We don't get mail here everyday, we don't have letterboxes or firm street addresses. In the past we have collected mail from couriers on the road and iPhones for people who live at the end of the street have been delivered to us. None of the houses have street numbers on them, and the actual street numbers are 'creative'.
All other mail arrives at the post office 3 times a week Mondays. Wednesdays and Fridays. This only happens when the mail bus isn't broken down, the roads are open and it isn't a public holiday.
The mail truck also brings out the papers so we only get newspapers on these days too. I love reading the Sunday Mail and I have been known to still buy it on a Wednesday afternoon (if Monday was a public holiday and it doesn't get to town till then). I know you can download it..... but it simply isn't the same (I feel the same way about reading magazines online).
Its about 200 metres from our place to the post office where we collect the mail, This trip has been known to take close to an hour some days.... (or 6 if we happen to get convinced to stop by the local pub for a 'quick' drink on a hot Friday afternoon). The local pub just happens to be across the road from the Post Office and always has icey cold drinks and a playground for the kids. When it only takes an hour its because of finding shoes and getting them on kids, locating helmets, bikes, prams, opening gates, closing gates putting dogs in or taking dogs with us. We normally see at least one person and have a chat along the way.
Then there is the challenge of getting all our 'mail' home. Now since I moved here I have become pretty darn good at online shopping, which is why its a juggle to get everything and everyone home. In fact I have given up on the mail run entirely after this effort...
I am glad I sent my husband in his troop carrier for this run and I may send him every time until after December 25. We have to be organised for birthdays and Christmas out here. I try and put my online orders in 4-6 weeks before the day I need it so that we have it in plenty of time.
Its only fair that I share my online shopping expertise.... so here is where I go to contribute to our mail.
1. Booko http://booko.com.au/ this site compares all the online book websites for prices. Type in the name of the book you want and it brings up where they are available with lowest price first including postage. How cool is that?
2. Catch of the Day http://www.catchoftheday.com.au/ this site is only good if you are looking for something in particular. It releases a few deals at midday NSW time everyday, if what you are looking for isn't there close the page or app I repeat 'Mum CLOSE THE PAGE!' or you will end up buying all sorts of things. There is a fair amount of postage depending on the item so you have to factor that in to the deal.
3. Grocery Run http://www.groceryrun.com.au/ I have shared my grocery experiences here before and grocery run is great especially for bulky bigger items, toiletries, muesli bars, vitamins and general household goods. It has $11 flat rate shipping... if only there was a similar site for fruit and vegetables out here.
4. Made it http://www.madeit.com.au/ This site is all hand made items. I love searching for quirky gifts. Many of the items can be customised with fabrics or sizes. Every item I have bought off here has arrived beautifully wrapped making it perfect for presents.
5. Fishpond http://www.fishpond.com.au/ This site has free postage!!! It has books, DVD's, toys and did I mention Free Postage! It's great for birthdays and prices are usually better than many real shops.
6. Wiggle http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ This is my husbands favourite site for sport stuff, he loves it. It has great prices and good variety of stock and all the brands. Wiggle also has Free Postage!!
7. Bulk Wholefoods http://www.bulkwholefoods.com.au/ Okay so we have recently got a little healthier and its difficult to get some of the foods we are eating like Goji berries, chia seeds, raw cacao, raw almonds LSA mix, and coconut oil at our local supermarket so we order them online and get them delivered. The postage is free if you spend $150, which is easy to do when you are buying in bulk.
Okay so these are my favourites, so far I'm sure I will discover more as time goes on and I am sure even when we live in a spot that isn't so isolated that I will still do lots of my shopping online... especially when I don't have to walk a whole 200 metres past a pub on a hot afternoon with all my shopping oops I mean mail!!!
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