Postal Service decline experiences first hand

[live love laugh]

In the past few days, two creditors notified me payment was late for bills that I never received. I’m a stickler for paying bills fully and on time. As soon as I open an envelope, I set up an ebill pay and carefully discard the paid bill.

I know there are other payment options but managing multiple subscriptions and autopay accounts can easily get out of hand so I prefer billing by mail.

The problem with late-arriving bills is, of course, personal as it can potentially affect my credit. But I am more concerned that unprecedented poor service like this erodes confidence in yet another government agency leading others to choose alternatives to the Postal Service.

Normally I wouldn’t be as concerned but when the postmaster general is invested in a company that competes with the Postal Service it’s a problem.

I hope they dump him fast.

[Ms. Toad]

1. You might be better off

writing the confirmation number on the bill and keeping it until the next one comes in documenting that they received the payment, rather than immediately discarding it.

It isn't solid proof - but a stack of bills received within the previous 30 days (with the unpaid bill conspicuouly absent from the stack) is at least evidence of your habit.

[Hoyt]

2. His (former) company depends on the USPS for its biggest contract.

Don’t think he really wants to damage Post Office. But, that seems to be a population conspiracy theory around here.

[Blue Owl]

3. K&R for visibility

[left-of-center2012]

4. I don't know why everyone doesn't go with auto pay

All my bills get paid online through autopay directly from my checking account.
I have about a dozen different accounts which get paid every month and have been paid that way for at least six years.

I have never had a problem and I have never had a bill paid late thanks to auto pay.

Easy to set up online and if someone has a computer and a bank account they can set it up.

[lastlib]

6. I for one am not keen about having my bank account number....

on a zillion servers. I don't know what security all those companies have.

[ret5hd]

7. I set up auto-pay on my banks website...

with the day of the month I want it to pay. For accounts with variable monthly amounts like credit cards I just set a minimal amount, say $50, that would be able to cover the required minimum monthly payment. That way at least I never miss a payment. Then I adjust it to the full amount when I get the bill.

[left-of-center2012]

12. Actually it is not on a zillion servers

But if you feel more secure going with snail mail please continue to do so.

[marlakay]

5. This happened to me last summer

With a bill from electrician. I forgot about them coming because I got busy and when bill didn't come I didn't notice until second one. I paid the original amount less interest saying I didn't get it and I pay my bills as soon as I get them. They were ok about it and we hired them again in the fall that time I paid on the phone with my credit card so I wouldn't forget or not get.

[blueinredohio]

8. I paid a bill on December 12.

The company didn't receive it in the mail until January 20. Luckily they waived the late fee.

[dalton99a]

9. DeJoy should be in prison.

[lunatica]

10. I get my bills emailed to me

I don’t want to do autopay because I like to keep track as I pay. I prefer it to getting bills in the mail. Then when I get confirmation of the payment via email which happens almost right away I put it in another file in my email. I also write the major payments in a check register to keep track of the payments. if there’s ever any question I have the payment confirmations in my email file.

[Klaralven]

13. First class mail peaked in 2001 and has dropped by half since then

https://about.usps.com/who-we-are/postal-history/first-class-mail-since-1926.htm

Advertising mail volume dropped in 2009 and then again last year.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/320243/advertising-mail-volume-of-the-usps/

Parcel delivery is the growing business.