I went to the post office this morning and used a priority flat rate box to ship some material it was 10.70 for shipping. The postal lady told me that if I had tried to ship first class using my own box it would have costed me $20.50 cause the material weighed 6 lb. 5.80 oz..
The flat rate boxes may seem expensive but they really do save and I think we all need to save so we can buy more fabric. :lol:

YES :) Thank you for the reminder. I am always shocked by the cost of shipping, and I do try to use the flat rate priority boxes or envelopes whenever possible. It's almost always cheaper that way!

The only way to ship a package as far as I'm concerned.

I just picked up a few flat rate boxes this morning. I think I've been severely over paying for shipping. Mainly, because the boxes haven't been readily available here. Now they've got a small box station to make it much easier. I can't believe how much $$ it costs now to ship...

I love priority shipping. It's how I ship almost everything.

I have been using the flat rate boxes for while but I didn't know how much I was saving until today. But I do know that if it is something small it is cheaper to ship first class. Every time I go the the post office I pick up a couple of boxes.

bummer, so the manilla envelopes (with bubbles in side) they cost more than if I buy a postal thingie?

Blessings, Ruth

You can go to USPS.com and order boxes and they come to your door...for FREE! :D I ship handmade soap a lot, and the small flat-rate envelopes are a lifesaver. It's usually $5 versus $10-$11 had I done it just regular priority mail. The post office ladies love to look to see how much I saved. (me too!)

And a word about first class: you can only ship first class if it's under 13 oz, so with THAT weight, it's better to go 1st class. International 1st class is up to 4 pounds, and I can't remember at what point it gets cheaper to do the priority flat-rate...

I found out the other day that if all you're shipping are magazines or books, ask for the "printed materials" rate.
Use your own box for that. It was only $4.50 to send magazines this way. I had used a bubble envelope before and paid about $9.00.

thanks for the info.

oops, never mind, someone already posted the info I was going to tell you.

I shipped a small box from AZ to FL for my granddaughter's birthday. It also turned out several dollars LESS to use the priority box than my own box, even parcel post!

If you are paying more than $4.95 to use the manilla envelopes for shipping and the cost of the envelopes too, then yes it would be cheaper to use the priority flat rate envelopes.

Hi! I'm new here, and love this site. I had to jump in here on this topic as this is what I did for 23 yrs.

You can send a padded mailer media rate. All sound recordings, books, bound printed matter can be sent media rate.

Keep in mind though, that this is the lowest class of mail there is. Also can be opened for inspection where first class and priorty cannot be opened by anyone other than postal inspectors.

Priority flat rate envelopes and boxes save a ton especially when sending overseas to our soldiers. With free boxes, it is a really great bargain.

Just a thought... the flat-rate envelopes are only cardboard, so they don't have the protection against water that bubble-wrap envelopes do. So you should always put your items in a plastic bag, then inside the envelope. It's also an extra layer of protection in the event that the envelope is handled roughly. We've had quite a few of our customers comment that the envelope arrived torn or otherwise damaged, but the fabrics inside were just fine.

Thank you all for this information. I feel much better for your help. Blessings. Ruth

Also you can can go to the post office website and they will send you free flat rate boxes as now they have 4 sizes.

It seems like my post office is always running out of them, grrr so now I can just order them online and they are shipped to me free.

Karen

The best thing is to use click n ship on usps.com....your flat rate postage is also discounted if you go ahead and pay online AND you get FREE delivery confirmation. Its the best way to go. You can also do the International shipping labels on-line including the customs forms.

Thank you for all the posts on this subject. I have learned a lot from everyone. I can't tell you all how much I appreciate all the quilters and non quilters on this board.
Carrie

I agree that flat rate is the best way to go, but there is a little thing to remember. I was on a long line for a while because they didn't have flat rate boxes out. The line was even longer after me and I didn't want to make the line again. I asked if I could pay for the stamp there too, and they wouldn't do it. They just gave me the box. I asked why, and they said that there is a weight restriction. I am not sure what the weight restriction is, but I guess if you are mailing books and magazines, be aware. They say that if it fits in the box it goes, but is not 100% true. If it is over certain weight, it doesn't go flat rate.

