In preparation for our move to Denver, I went out looking for “We’re moving” announcement cards. This is my 5th time making a move where I would want to send these out, and every other time I had no problem finding them.
This time, however, it was close to impossible! I looked in the following stores:
Target
Walmart
Kroger
Hallmark
Papyrus
Dollar Tree
Big Lots
The Party Source
Office Depot
…before finally locating them at Meijer (who had a grand total of ONE design). And, I had to go to 2 stores to get the 50 cards we wanted, as the first store stocked 2 boxes of 10 cards,and the second one had 3 more boxes.
To be fair, both Papyrus and Office Depot would have been able to print cards up, but they would have cost about $3 per card (and the Papyrus one was completely plain - no graphics at all). Meijer’s cards were $13 for a box of 10, but they are actuallky pretty nice.
I assume the demand for these is way down thanks to Facebook and home printing kits, but the above stores averaged 50 different boxes of “Thank You” cards and 15-20 different boxes of party invitations; it seems strange that moving announcements would be THAT hard to find.
I’d be curious to hear if the dearth of moving announcements is a local thing (Cincinnati area), or a nationwide phenomenon.
I never knew there was such a thing! If I ever move I’ll inform family and friends via FB or email, or for the rare person who isn’t online, by phone. Sending out cards would mean that I have their snail mail info to begin with. (Obviously I don’t mail holiday cards, either. )
(Takes out dentures and waves walking stick at PSXer)
Cheeky little runt.
Oh, and I’ve never heard of them either anyway. Folks close to my heart already know I’m moving, others including companies I do business with would be contacted by phone or email.
This board never ceases to amaze me. We get them in the mail from our friends all the time, and have for my entire life. I know we’re a little more formal in the South, but wow. Never even heard of them? Prior to 1996, how else would you have told a bunch of people about your new address? I’m not making 100+ individual phone calls.
They’re usually small, pre-printed cards, with a little note and the new address on it. Some people will combine them with their Christmas cards. Just google, and you’ll find thousands of examples.
I’m really not being critical at all. Just very surprised at the differences here. Part of the reason I like coming to this board.
ETA: They aren’t usually for notifying businesses, just friends and family. Though, I can see one going to your accountant, etc.
It’s easier to write 100 addresses and apply 100 stamps than to pick up a phone? In 1996 you’d be licking the stamps, unless you ran them through a postage meter. Unlikely at home.
I’d never heard of them either.
They invoke images of bustles, a butler offering his master a sterling-silver salver with a caller’s card on it and the scullery maid licking 100 stamps or no half-day off on Saturday.
Yes. For Christmas cards, my wife writes the address, I apply the return address with a stamp, then add the postage stamp. Way easier than calling that many people, and it isn’t even close. How long do you think it takes to call and speak with 100 friends, honestly. You can’t just say “I’m moving, bye!”
Plus, they have a written address for their records.
I moved around this time of year, and all I did was print up a bunch of business-card-sized notes on a few sheets of paper, cut them out and put them in my Christmas cards!
People who just moved don’t have money to spend on change-of-address cards, that’s why no one sells them!
I would guess that the cards you find in stores are largely going to be ones you get at the last minute (like birthday cards) or ones that must be hand-written, like thank you cards.
Anything else can be ordered online, affordably, from companies that will pre-print your new address, add custom photos, offer dozens of designs, and even mail them out for you if you like. Online cards are just so much better for this purpose.
In 1984 when I moved to Virginia I took my stack of cards to the post office, they ran them through the meter and I paid the nice lady at the desk. And every year I went with my mom when she sent out Christmas cards so the post office could run them through the meter [she would send out a couple hundred, personal business contacts got folded in with household cards.]
And $3 a card for printing 50 cards? Why not get a heavy card stock that will run through a copy machine and make up one 8x11 page of cards and copy the rest, or run a stack of 50 post cards through a printer?
Who sends personal mail anymore? I can’t remember the last time I got a ‘letter’ delivered (that is, not a power-bill, an invitation to increase my c/c limit or to double my Frequent Flyer points, a bit of glurge from my local Member of Parliament or the routine Reader’s Digest flim-flam telling me I’m a WINNER)
Oh my, I miss the good old days when going to the letterbox was actually exciting!
)
