Cost Of US & World Postage Stamps

How to Take Advantage of Discount Postage Rates

The volume of mail in the United States is less than it used to be. Improved telephone service . including the ever-present cell phone . together with the growing use of email and other online communication tools, has meant that fewer things need to be mailed. You can view and pay your utility bill online. You can download a copy of your favorite catalog or magazine and print your own copy at home. But for all the advantages of modern technology, .real. mail will never disappear.

So when you do need to mail something, you want to pay as little as possible. Fortunately, there are several ways you can lower your postage costs . one of these is to take advantage of discount postage rates.

The United States Postal Service offers a number of flat rate packages, including one envelope type mailer and a number of different-sized boxes. The weight limits for these packages are quite high . most around 70 pounds . and there.s no additional charge based on weight. These packages are very popular with those who mail materials other than documents, including eBay sellers. They can often save a significant amount of money using flat rate packaging and can pass that savings on to their customers. What's more, the flat rate packaging is available for free from the USPS. The USPS will even deliver the packaging to you and pick up your ready-to-mail packages, all at no additional charge. This is a very valuable and cost-effective service for many small business owners.

A second discount can be had by using an online service, such as Stamps.com, to print your postage from home or office. You can get discounts and pay less than you would using a traditional postage meter and scale set up . even less than you would pay if you went to the post office yourself. While a few cents here and there might not seem like a lot, over the course of a year, that savings can really add up.

Discount postage rates are also available for different forms of media. Books, for example, are typically very heavy and can cost a lot to mail. Choosing the media mail option will allow you to save money on postage costs, and while it adds a little to the expected date of delivery, it.s much faster than the old .book rate. that used to be offered.

In addition, if you have a number of pieces of identical mail to send, you can usually save money by presorting the pieces and sending them via bulk mail. To send items via bulk mail, you need a permit from the post office and you need to prepare your mail in a special way. Once you learn the system, this type of mailing requires little in terms of additional time and can represent a significant cost savings for your business.

The USPS is also considering offering a discount this summer for large mailings, so be sure to check with your local post office about this discount. Generally, the staff at the post office is more than happy to talk with you about the best way to mail your letters and packages in the most cost effective manner.