PO Box

[Amy]

I was wondering about your opinions on PO boxes.

They're kind of expensive, $20-$30 a month. I'm in high school and I don't have a job right now.

What has been your experience with this? Are PO boxes usually worth it? Have you ever had a creeper show up on your doorstep and ask for a free issue?

[Nadia Brady]

I know of a few places in the small town I live that will take mail and let you drop in to pick it up - libraries and other places that do ziney stuff, youth centres, and especially any place doing housing, so dealing with people who don't have a fixed address, are a good place to start. I was involved in local government when I was in school, and they would send mail to the school for some inexplicable reason, but admin just quietly sent it on to me.

If you haven't printed your zine yet, you probably also haven't discovered how quickly you can spend all your money on postage. In my opinion, there's no way you should share your home address, but thinking outside the box to save money might be a good idea.

[W. Alan Fare]

The great thing about P.O. Boxes is that you can keep them when you move. I've had the same P.O. Box address for 18 years even though I've had a dozen home addresses in that span. Even when I was homeless (granted that was years ago) I had a mailing address.

As for creeps showing up at my door, they are usually people I know... Even most people I work with don't know where I live. My P.O. Box is public but my home address is very private.

[kit feral]

haha... I'm asking for a long armed stapler... it makes me happy to see someone thinks that's normal. no one's agreed to buy me one yet. =(

Shawn Granton said:

Amy-
http://wemakezines.ning.com/profile/Zac

As for your parents reaction, you're the best judge as to how they might handle your involvement with zines and getting stuff through the mail. If they're the type that are overly worried by internet predators and the like, they might not take it good. Of course, you might want to present it as getting mail from"pen pals". They might get all warm and fuzzy with that idea, since it's sooo old-fashioned.

And if you can't ask for a P O Box for Xmas, you can always ask for a long-armed stapler!

[Amy]

my parents are worried about the whole internet predator thing. We just had a whole assembly on it and everything. *sigh*

[andreajean]

I think it is a good idea to get a PO box, especially if you want to print an address in your zines and if your parents are concerned.

I've never had a PO box, partially because of the money concern, but I don't print my address inside zines and I don't post it publicly on the internet. I have given my address out to strangers (through email or private messages) and no one has shown up at my door :)

[Amy]

That's creepy. Of course, the post office is about a mile away from my house, but away from school, which is going to make it kind of a pain to get to.

[Bethany]

I got rid of my box. Cost too much. I'd rather spend the money on printing.

[Amy]

Didn't that confuse everyone who read the zine?