Susan, I recently set up a private mailbox at UPS and so far I’m very happy with it. It’s cheaper than the Post Office, and like you say, they also accept packages. They also have a substantial discount for paying in advance for a long term. I got 8 months for the price of 6.

I got a P.O. box my senior year and it made things so much easier! When I lived in a sublet the summer after college and didn’t have my name on the mailbox, I could just pick up mail at the post office without changing my address. The one problem I’ve had with P.O. boxes is that some services will not deliver to a P.O. box and the sender knows it’s not a real street address. If you get a private mailbox through UPS, it just looks like an office address with a suite #, which seems more legitimate (and it’s very cheap if you pay for 15 months at once like I did). I haven’t had a mailbox continuously since college but I have one now and it’s convenient since I don’t need to be home to sign for packages. Technically, they can charge $1/per day for storage after packages sit there for 5 days, but the employees at my UPS store are very nice about that.

Thanks for sharing your experience Cheryl. I’d never considered that a Canadian might need a U.S. address. It’s unfortunate that it can be difficult for a business in one country to hire a writer in another country.

Laura, I’ve also had a locking mailbox before, but many homes don’t have them. Where I live in Ashland, Oregon, many people still have there mail delivered to open boxes right on the street. And if you’re a renter, you usually have to use whatever mailbox comes with the place you’re renting.

Anne, I’m glad home delivery has worked out so well for you. I’ve had multiple instances of major problems after moving, including one time an address change form was handed to our postman, and somehow got lost. I moved to Kauai and didn’t get any mail for several weeks, including important bills. I eventually had to file another change of address form.

I had a post office a few years ago, but cancelled it when I realized I wasn’t getting enough volume to justify the expense.

If you are concerned about security, there are a few alternative. We were able to get a locking mailbox some time back. There’s a slot for the mailman to stick letters (and smallish packages) through. To get the mail out of the locking mailbox you must have a key.

Great post. It gave me plenty to think about.

I’ve had my physical address on the web for years and, knock on wood, never had a problem.

Mail delivery to my home, through many rentals, and even living on boats, is so darn convenient… in many decades I’ve had one check lost… I don’t worry so much about the W9s because I track and report my income with them and without them.

Just my opinion, of course.

Cathy, a Post Office box is less important for people who own their homes and don’t travel much. However, I appreciate knowing that important mail won’t get stolen out of my mail box on the street.

I do have privacy concerns but nowadays I feel like it’s closing the barn door after the horse has escaped. It’s frightening what is already out there.