shredded (which I do for her) but I tell her...you're listed in the phone book. Anyone can look that up. If someone is determined to fine me or who I am, there's a million ways to do it. To each his own, but it's not for me. I have given my address to over a dozen people on this board and have only had wonderful experience writing and sharing with those folks. I wouldn't change it for the world. I've made some wonderful friends on this board.

Like Marlys - we have no home mail delivery in our town. But I live out in the county so we have to either have a mail box or rent one from PO. As others have said - you can go on line and find out where someone lives - I just googled my dtr who has an unlisted phone and got her address and approximate age. Some companies I buy from only ship via USPS so I give them my company's PO box number just so I can pick it up when I go daily to pick up our mail. That way they don't have to leave me a note that says come to the PO. I just received a package yesterday that our mail carrier actually put on my front porch & left me a note telling me it was there. Our postal employees really go out of their way to help.

The only important mail I get is two utility bills and one for trash pick up. All other bills/checks are direct deposit/withdrawal.

We have both rural route delivery and PO Box delivery.

Being treasurer for a couple of organizations and having the mail stolen, we decided to go with a PO Box years ago. Then we moved to the country and lived in town so it worked well.

Now my husband retired and gets his mail delivered to the house, and I still use the PO Box. The dentist office asked me last time I was there if we got a divorce!?! Not sure what we'll do when I retire.

I did tell him it wasn't very wise to put mail in the rural box the night before and put up the flag. That's just an invitation to come see what's in the box. He'd never thought of it.

I am so sorry people have had bad things happen to them because mail comes to their home. but honey, I would sure
love that. we live at the end of the Holler in West virginia and we are darn lucky to have a post office here and a PO box is all that is available. But now you have to have a Actual home address to get a drivers liscense and voters registration and you have to be registered with 911 here too. So if someone comes into this town and think Wow they have good stuff to steal.....as it is a severly depressed area, well it just won't happen. :-D What is here in abundance is falliing down homes and cars on cinderblocks. lol
I would love a real address instead of PO. :mrgreen: