Managing Mail Matters While Traveling Full-Time

Letters. Packages. Shipments.

Dealing with these can be a logistical headache when you’re traveling.

For short-term retreats, the solution is as simple as visiting the local post office and asking them to hold things until you return.

Full-time travelers, however, can’t utilize that option. They don’t stay in a single location for long. Therefore, it’s unlikely that the local post office in their temporary place of residence will give them an option of mail holding or mail forwarding.

But there’s no need to tie yourself down because of a little red tape. You can still manage mail matters effectively while living the nomadic lifestyle. There’s more than one option, and they aren’t at all complicated.

1. The Online PO Box Magic

Technological advancements and smartphone integration have set the stage for digital mailbox services. Full-time travelers have this option to track and manage mail, parcels, and shipments from their mobile device or PC browser using free applications, as easily as they control their electronic mail. You get a real street address from any location in the service provider’s network for the receipt of your magazines, packages, bank and credit statements, and more. You’ll receive automated email alerts when something arrives.

2. Get Most Things Electronically

Full-time travelers should eliminate as much physical mail as possible. Set up all your credit card and bank account statements electronically, and check if there’s an option to receive an e-version of the magazine that you subscribed for last month. Cancel any unnecessary subscriptions by removing yourself from the mailing list or by writing to the concerned body. It might be impossible to completely eliminate physical mail, but at least you’ll have a peace of mind knowing that you won’t have much to look forward to, especially if finance matters can be dealt with electronically. The electronic version of documents might also save you the fees associated with receiving physical mail.

3. Connections Can Save the Day

Of course, shipments of packages containing physical items can’t be received via email. For them, see if you have connections with a real address in a location that suits you. It may be possible to ask a friend or family member if you can “reside” with them, legally speaking. Ensure that you pick a trustworthy connection because you’ll be asking them to handle your legal affairs – tax documentation, legal matters, renewals notices, and more. Instruct them what they should do with your mail when it arrives (forward it to you? trash it? Etc.). Make sure your connection has a stable living situation – if you pick a full-time traveler like yourself for this role, you might have to travel thousands of miles at the end just to see what the IRS or another legal body wrote to you.

4. Rent an Inexpensive Property

This is a good option if you’ve got some savings available. Find a location where you can rent a house for a few thousand dollars a year, and get your mail sent to that address. You can even buy an empty piece of land in a nonaggressive tax location to have a physical address. The local post office would then be willing to hold your mail as well as give you a mail forwarding option.

Consider which of these options suit your needs. You can also combine two or more options to effectively manage your mail matters while continuing your exotic adventures.