nativetexan

sometimes doing flat rate is cheaper than first class posting.

ptquilts

first class goes up to 13 oz for $3.26. Flat rate starts at $4.95.
BTW, supposedly first class and Priority travel at the same speed, so don't let any PO clerk talk you into upgrading a light package to Priority to make it go faster. Priority is like First Class for heavier parcels.

frugalfabrics

Also - one tip I learned this past week.

Buy the poly-mailer envelopes (they don't rip or tear and are weather resistant). These are lighter than a large envelope and you can fill them with fabric or magazines with added protection against all the elements involved in the delivery process...such as gorillas throwing your package around....package getting ripped apart after being thrown like a frisbee...etc. etc. etc.

First Class Parcel is how they can be sent if they are chubby packages and under a certain weight.

candi

Yes, I can confirm that priority mail and first calss travel at the same speed from experience.

quiltingnonie

today I went to PO to mail a small box of goodies to my Dad for his birthday...a 1# box of Chocolates and a loaf of homemade Cranberry-Orange bread. From OR to AZ, the cost came to $12.70! More than I spent on the contents!! The postal clerk suggested I put it in a flat rate box, so it went for $10.95 instead. Saved a little bit.....

quilttiludrop

Always compare shipping rates to make sure you are getting the best deal. Larger items and items that should be insured are cheaper to ship with Fed-Ex or UPS (insurance is included with the shipping charge).

Candace

Remember, magazines CAN NOT be sent via media mail as someone stated above. If a magazine has advertising-and they all do, they don't qualify for media rates. The P.O. does open media mail on occasion to do spot checks.

frugalfabrics

I use to think that I had to ship priority mail in order to use delivery confirmation, but that is not true.

You can ship, first class parcel and buy delivery confirmation.

frugalfabrics

Also, I keep track of the weight of my fabric when I send out fabric.

1yd of cotton fabric (on average) weighs about 6 ounces.

I've had to put out lots of money in shipping costs, because I wasn't charging enough, or I decided to add delivery confirmation to an order, just to be sure a large order arrived, or could be tracked if it didn't arrive.

When I buy things from others, I hate being overcharged for shipping, so I guess that's why I try so hard not to overcharge.

It's a learning curve...I think I'm finally in the ball-park of collecting the right amount for postage now.

cjomomma

I don't know if anyone said this already but the fabric probably wasn't what made the shipping so high, it was probable the mags or books that added the weight.