How do you send/receive mail?

Postcrossing General Topics
#21

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send?

  • Yes. It’s actually a ~12 minute walk, but it’s past horse pastures and through a little park, so I quite enjoy it. But I often combine dropping off my mail with doing the grocery shopping, since the mailbox (right outside the “post office”) is very near the shop I use most often, or I drop the postcards into a mailbox on my way somewhere else (especially if it’s raining … :umbrella: ).

Do you have to visit a post office?

  • No, thankfully that’s not necessary.

How does mail arrive to you?

  • The mail(wo)man comes by car and drops the cards into the mailbox outside the house. He also brings parcels that are sent through DHL. Where I lived before, the mail carrier came by bike, but he didn’t bring parcels. Strangely, although usually all postal vehicles are yellow, the van that comes here is white. I once asked the postie why he didn’t have a yellow car and he said something about the environment that made no sense to me. It’s harder to spot the postal van approaching as there are so many white vans around. :wink: I preferred the yellow!

How often is it delivered?

  • It’s exactly the same for me. :smiley:

How do you purchase stamps?

  • Online. The post office outlet where I live usually only has a very limited selection and they’re usually only the self-adhesive kind, which I avoid if possible. The last time I tried buying stamps at a proper post office they were totally confused by my request and asked me to use the vending machine outside. I guess they mostly deal with people sending parcels and doing their banking now …
#22

norwegian post offers to pick up your mail directly from your mailbox, too.
you can order this service online and it comes with an extra fee for each time they pick it up, it doesn’t depend on the numbers of items - one postcard or 100 to pick up - same fee.

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#23

I have to walk to a postbox to send the cards.
We only have to visit a post office when we’re out of stamps.

My mail arrives in my mailbox.

I always purchase stamps online, because in the post office they don’t have special stamps.

#24

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send?
We are quite lucky that there are quite a few postboxes within only a few minutes walk of where I live.

Do you have to visit a post office?
I very rarely visit the post office unless I need some stamps to send something quickly, or I need to send a parcel.

Do you have to leave your house?
I have to leave my flat to post mail.

How does mail arrive to you?
The postperson comes round with a big bag, and also a trolley. Parcels are usually delivered by van. We have a letterbox in our front door - although we have it sealed up as our previous dog used to love eating post. Instead we have a mailbox on the wall just outside our flat.

How often is it delivered?
The Royal Mail deliver post 6 days a week (Monday to Saturday), however we never usually get a delivery everyday.

How do you purchase stamps?
I prefer to purchase stamps online. For new special stamps, I’ll purchase from Royal Mail, whereas for older special stamps I purchase discounted stamps via Philatelink.

#25

Hi.How much are you paying for P.O?

#27

I honestly don’t remember, I think it was something like 20 lira deposit for the key and then 14 lira for 4 months.

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#28

Wow, very cheap. 14 lira for 4 months means only 1,7 USD for 4 months, or 0.425 USD per month.
I thought my country is the cheapest one :slight_smile: But you are cheaper. In here we pay 8.2 USD per year + 3.4 USD for key deposit

#29

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send?

Yes I have two postboxes within walking distance of my house. Sometimes when driving to work I stop and post on my way.

Do you have to visit a post office?

Yes or alternative I can shop from the post office on line. I prefer to go to the post office because I can find different postcards at different shops

Do you have to leave your house?

Yes, Because I have a PO Box in another suburb.

How does mail arrive to you?

Mum usually gives me it because she checks the PO Box almost daily. She loves collecting them and will usually send a text saying 5 happy faces today meaning 5 postcards were in the PO Box.

How often is it delivered?

It use to be daily but there have been many changes since Covid.

How do you purchase stamps?

At the post office usually.

#30

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send?
Yes, nearest one is 500 m far from home, just outside a Post Office.
When I went at work by train (before covid) I always used the postboxes at the railway station.