They have a table at the post office with the weight retrictions.

But the weight restriction stateside is so generous though....it would be hard even with magazines to exceed that. You'd have to be shipping dumbbells or something, lol!

I believe that its 20 lbs. US...4 lbs. International...I could be wrong though.. (it tells on their web site)

Yep - so many times the shipping costs more than the item!

thank you for the information, I don't ship out very often, but when I do its good to know. Penny

The weight restriction for the boxes is 70 lbs. Also, I've pre-purchased flatrate stamps before to use in exchanges. You can also use regular postage - you just have to use a lot of stamps! Just make sure you're buying actual stamps and not the printed sticker stamps that they use - those (like metered mail) have a date restriction in that they expire after a day or two since the date is no longer accurate (or at least I've been told by postal employees).

Everyone don't forget...you can order these boxes ONLINE at www.usps.gov. They will actually send them to you!!! How cool is that???? :-) PLUS....you can buy and print postage ONLINE at that same site.

she lied...at that weight it would have never gone first class...FC is under 13oz only.....

and you can order, and order and order....and you still might never see them....I have ordered every week for the last month..still have yet to see one single envelope...AND you can only order 15 at a time...

I was reading something on the board here recently, regarding if you tape the ends shut on these flat rate boxes, they can charge you more now? Any truth to that? I always worry about the ends holding, & like to get our moneys worth when I use these, so am curious?

Magazines are not allowed at this rate - as far as I know.

Just remember that if you don't have enough weight to warrant using a flat rate box then it isn't a savings. You can ship a lot in the flat rate envelope for $4.95. I saw a gal mail one of these envelopes that I thought was supposed to stay flat, but hers was almost a round ball! So I asked the worker and they said they let them go through as long as it can be sealed by the peel n stick thing on them.

I know if you don't have a scale at home it is a lot of trouble, but it can save you a lot of money to send regular priority, Especially if you are shipping within your state or not too far away...regular priority is figured by zone.

you are correct. magazines are not eligible for media mail.

I just mailed out some fabric. It cost me $7+ to mail. But if I had tried to fit it in a priority box it wouldn't have fit in a small one so it would have had to go into a medium. 10.95.
I guess shipping is just crazy and its another thing we are just going to have to deal with.

I'm wondering if you can use the box more than once?Connie in CO

I did a test I shipped Priority for $4.95 and reshipped First Class the same item for $1.90. So I am not being ripped off again.BTW First Class got there first. Go figure.

These are not available at the post office yet, but f you go online to usps, you can order the 4.95 flat rate envelopes that are bubbly and you can even get more in them. They are free too. Some do not know these are new.

Also, Media mail, please check the rules. It can only be like quilt books. NO magazines. ANything with advertisements is not media mail. And there is a large fine. They always inspect some because people try to use the cheaper method. Just one of those fine line things. Patterns, quilt books, reading novels are ok. Nothing that has advertisements.

Thanks for sharing Carrie. HUGS♥♥

Also, here's a hint. The bozxes you buy to use yourself, and the non-priority boxes weigh mroe and can add as much as two dollars to postage. If you buy those bubbly large envelopes for 99 cents fromt eh USPS, it's cheaper, hardly weighs much at all. Even bubble envelopes from Walmart, etc are fine. Boxes weigh so much. Another way to get more postage from us. ♥♥

The priority rate boxes and envelope save you if the package is over 1 pound. Otherwise, first class alone is cheaper. It's when it weighs more that we save a ton.

I live in a small town but the postmaster always helps me with pricing. If it could go a cheaper way than you have it packed, they can tell you. Ask.

IMHO the USPO needs competition. I feel Priority is just another way to rip us off. Anymore I ship mostly Fed Ex. They come and pick up and have a smile for you. Heck I work for the US Census Bureau and they ship everything Fed Ex. Does this tell us something about our USPO.

FedEx will charges me to come to my house to pick up...so does UPS..the fee that UPS wants is $10.00...to pull in my driveway- thats even if they are on my street anyway... Nope...nope..nope...not gonna do it.

Love your Avitar.