No worries! I didn't take it as a rant towards me.
I hear it every year with the postage rates from people everywhere and I agree....the prices are out of the ordinary!
I was just making the suggestion that maybe making a separate "piggy bank" for postage for Secret Santa. That way, no one is "stuck" with a big postage bill. We all know that rates for everything goes up year after year. Maybe this could be a way to save for the postage.
I have actually had people drop out previously from Secret Santa because they were insistent on sending overseas/Canada, then when they get to the post office and find out the postage, I get a message that they are dropping out because of the price to mail. I try to explain to them that those overseas/Canada are paying the exact same to mail here to us in the US. That is the reason why I added to the rules that once you say you WILL send overseas/Canada, you WILL send and no backing out.
With that said, I do try to "hook" people up with who I think will be a good fit at times with those overseas/Canada and the US. I, myself have done packages for those that have had people flake out on them. One year, I had a person flake out a few days BEFORE opening day and I actually drove to the recipients home to deliver the package. Good thing she only lived about an hour from me. Was a nice ride to an area I had never been to before.
But anyway....this swap is to be fun and in no way to stress people out.
Hugs to everyone!!
Originally Posted by
RJLinkletter
tlrnhi Please don’t worry - it wasn’t meant to be a rant at you! I take part in the monthly swaps on here as well and often post to the US and I really don’t mind at all as I love to receive from the US as well. I was more annoyed at the postal system. Further research shows:
- shorter term problem is because of COVID. Apparently most UK-US mail goes on passenger flights to keep costs down. With less passenger flights they have had to run more flights just for mail which is much more expensive.
- longer term problem is a policy change in the US linked to the issues with USPS you are all having there? It has been decided that the amount USPS charges for ground transportation in the US to foreign companies (like our Royal Mail) will now be significantly higher than for residents whereas they used to be the same cost (same service after all!!)