Are you considering the Escapees mail service? This review has everything you need to know.
It’s not easy to get your mail on the road.
And what’s even harder is finding a mail service that understands the complexities of the traveling lifestyle.
That’s what makes the Escapees RV Club mail forwarding service so unique!
I’ve been a customer for five years and in this article, I’m sharing everything I know, including the pros and cons of the Escapees mail service.
What is Escapees RV Club?
Escapees RV Club is the best RV club on the planet. More specifically, they are one of the oldest, largest, and most well-loved membership clubs for the RV lifestyle.
Escapees RV Club began as a small paper newsletter for people who lived in RVs in the 1970’s to stay connected with each other before the internet.
Today, it’s a booming RV club with dozens of offerings and a vibrant community of over 70,000 RVers across the globe.
Escapees describes themselves as a “total support network for ALL RVers” – which is right. They don’t care what kind of RV you have; even if you don’t have an RV and camp out of a car, you can still join if you want. And they truly are a total support network. This club covers everything from RV roadside assistance to mail forwarding for RVers and so much more.
Interested in Joining Escapees RV Club? Learn More Here.
Benefits of Escapees RV Club
I’ve been a member of Escapees RV club since 2017. Although I’m “inbetween RVs” right now, I keep my membership active because I just love the community and the benefits.
Escapees has many support services for RVers like mail forwarding, roadside assistance, RVer education both online and in-person, and much more.
In addition to support services, there are other awesome benefits. These include a free magazine, access to the Escapees and Xscapers events and RV rallies, discounts on camping and RV-related products and services, and more.
Today we’re talking about the Escapees mail forwarding service, which I think is one of the most unique and best benefits of this RV club.
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Escapees Mail Service Review From 5+ Year Customer
I’ve been using the Escapees mail service for over 5 years, here’s what I really think about it.
In short: the Escapees mail service is incredible. Truthfully, I’ve never had a single issue with it. It’s been so convenient to receive my mail wherever I go.
I’m writing this Escapees mail service review for one purpose and one purpose only. That is to share what a great experience I’ve had, and help you take the plunge if you’re still on the fence.
About Escapees RV Club Mail Forwarding Service for RVers
In this Escapees mail service review, I’m sharing everything I know about the club’s mail service.
The Escapees RV Club mail forwarding service began in 1985. This service was dreamed up by Cathie Carr, daughter of Escapees founders Joe and Kay Peterson. Cathie saw a need in the full-time RVing community for a reliable mail service run by people who know and understand the RV lifestyle.
It was a big dream and an incredibly lofty goal, but she pulled it off!
Today, the Escapees mail service is the largest private mail service in the country. It’s also one of the most economical with prices starting out at around $0.39 cents per day.
They are officially licensed by the US Postal service and have a huge mailroom warehouse located at Escapees HQ in Livingston, Texas. Members can visit and tour the facility, too.
Domicile With Escapees Mail Service: What Is It?
Screenshot from the Escapees RV Club website
All full-time RVers and travelers have to have a legal domicile. Domicile is your legal state of residence. This is the state that you use for taxes, legal purposes, vehicle registration and insurance, and more. The only way to have a domicile is by having a physical address in the state of your choosing.
As a full-time traveler, the road is your home. You don't have a full-time physical address to use for domicile, so what do you do?
The Escapees mail forwarding service provides nomads with a physical address to be used for domicile purposes. Customers can choose from three popular domicile states: TX, FL, and SD.
This address can be used for taxes, your driver license, vehicle registration, car insurance, and more. You don't get this benefit with most other mail services, which makes choosing Escapees a no-brainer for full-time travelers without a home base.
How Does Escapees Mail Service Work?
When you sign up for the Escapees mail forwarding service, you get to choose to have your address in Texas, Florida, or South Dakota. Once you receive your address, you’re free to change your mailing address with USPS.
This address can serve as your physical address, too, for registering your vehicle, tax purposes, your driver’s license, and more. Your address is a physical street address with a number, much like an apartment number. The number is your personal mailbox or PMB number.
When you sign up with the Escapees mail service, you pay the yearly fee and you also put a postage deposit down of $50. This covers postage for mail forwarding. When your balance dips below the $25 mark, you will receive emails reminding you to top it off. Or you can select for auto-withdrawal, it’s up to you.
Your mail is sent to your personal mailbox at the Escapees mail room in Livingston, Texas (even if you choose a FL or SD address). The mail service holds your mail for you until you decide to have it sent out. They will even hold packages sent from UPS or FedEx.
Getting Your Mail
When you are ready to receive your mail at a local RV park or post office, simply go online or call the Escapees mail room and put in the forwarding address. You can choose to have your mail sent in many different ways including priority, FedEx, overnight, or just regular.
It takes one business day for the mail room to process your request, then your mail is sent out at your specification using your postage balance to pay for the forwarding.
On X tier of Escapees mail service, you can have your mail scanned and see photos of what’s in your mailbox before they send it to you. This way you can choose to have the junk mail thrown away so it doesn’t take money out of your postage balance.
There are three mail service categories that each offer different benefits. Let’s talk about them and the prices now.
Three Categories of Mail Service
Image Source: Escapees RV Club
Category A is the basic and lowest-priced mail service category offered by the Escapees mail service.
In this category, Escapees forwards all mail that they receive for you, including junk mail.
Categories B and C allow you to be a little more selective with what mail you receive, and these categories open you up to the optional mail scanning option so you can see your mail online.
Category B forwards only the mail that you specify, like first-class, newletters, catalogues, magazines, etc.
Category C allows you to only receive the mail you specify, too, but it gives you a little more customization. In category C, you can say “I only want to receive catalogues from X company”. With that instruction, Escapees will only send you the catalogues you request and discard the rest.
How Much Does it Cost?
Escapees RV Club’s mail forwarding service is only available to members of the RV club. The price of an Escapees RV Club membership is $49 per year and you get access to not only the mail service, but all the other awesome benefits of Escapees RV Club.
Category A mail service costs $95 per year. There is a one-time enrollment fee of $50 and a one-time postage deposit of $50, so the total price to sign up for a new service is $195. This is the category I’ve used for 5 years and I love it!
Category B mail service costs $115 per year. The same $50 enrollment fee and deposit fees are required, so this one costs $215 to sign up the first time.
Lastly, the Category C mail service costs $135 per year. You also pay a one-time $50 enrollment and deposit for this category, making the total sign-up price $235.
Categories B and C are eligible for the optional mail scanning service that costs a total of $10 per month.
You can upgrade your category at any time by calling the Escapees mail service headquarters.
Are There Any Additional Fees?
There are no hidden or additional fees associated with the Escapees RV Club mail service.
In the beginning, you pay a $50 postage deposit. Each time your mail is sent to you, Escapees pays for your postage using your $50 deposit. Once that balance dips below $25, you will receive emails reminding you to top off your balance. You can also opt to have a certain amount (like $15 or $25) automatically added to your postage balance once it drops below $25.
This is the only periodic fee you’ll pay as a mail service member, but it’s not a hidden or additional fee. You’re just paying your own postage.
How to Use the Escapees Mail Forwarding Service
Image Source: Escapees RV Club
In all my years using the Escapees mail forwarding service, I have never gotten a notification that my mailbox is too full. And sometimes I’ve gone 2 months without having my mail sent to me, which is wild!
After you’re signed up and receiving mail at your new Escapees address, here’s how to get it sent to you.
Depending on where you are, you should check with your RV park or campground and make sure you’re allowed to receive mail there. If not, check with the local post office and find out if you’re allowed to receive mail there under General Delivery.
Never assume you can get mail sent to you at a local post office or campground – some campgrounds charge fees or will return your mail to sender. And not all USPS locations allow General Delivery.
Schedule Your Mailing
Once you have your approved mailing address, you can let Escapees know to send your mail to you. You can choose to put in your request online or you can call and talk to a real person who will schedule your mailing for you.
To put in your forwarding request online, log in to the Escapees member website (it’s easiest on a computer). Once you’re on your member dashboard, navigate to “View MMS Dashboard”. MMS stands for “My Mail Service”. On your MMS dashboard, scroll down to “My Mailing Instructions” and click the button that says “Update Mailing Instructions”.
On this page, select the drop down where it says “I would like to” and select the option that says “set a mail schedule”. Then, fill in all the details. Be sure to check the drop down that says “set a mailing frequency” and choose the option that works best for you.
If you want to have a person schedule your mailing for you, simply call Escapees at (936) 327-8873.
Where Can You Get Mail as a Full-Time RVer or Traveler?
Photo Source: Escapees RV Club
Getting your mail on the road can be a little bit tricky at first, but once you have the hang of it, it’s pretty easy.
The easiest and most common way to get your mail as a full-time traveler is having it sent to your campground or RV park. Always check with the office manager to be sure that they’re okay with having your mail sent there. They will give you the mailing address and any special instructions to include on your mail forwarding request.
