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Thread: Adjusting to slower USPS mail delivery

  1. #1
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    Adjusting to slower USPS mail delivery

    What changes are you making (and considering) in Personal Finance as a result of slower mail delivery?

    My past practice has been to pay my and DW's credit cards by check. I received the printed statements and held on to them until the first of each month. Payment was due on the 13th of the following month. I put the 2 checks in the mail on the first of each month.

    Regarding the 10/1/20 checks, on 10/13/20 I had an email from the credit card company stating that unless I made a payment that day of at least $29, my credit card could not be used at Point-of-Sale beginning 10/14. The same message was received concerning DW's card.

    In effect, the 2 $29 payments were "late penalties".

    In addition to the late penalties, interest was charged to the accounts on the unpaid balances. This was a lifetime first for me. I had always paid the balance in full, using the US Postal Service.

    Monitoring the accounts on a daily basis on-line, I noted that on 10/17 the mailed payments were credited to the account. The transit time for 2 first class letters was 16 days. (I can hardly believe my eyes. But there it is.)

    I don't protest the late fees or interest on the account ... the credit card company fully disclosed exactly what they would do in case a minimum payment was not received, in advance, in writing.

    In the future, on the first of the month I plan to make the credit card payments immediately without depending on the U S Mail. I can do so on-line or on the telephone.

  2. #2
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    We pay only one check by mail and it is sent 10 days prior to the due date. So far, that has been enough time. With everything else, we switched to either online or auto-payments years ago after being charged a "late" payment fee when it was overdue by one day. They removed the charge when I called to complain however.

  3. #3
    Simpleton Alan's Avatar
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    I haven't noticed any lag in mail service and I usually mail payments one week before due dates. I haven't had any problems with them being received late.

    I wonder if payment processing on the receiving in may be affected by the pandemic?
    "Things should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler." ~ Albert Einstein

  4. #4
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    All of my bills are paid online, so mail delay is a non-issue for me, except for the times when I would really love to be able to rely on Amazon next-day delivery, but I've adjusted my expectations there.

    Actually, I do pay my Medicare quarterly payment by check, and I haven't had any real issue there, either.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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  5. #5
    Senior Member Teacher Terry's Avatar
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    I ay everything online through my bank. Our mail is slow at times.

  6. #6
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    I don’t know if DH is mailing bill payments earlier or not. He still pays a fair number of things through the US mail.


    But we now at least pay our big credit card bills online through automatic online payment, so that is good.

  7. #7
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    We just paid off the car- I wrote the check and it had to go Dallas...I thought a bit about that...but I mailed it the 8th or 9th and it was due the 18th. It got there!!! So I was happy.

  8. #8
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    I haven’t noticed a difference. Which surprises me a little.

  9. #9
    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    I ordered a blanket from Iceland on Wednesday evening, it was here Thursday afternoon. Straight from the shop in Reykjavik.

    I mailed something to a fellow who lives 4 miles from me down in town, it took 1.5 weeks.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by dado potato View Post
    What changes are you making (and considering) in Personal Finance as a result of slower mail delivery?

    My past practice has been to pay my and DW's credit cards by check. I received the printed statements and held on to them until the first of each month. Payment was due on the 13th of the following month. I put the 2 checks in the mail on the first of each month.

    Regarding the 10/1/20 checks, on 10/13/20 I had an email from the credit card company stating that unless I made a payment that day of at least $29, my credit card could not be used at Point-of-Sale beginning 10/14. The same message was received concerning DW's card.

    In effect, the 2 $29 payments were "late penalties".

    In addition to the late penalties, interest was charged to the accounts on the unpaid balances. This was a lifetime first for me. I had always paid the balance in full, using the US Postal Service.

    Monitoring the accounts on a daily basis on-line, I noted that on 10/17 the mailed payments were credited to the account. The transit time for 2 first class letters was 16 days. (I can hardly believe my eyes. But there it is.)

    I don't protest the late fees or interest on the account ... the credit card company fully disclosed exactly what they would do in case a minimum payment was not received, in advance, in writing.

    In the future, on the first of the month I plan to make the credit card payments immediately without depending on the U S Mail. I can do so on-line or on the telephone.
    I would call and have the fees waived... especially since this has never happened before. I had this happen recently too and fees and interest were waived.

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