Do you still use snail mail?

snail mail - Picture depicting the legendary snail mail service
India
May 6, 2007 10:51am CST
It has been over ten years that I have not used snail mail to communicate with my friends or relatives. I used to do it way back in 1996, when I left my home town for my first job. That time, atleast in India, emails and mobile phones were very uncommon. That was the time when I used to take time out to write lengthy mails to my friends and relatives. Then time started changing and use of telephone increased, when in 1997-98 the rates of long distance telephone calls in India were slashed downby around 50-60%. That was the time when my preference for snail mail started declining. Then came the third phase, the growth of internet connectivity and emails by the year 2000-01. During this point of time, I completely got out of touch of snail mail. And now the condition is such, that I do not need to use snail mail any more. It is only for sending some official document, I use courier service. But I have stopped using it completely for personal matters. I would be interested if any one of you is still using snail mail.
11 people like this
17 responses
@ellie26 (4139)
• Malaysia
6 May 07
You might laugh at me but can you please explain what is snail mail? This is the first time I have ever heard of this. Thanks
1 person likes this
• India
6 May 07
Dear ellie, snail mail is the one where we write a letter, seal it into an envelope and then drop it into a post box/post office. These envelopes are required to have address of the person to whom the letter is intended to be sent as well as the address of the sender. Then we also need to have a postage stamp pasted on it. The value of postage stamp depends on the distance the letter is supposed to travel. Such type of letter takes atleast 2 days to reach its destination and the duration can increase with the increase in distance it has to travel. And probably that is the reason such mail is called as snail mail.
@ellie26 (4139)
• Malaysia
6 May 07
Oh my goodness! it is really embarassing. Honestly speaking, I didnt know that snail mail is another name for ordinary mail. Anyway, thank you for your lengthy explaination on the snail mail. lol
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (157027)
• United States
7 May 07
I have a mother's day card for my step mom and a letter in it to my dad, just waiting for a stamp. Some things still mean more if they come by snail mail.
@seabeauty (1480)
• United States
14 Oct 07
I only use snail mail to send greeting cards. If I need to communicate with someone, I just pick up the phone and call them.
@coffeeshot (3783)
• Australia
14 Oct 07
I still have a penpal who I write to using snail mail. When I was younger I had a few penpals from all over the world but I guess as the internet became more popular we sort of just stopped writing to each other. I love writing 'real' letters because I like to hand write. It's also so nice to receive an actual physical letter in your mail box. It's also fun to choose and use different writing paper and pens. I just like the idea of dumping a letter in a random box on the side of the street knowing that it's going to get to wherever it is that I've written on the front!
@susieq223 (3742)
• United States
14 Oct 07
I do still use it quite often. I am old-fashioned, I guess. I love to get letters and cards myself, so I still send them. I also have friends that do not have a computer and no long distance phone service. (Yes! There are still people like that in the world!)
• Malaysia
20 Oct 07
before we had the internet, i use to write letters to my penpals. nowadays i usually use emails instead of snail mail. i only send cards to my close friends, during birthdays or festive seasons.:)
@devilangelo (4522)
• India
14 Oct 07
i was wondering first .... wot u talking bout .. wots snail mail ..:D lol .. well.. i have neva used a "snail mail" to communicate with anyone . it has always been email and mobile phones for me :D ..no snail mails .. :D
@suspenseful (40193)
• Canada
11 Oct 07
I used snail mail for replying to wedding and engagement invites if they request a letter, but most of the time, they just ask that we email them back. I do have a brother who does not have a computer, and he is the only one I used snail mail with. Everyone else we either email or call on the phone. It is much easier that way.
@sherrir101 (3670)
• Malinta, Ohio
11 Oct 07
I still do snail mail. I mail my daughter letters all of the time. She only lives an hour away but has no computer. So, I mail her letters to catch her up. Sometimes, I print off a joke from the computer and send it to her,
@mamasan34 (6518)
• United States
11 Oct 07
I only use snail mail most often for mailing cards to people for the holidays or for celebrations and also to mail bills off that I can't pay by phone or internet. I can't stand waiting that long to have my bills paid and taken out of my account, worrying if the check made it or was it lost!
@Inky261 (2520)
• Germany
11 Oct 07
Oh yes, I use mail. I know of many old people who do not have a computer and I send them letters. I send letters to government places, too, official stuff. And I write birthday cards. I get cards, too. I think this is much nicer and more personal than email. Happy mylotting.
@Lifez2short (4962)
• United States
11 Oct 07
I do still use snail mail to write to my mother. I also sell stuff on eBay and need to ship via USPS. But other then that I do not use it very often.
@kitty1234 (1476)
• United States
11 Oct 07
Wow, I never thought about it! I don't think I have written a letter in a few years. I don't even pay my bills by snail mail anymore. everything I do is now on my computer. I don't even know how much a stamp costs these days. Welcome to the web world, lol!
@carmelanirel (20942)
• United States
11 Oct 07
Only at Christmas, but with the cost of postage now, I might eliminate who gets cards this year..
@nurhoney (1123)
• Philippines
6 May 07
yes, i still use snail mailing until now even though when the internet already set up nowadays...its just that some company want to get documents through mail...not all original documents can be sent through email or the net especially when they need authentication.
@youless (112091)
• Guangzhou, China
21 Sep 07
I seldom use it because it spends longer time and money. I will send snail mail when it is necessary. Usually I will go to the post office when I send a package.
@gradyslady (4054)
• United States
21 Sep 07
I love sending mail, I write my dad's mother and sister a few times a month. I love getting mail too.