Do you have to visit a post office?
No, it is compulsory only for parcels, registered mail and, from january 2021, also for non-registered letters with “small goods” (in practice, every envelope with bubble wrap) going outside EU, since they’ll require customs declaration.
It’s de facto compulsory also if you don’t have small value stamps (quite rare now) to integrate: most of stamps are for the 20 grams domestic tariff only.

Do you have to leave your house?
No, my mailbox it is at the ground floor of the condominium, inside the building.

How does mail arrive to you?
Directly inside my mailbox, or sometimes over it when it doesn’t enter (I put a sign asking this, to avoid having philatelic covers ruined with a bend to make them enter).
Postman rings the first bell he finds at the intercom, to ask opening the external door and reach the mailboxes.
For registered mail, in the current situation, postman has only to advise you he has just put your mail in the mailbox, no more signature required.

How often is it delivered?
Six days a week, from monday to saturday, generally around 1 pm, but since the start of the covid I’ve seen also some days at 6 pm.

How do you purchase stamps?
If I want commemorative ones, in my city (100000 inhab.) the only way is to go to central Post Office, when philatelic counter is open, that is only in the morning.
When the clerk in charge is (deservedly :)) on holiday, service is suspended.
Sometimes I’m in a major city and I take the opportunity to go to a “Espace Philately” (official stores of our post) to buy what I need.
Online ordering is too expensive for shipping costs.

#31

Thanks for answers :innocent:

#32

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send?
Yes I have to. But it’s only about 100 m to go.

Do you have to visit a post office?
No, fortunately not.

Do you have to leave your house?
To send out? Yes. To pick up? No.

How does mail arrive to you?
Most of the time by an unmotivated mail carrier by bicycle ^^. And he also puts the a lot of mail for my neighbours in my mailbox. It’s like “Oh, postcard. Definitely for angelthecat, I do not have to read the recipients name…” :unamused:

How often is it delivered?
4-6 times a week.

How do you purchase stamps?
Via online store of Deutsche Post. If I have too many coins I purchase them at a stamp machine nearby the post office. I can “feed” it with the smallest coin (1 cent / 1 % of 1 €) and it will empty my purse real fast :grin:

#33

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send?
Yes, outgoing mail is collected from the letterboxes. (In the rural areas, if there are no letterboxes near by, one can leave outgoing mail in one’s own mailbox and inform the mailman about it by attaching a reflector clip on the mail slot)

Do you have to visit a post office?
We hardly have any real post-offices left. (There should be only 6 of them in the whole country by March 2021). Most postal services are available by “postal partners”, i.e. shops and kiosks. I go to these “mail service points” only if I need to send or fetch parcels or other mail that can’t be sent via letterbox.

Do you have to leave your house?
Yes

How does mail arrive to you?
I get mail through the mail slot on my door. Some have mailboxes. Parcels are either brought by mailmen or fetched from service points.

How often is it delivered?
Letter mail on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Occationally on Fridays. (At the moment they are not supposed to deliver on Fridays, but for some reasons I sometimes do get mail on Fridays, too. I got a card yesterday! :grinning:). Parcels can be delivered on Tuesdays, too.

How do you purchase stamps?
Nowadays always from Posti’s online shop. Why? Because there is the best selection of stamps and I can also buy First Day Covers. Most shops which sell postcards sell also stamps, but the selection is smaller. I like variety and I collect stamps too. Finland does have many pretty stamps and issues out several annually. However, most of our stamps are “forever” stamps for domestic and some for international mail. There is not a big variety of additional value stamps. Domestic forever stamp can be used for international economy mail on its own, adding 10 cent stamp is enough for international priority.

#34

IN ITALY

1. Do you have to walk to a postbox to send?
to send I have to post letters and postcards already stamped in post boxes, scattered around the city. Otherwise I can go to the post office.

2. Do you have to visit a post office?
I only have to go to the post office if I have to send heavy packages or envelopes, or to buy stamps. Otherwise it is not necessary. You can also pay bills and taxes at the post office.

