U.S. Postal Service Proposes New Prices for 2024

[dove]

Just now, dove said:

 

I'm sorry, I've texted the sister about it but she hasn't gotten back to me yet. It was told to her by a remote Bethelite who works at the Depot where this sister helps out regularly. The remote sister is the one that gets all the returned mail for our congregation and the adjoining one.

But I seem to remember a while back a brother who was a mail carrier said to use the "Occupant" addition to our letters to save many being returned, and also stamps. We have a mail carrier in our congregation that might have some answers, but I've gotten the feeling that it seems to vary in different parts of the country.

I think brother Randall's post should answer it.🙂 

 

 

 

My question is, do you address the envelope with "Smith Family" when you have both the spouse's names. It would simplify writing so much for me, to do that. Or, even when you only have one name?

[Tortuga]

8 minutes ago, dove said:

 

My question is, do you address the envelope with "Smith Family" when you have both the spouse's names. It would simplify writing so much for me, to do that. Or, even when you only have one name?

I personally just use the last name and address it to the family. I just want someone in the home to open it.

[dove]

On 11/21/2023 at 12:22 PM, Lee49 said:

I just ordered some new   forever stamps, the 1st one on the page made me laugh !

 

 

 

I bought them last time 🙂 They're pretty dark....colors I mean, not subjects 🙃

Edited November 23, 2023 by dove

[Lee49]

So long as they get there and they're - forever ! 🤑

[MullumMiss]

A standard letter here in Australia is $1.20.  It was $1.10 until last year.  So imagine how much it cost us during covid.  I used to buy stamps by the box of 100 and went through a few boxes.  Now as a pensioner I can buy 50 stamps a year at half price.  I don’t do much letter writing these days, that requires posting.  I write letters for not homes and these just get left in the letter box.  I address my letters “To The Resident”.  I also put my sender name and suburb.  

[Tortuga]

21 minutes ago, Lee49 said:

So long as they get there and they're - forever ! 🤑

Does that mean we will be using stamps in the new system? 🤣

[dove]

4 hours ago, Tortuga said:

I personally just use the last name and address it to the family. I just want someone in the home to open it.

We  use name/current resident for apartments but not for homes. It's too impersonal but necessary for apartments.

Apartments are very transient.

[Tortuga]

12 minutes ago, dove said:

We  use name/current resident for apartments but not for homes. It's too impersonal but necessary for apartments.

Apartments are very transient.

We use several search sites to find the family name and many times the information doesn't match, we are never sure that we have the correct family name. So we add "or current resident" just in case the information is incorrect.

[dove]

The territory app we use called Territory Helper, gives us all the names, addresses and even phone numbers of many. It's really a great 'helper'. We don't have to go anywhere to look up names.

[dove]

1 hour ago, Tortuga said:

Does that mean we will be using stamps in the new system? 🤣

 "We don't know" 😊

[Tortuga]

9 minutes ago, dove said:

The territory app we use called Territory Helper, gives us all the names, addresses and even phone numbers of many. It's really a great 'helper'. We don't have to go anywhere to look up names.

We use Territory Helper and it doesn't have any names or phone numbers. Are the brothers in your congregation putting that information into Territory Helper? Where are they getting their information from?

[dove]

18 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

We use Territory Helper and it doesn't have any names or phone numbers. Are the brothers in your congregation putting that information into Territory Helper? Where are they getting their information from?

My granddaughter and her husband put it together. I could ask ..but I think it's very possible they put that in themselves. He said they worked on it a long time, months..

Edited November 23, 2023 by dove

[Lee49]

1 hour ago, dove said:

It's really a great 'helper'. We don't have to go anywhere to look up names.

Also, now that the publishers don't turn in time you don't have to take hours just to find a name! 

[MullumMiss]

6 hours ago, dove said:

The territory app we use called Territory Helper, gives us all the names, addresses and even phone numbers of many. It's really a great 'helper'. We don't have to go anywhere to look up names.

That would be breaching the privacy laws here in Australia. 

[Witness1970]

19 hours ago, Lee49 said:

I think you could put the name as - Alfred E. Newman , or current resident ! The carriers only need an address! ( " What, Me Worry " )

 

 

 

That is true sort of.  Carriers that have been on a route a long time might be familiar with someone who has moved.  I worked as a rural carrier in Cahabe Heights, Alabama.  There was one man who moved from one apartment to another a few times.  All (or most) of the carriers on that route knew the guy's name.  He was getting mail at 3 apartments.  If mail was sent to either of the first 2 apartments, it would be returned.  The other carriers and I just sent the mail to the guy's latest address.

 

But you are correct.  The mail actually only needs the address, and not the name of the person, to be delivered.

[Loopy]

20 hours ago, Tortuga said:

I personally just use the last name and address it to the family. I just want someone in the home to open it.

This really helped this morning as in my territory, and after researching I have 3 houses (same “family” name) and all 3 seem to use the same post office box. So I’m covering all 3 with just one letter to the “Family” 🤷‍♀️

[Pabo]

On 11/24/2023 at 3:34 PM, MullumMiss said:

That would be breaching the privacy laws here in Australia. 

 

The only way we can use or find their names are usually in the phonebook.

 

But as many Australians are ditching their landline for phone use due to the amount of telemarters and spam callers, or they have their number as "silent" thus not it the phone book, it is very hard to find out who lives there. Another issue is the names in the phone book could be up to 3 years old before Sensis accutally update their residential names and addresses. Using other phone directories such a "Local Directories" or other internet website phonebboks are even worse.

 

So we just address them as "To the Householder (or Resident)".

[dove]

We usually use Fast People Search or True People Search and find the current residents name