So I moved a few months ago and still haven’t updated my address at the various places I should because 1) I’m busy and 2) I’m lazy. And it got me thinking–why the hell are we still acting as if its the dark ages, painstakingly writing out long-form addresses on every letter, and updating every individual business/utility/government agency with our address every time we move?
Why isn’t there a single central database that you can update, to which all other companies refer? Or why isn’t there a company that can do this? Like a PO Box I give to everyone, but one that then forwards the mail to my current address?
Edit: And yes, I realize I could have spent this time updating my address…
Although it will only work for mailing addresses- you’ll still have to update individually for any entities that need to know where you actually live ( driver’s license, employers for tax withholding) or where to provide services (utilities) or where insured items are located. And I’m not sure how many people would be willing to pay that monthly fee to avoid updating a fixed address when they move - it seems more useful for those who really don’t have a fixed address.
And yet, I can cite three instances where I’ve moved and has one kind of problem or another with the Post Office dealing with my forwarding address.
So I made up my mind: Fuck the Post Office and their forwarding addresses. I know exactly who I need to tell every time I move. I have a check-list. When I move, I report my new mailing address to every one of them on my own. Yes, it’s a hassle, but it’s not like I move every month. I don’t even bother telling the Post Office at all.
It helps that I’ve used P. O. boxes as my mailing address for the last umpty-ump years, and that most of my moves have been within reasonable driving distance of my prior address. So for a period of six months or so, I keep the old address active, until all my correspondents have begun sending stuff to my new address.