Do you put outgoing mail in your mailbox or take to the PO?

[alien_host]

Good thought about the identity theft though. Something to think about.

Although I don't think the outgoing mail is necessarily worse than the incoming mail. Someone could steal credit card statements, other utility bills, bank statements etc from my mailbox if I don't retrieve it as soon as the mail carrier delivers it right? I suppose an outgoing check is probably the worst but I'm sure I RECEIVE other mail that is just as risky.

Great, another thing to worry about!

[SnuggleBuggles]

Depends on what it is. If it contains a check or sensitive personal info I take it to the PO. Otherwise I just put it in my mail slot. Love, love, love my mail slot. The mail goes right into my house so I have little to fear of someone going through or straling my mail!

Beth

[vonfirmath]

Take it to a post office or a blue mailbox thingy. I've had too many experiences with thieves taking things out of the box.

[MNmomtobe]

Although I don't think the outgoing mail is necessarily worse than the incoming mail. Someone could steal credit card statements, other utility bills, bank statements etc from my mailbox if I don't retrieve it as soon as the mail carrier delivers it right? I suppose an outgoing check is probably the worst but I'm sure I RECEIVE other mail that is just as risky.

Great, another thing to worry about!

Yes, it could happen with incoming mail too. Like you mentioned- I tend to write checks for most of my bills and if this ended up in the wrong hands, they would have my bank acct info. So yes, very risky.

[egoldber]

We pay almost all of our bills on-line or through direct debit from the checking account (like the mortgage) so the idea of thieves at the mailbox (for outgoing mail) is not really a concern for us.

[DebbieJ]

I leave it for my carrier as much as possible.

[LexyLou]

Our current house has a box that's attached to the house and a mail man who walks the route. I always just leave our outgoing mail in the box and he takes it. But he's also been the mail man in our town for 25 years and knows everyone by name. He's amazing, so I fully trust him.

If I lived somewhere where I didn't know the mail person, I'd probably take it into the po.

[wellyes]

I have a box attached to my house and put everything in there, including packages. It is the mailman's JOB to pick it up. Mail carriers are well-compensated. They're also federal employees, very well vetted for security risks. So why should I have to go out of my way to go to the PO?

The only time I go to the PO is when I absolutely have to (mailing a 1st class packages over 13 oz, etc).

[vonfirmath]

I have a box attached to my house and put everything in there, including packages. It is the mailman's JOB to pick it up. Mail carriers are well-compensated. They're also federal employees, very well vetted for security risks. So why should I have to go out of my way to go to the PO?.

Is the box attached to your house locked? If so, I think you are right, its fine to put stuff inside.

The bad experiences I have had have involved non-lockable mail boxes with folks driving down streets and taking everything out of the boxes (both before and after delivery, from evidence of checks all sent on the same day never arriving at their desitinations)

[JElaineB]

I have a box attached to my house and put everything in there, including packages. It is the mailman's JOB to pick it up. Mail carriers are well-compensated. They're also federal employees, very well vetted for security risks. So why should I have to go out of my way to go to the PO?

The only time I go to the PO is when I absolutely have to (mailing a 1st class packages over 13 oz, etc).

I don't think the concern is for postal employees (though once I had a mail carrier that was caught for stealing mail and prosecuted...I personally lost at least one birthday card sent to me with cash in it that year). It is that if you have a regular mail box someone else can steal your outgoing or incoming mail.

I usually drop my mail off at a mail slot at work. I only leave things in my mailbox once in a while. I do pay most (but not all) bills online.