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which is safer?

which is safer?

Old Jun 26th 2008, 4:27 pm
  #1  
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Default which is safer?

I am embarking on a Europe tour for 3 weeks , I am thinking whether to ask the post office to stop mail delivery or to ask my neighbor to collect my mail, I am leaning toward the post office since I can request it online, Do you think it's safe to just request the post office to stop the mail delivery?

Also what is the best and cheapest way to call from London back to US ?

Any experience and tips ?
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 4:31 pm
  #2  
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by Jholmes
I am embarking on a Europe tour for 3 weeks , I am thinking whether to ask the post office to stop mail delivery or to ask my neighbor to collect my mail, I am leaning toward the post office since I can request it online, Do you think it's safe to just request the post office to stop the mail delivery?

Also what is the best and cheapest way to call from London back to US ?

Any experience and tips ?
get your mail stopped at the post office and pick it up when you return

the cheapest way to call back to the USA is with a telephone.
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 5:00 pm
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by Jholmes
I am embarking on a Europe tour for 3 weeks , I am thinking whether to ask the post office to stop mail delivery or to ask my neighbor to collect my mail, I am leaning toward the post office since I can request it online, Do you think it's safe to just request the post office to stop the mail delivery?

Also what is the best and cheapest way to call from London back to US ?

Any experience and tips ?
Don't necessarily trust the online services USPS offers. When we moved, we set up the mail forward online, and it didn't happen. We had to go in to the PO and set it up there.

I think for a vacation hold, you should still give several days notice so they have time to get it into the system. I think there are some 0800 numbers you can use that only charge 1p/min to call the US. My in-laws use one to call us, but I don't know which one.
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 5:45 pm
  #4  
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Default Re: which is safer?

we did the online hold (and also the online redirect) and it worked perfectly
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 6:06 pm
  #5  
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by Manc
get your mail stopped at the post office and pick it up when you return
We stopped ours once but couldn't get to the post office for a little while after we came back and for some reason they wouldn't start the delivery again until we'd picked it up - sort of defeats the purpose of asking for an end date when you set it up really. Now we just get a neighbour to bring it inside.
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 6:09 pm
  #6  
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by neil
We stopped ours once but couldn't get to the post office for a little while after we came back and for some reason they wouldn't start the delivery again until we'd picked it up - sort of defeats the purpose of asking for an end date when you set it up really. Now we just get a neighbour to bring it inside.
If you know the dates that you will definitely be back, the postman will start delivering again. You don't need to go to the PO.
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 6:14 pm
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by Mallory
If you know the dates that you will definitely be back, the postman will start delivering again. You don't need to go to the PO.
That's not what happened - we gave them the resume date. When we got back and they didn't start delivering again we called the post office and were told we had to collect our mail.
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 6:43 pm
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by Manc
the cheapest way to call back to the USA is with a telephone.
It's cheaper just shouting actually
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 8:40 pm
  #9  
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by neil
We stopped ours once but couldn't get to the post office for a little while after we came back and for some reason they wouldn't start the delivery again until we'd picked it up - sort of defeats the purpose of asking for an end date when you set it up really. Now we just get a neighbour to bring it inside.
That happened to me...I informed them of the date we were due back...but I forgot to tick the little box asking for the back mail to be delivered. Perhaps you made the same mistake?
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 8:57 pm
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
That happened to me...I informed them of the date we were due back...but I forgot to tick the little box asking for the back mail to be delivered. Perhaps you made the same mistake?
Wasn't so much the back mail, it was more that we weren't getting anything, and it's very rare we get nothing in the mail one day, let alone a couple of days in a row.
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 9:31 pm
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Default Re: which is safer?

Thanks very much for the info regarding the mail.

I am thinking of bringing my cellphone to London and have it roamed , I j worry that it might cost me heaps of money. I am with AT&T,
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 9:45 pm
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by Jholmes
Thanks very much for the info regarding the mail.

I am thinking of bringing my cellphone to London and have it roamed , I j worry that it might cost me heaps of money. I am with AT&T,
Roaming costs a lot. If you want to make local calls in the UK get your phone unlocked and buy a UK PAYG SIM when you get there and just put that in your phone. For calling back to the US get a calling card. Or, if you have a computer with you just use Skype.
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Old Jun 26th 2008, 11:56 pm
  #13  
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Default Re: which is safer?

Originally Posted by Jholmes
I am embarking on a Europe tour for 3 weeks , I am thinking whether to ask the post office to stop mail delivery or to ask my neighbor to collect my mail, I am leaning toward the post office since I can request it online, Do you think it's safe to just request the post office to stop the mail delivery?

Also what is the best and cheapest way to call from London back to US ?

Any experience and tips ?
I've had no problems whatsoever asking USPS to hold our mail when we're away and we arrange this online. Even if we're away for a long weekend, we'll stop the mail.

We just go and pick it up on our return.
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Old Jun 27th 2008, 12:28 am
  #14  
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Default Re: which is safer?

we use the online to hold the mail lots and it always works fine - usually just the day before too! And then its all waiting for us the day we get back
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Old Jun 27th 2008, 11:29 am
  #15  
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Default Re: which is safer?

Can't really comment regarding the mail as I'm a UK resident but I'm sure that using the VOIP calls would be the cheapest way to communicate with home.

I'm interested if the calling cards are available for US to UK calls as I'm visiting NYC in July and want to call the kids on the cheap.
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