If the campground doesn’t allow you to receive your mail, you have a couple other options. First check with the local post office. Most USPS locations allow mail to be sent there under your name and “General Delivery”. They offer this service free of charge, typically, for travelers and people temporarily in the area.
If the local post office allows General Delivery, they will have a form for you to fill out before you can receive your mail there. Usually, they only allow you to receive mail under General Delivery for 6 months. If you will be in the area longer than 6 months, they will ask you to rent a PO Box.
If you can’t get mail at a campground or the local post office, check in neighboring towns at their post offices or ask the local FedEx and UPS offices if they allow it.
Can Van Lifers Use Escapees Mail Forwarding Service?
Yes, anyone can use the Escapees mail forwarding service! Escapees does not gatekeep when it comes to who can sign up and use their services. If you need it, they provide it.
Even if you just need a part-time mail service, you can still sign up.
Other Ways You Can Get Mail While Traveling
There are other ways you can get mail while traveling. I think Escapees is the absolute best way for travelers to get their mail because this club is family owned and operated and they understand all the details of the RV life and experience.
But, if my Escapees mail service review hasn’t convinced you yet, here are some other options.
Other Mail Forwarding Services
Other mail forwarding services do exist. I’m not familiar with any of them personally, but a quick Google search should yield several results.
If you decide to go with another mail forwarding service, keep in mind that they may not provide an address that you can use as a “physical address” for legal purposes. Escapees does!
USPS General Delivery
You can receive mail at USPS general delivery, but you have to have a person sending it to you. You can’t change your address to a General Delivery location, and usually you can only use one local post office for 6 months.
If you travel really slowly, you can rent a PO box for 6 months at a time.
Friends and Family
Lastly, you can request to use friends or family as your personal mail service. This would mean you change your address to their home and have them hold your mail, then forward it to you wherever you travel.
This is a free option but can become burdensome on your loved ones if it’s for the long-term.
Pros and Cons of Escapees Mail Service: Pros
This wouldn’t be a proper Escapees mail service review if I didn’t throw in some honest pros and cons of the service. Here are my favorite advantages of using this mail service.
Family Owned and Operated
Escapees RV Club is family owned and operated. It’s currently run by Travis and Melanie Carr, grandson of the founders and his wife. They are amazing people that I am proud to personally know, and the entire organization has a family-like feeling! From employees to members, the whole club feels like a family. And, the family that founded Escapees RV Club are incredible, altruistic people. I wouldn’t trust my mail with anyone else.
Oldest and Largest Private Mail Service in the US
What started out as a dream in the head of Cathie Carr turned into the largest and most economical private mail service in the US. It’s licensed by the US Postal Service, too!
Not only have they been doing this longer than other private mail services, they do it specifically for RVers and travelers. No other mail service can say that.
Made For RVers By RVers
You can’t go wrong with a mail service that understands the unique challenges faced by RVers. This service was created by a full-time RVer specifically for the full-time RVing crowd.
Pros and Cons of Escapees Mail Forwarding: Cons
I have to be honest with you, I don’t have any cons when it comes to the Escapees mail service.
But, if I had to come up with one, I would say that it would be nice to have an app.
But the reason the Club doesn’t have an app for their mail service is because an app is incredibly expensive for a family-owned company to have created. Not only that, but the mail service is so detailed and fine-tuned that an app developer would have to be intimately familiar with every aspect of the mail service in order to make an app that works properly.
For me, the fact that there is no app is no problem. If I’m on the road and can’t get to my computer, I just call them to have my mail sent to me. Otherwise it’s no big deal to sign in on my computer and schedule it – it takes less than 5 minutes.
Is the Escapees Mail Service Worth It?
In my opinion: absolutely 1000% worth it. If you couldn’t tell from this Escapees mail service review, I am a HUGE fan. Not only of the mail service itself, but of the entire club. It's one of the best RV clubs for saving money, community, and more!
If you do decide to join Escapees just for the mail service, do yourself a favor and check out the other offerings of the club. You get access to all of them!
Sign Up for Escapees Mail Forwarding Service Here
Have you decided that the Escapees Mail Forwarding service is right for you?
Sign up for the coolest RV club on the planet here and get started!
If you have any questions about the mail service or the club in general, leave me a comment and I will get back to you. In addition to being a customer for 5 years, I worked for Escapees for almost 2 years and I love sharing the club with the traveling community.
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Carrie Wilder
Carrie has a passion for location independence and nomadic lifestyles. After traveling full-time in an RV and living the van life, she created Making Money and Traveling to help others make the switch to a remote lifestyle. Learn more about Carrie on the About page or connect on social media below.Â
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