3. Do you have to leave your house?
I have to leave the house to ship. But I believe there is a paid service that collects mail at home. I’ve never used it.
To get the mail, I have to go out onto the driveway. My mailbox (I’m in a terraced house) is attached to the gate.

4. How does mail arrive to you?
The mail is delivered by the postman every day, from Monday to Friday. If the packages are large, a courier arrives.

5. How often is it delivered?
Mail is delivered every day, from Monday to Friday.

6. How do you purchase stamps?
I can buy the stamps in the post office, online or in tobacconists.

#35

Almost the same as @Robinchen wrote earlier:

I mostly walk to the public letter box which is in my street, only 100 meters to walk.
Mail gets picked up Monday to Friday at 16.30 pm and Saturday at 10 am.

In Germany the post man don’t pick up mail, so yes, I need to leave the house.

Many postoffices are outsorced and included into other stores, mostely smaller ones and are run by these store owners. I rarely go there. I needed to go to the big one this week because someone from Lithuania sent a postcard as registered mail.

I buy my stamps online at the online store of Deutsche Post. I have a lot more variety that way not just the one design they sell in the post office. Bigger cities with bigger postoffice have more variety in stamps but the small ones here do not.

I get mail delivered to my house Monday to Saturday. Monday the mailman sometimes has a day off, so no mail on Monday.

When I have mail, the mailman comes between 1pm and 4.30pm

#36

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send?

  • I do. The nearest is a good five minute walk away. Right now I’ve got a pile of cards that have waited over a week to be sent. I managed to break a toe writing the cards so they’ve had to wait!

Do you have to visit a post office?

  • Very rarely, only if I need priority labels. When I get there I tend to grab five or six sheets.

Do you have to leave your house?

  • I do yes, even to collect my incoming post.

How does mail arrive to you?

  • In a mail slot at my building’s reception. I get everyone else’s postcards as well and put them in the right slots.

How often is it delivered?

  • In theory six days a week but recently it has been a bit sporadic.

How do you purchase stamps?

  • Online. I buy bulk lots of discounted, older stamps.
#37

I’m having trouble with receiving postcards .Postcrossing said “ We have checked your account and there are postcards going to you and one is expired.”I guess PTT is lost them😞.I’m connecting with PTT ,I wonder what they will say about that.

#38

Have you checked and triple checked that your address is absolutely perfect? Once you start to properly send cards you will start receiving some too - two incoming cards is very little in a pandemic.

#39

As a mailman, I pick up my mail from my own letter carrier, who works right behind me at the station: saves him a call to the house (sometimes the walk is not shovelled;-) I don’t have time to read any cards there, but sometimes play “guess where this is from” with the bagman if he come by. I also mail my cards at work in the outgoing bins. Although there is a street letter box near my house, this avoids possible delay, weather damage etc and I am certain the card will make it out on the 5 o’clock truck. My area has 1 million inhabitants, but all our mail is trucked to Montreal, 2 hours away, to a huge processing plant, one of 6 in Canada: a cost saving, but does not really speed things up. we get no employee discount on stamps! – and I buy most of mine at the local philately shop, where the clerk is also a postcrosser and I get a wide choice and a small saving.

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#40

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send? No
Do you have to visit a post office? Yes, There is one in each of the two major cities on Bonaire.
Do you have to leave your house? Yes, mail does not get picked up from individual houses.
How does mail arrive to you? If there is mail, the mail carrier will then deliver to the house.
How often is it delivered? Only when there is mail to be delivered to you.
How do you purchase stamps? Go to the post office.

1 Like
#41

Do you have to walk to a postbox to send? no, you don’t need to, i post it into post box
Do you have to visit a post office? noXD, you don’t need to go to Post XD, except you want send the registed mail.
Do you have to leave your house? XD, i don’t know in your country XD, but at my hometown, i ahve to go out
How does mail arrive to you? postman, they will put mail into you mailbox
How often is it delivered? depends on countries time and transpotation ways, so far, from my country to spin, it spent 19 days,
How do you purchase stamps? post, ebay, but i bought it from online platform