General Forum

Rather than using two stamps, you might save money by getting some "extra ounce" stamps. I can get these out of the automated vending machine at my local USPS. I think they're around 20 cents. I bought a dozen so I have some handy at home. Once I have my PWE fully packed, I weigh it. If it is over 1 ounce, I put one Forever stamp plus an extra ounce stamp. I have only done a few trades, but this has worked for me.

TwinKiller wrote:

I have had it happen to me once where I've recieved a postage due PWE, but the person who sent it says the person at their post office sent it with tracking, even though he didn't request it, so I had to pay the small amount. Not the end of the world. I have a good sense of how many cards I can send with one stamp, and I can get up to 10. Anything over is 2.

Oh boy, I'm guilty of stamping "non-machinable" on an envelope and then put regular postage on it.  Nobody has ever mentioned they had to pay extra on one of my trades though.

I did recently have to pay an extra 30 cents on an envelope sent my way.....luckily my mailman is a good guy and just knocks and asks for 30 cents.  I forgot to ask the reason as I weighed it and it was less than an ounce.  Who knows.

This post office battle kind of amuses me though....it definitely adds another layer to this hobby lol.

It is frustrating that one day a PWE goes thorugh with no issues and the next it doesn't. I know that for my local post office, it depends on who processes the mail left in the bins. The postmaster is obsessed with exact postage, while most of the clerks will let a few cents difference slip by. So I now know that I have to err on the side of caution every time I post something. 

You can also order stamps through the USPS website. No shipping charge. They'll just drop them in your mailbox. I'd also suggest signing up for Informed Delivery. You can see what's coming your way for regular mail and packages. 

Also helps to know your postman. I had a nice chat with mine a few weeks ago.

It was probably deemed to be too rigid and had the extra $0.30 added on. I bought a couple rolls of the extra ounce stamp that I use at least one of on pretty much every PWE since adding one will cover it being rigid/non-machinable if it's under an ounce. I bought a few rolls of forever stamps and extra ounce stamps before the price went up so that I can feel like I'm saving a few pennies every time I use them.

Yesterday I went to the PO and mailed of a package.  flat rate envelope     This has been the cheapest way to go with the size and number of cards that I sent.   I find out due to the increase that now 1st class would have been cheaper due to where I was sending them.  (the zone thing)   I sent them as it would have cost me time and gas money to go back and put them in an other envelope. 

So back to the drawing board it figure out how to send out cards the cheapest way.  As it apears flat rate enelopes/boxes may not be cheapest way to go for some larger packages.

as a rule I use a stamp and an extra ounce stamp for PWE trades of 9+ cards in a 9 pocket padded with ceareal box cardbord and as far as I know never had issues. I have had a couple come postage due over the course of my hundreds of trades, but I suspect it is just a PO thing.

I use a scale and the website below to calculate postage for PWE

https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/colorado-hairstreak-stamps-99-cents-S_121204

I have also started using the 99 cent non-machineable stamp and buy a variety of stamps online including 24 cent additional ounce stamps and 5 cent stamps. I always err on the side of too much postage rather than too little. 

https://store.usps.com/store/product/buy-stamps/colorado-hairstreak-stamps-99-cents-S_121204

I recently completed my 400th trade and as far as I know, have not shorted anyone on postage. I have also never received an envelope with postage due.

Based on previous comments, it seems like there is some part of this that is outside of the senders control.  

The last response on this thread nailed it!  NEVER an issue with PWE's except for the Postal Clerk telling me to put the return address label on the upper left of PWE, like We ALL learned a LONG time ago.  Small PWE with 3-6 cards goes one stamp with NO ISSUES ever.  With 7-18 cards Business size PWE in nine-pocket plastic notebook sheet inside of carefully cut cardboard with painter's tape goes with two stamps just fine.  I try to make it a point to go in visit with Our regular Postal Clerk Vicky (here at the Space  Force Base Post Office) and get it weighed, most of time She says it is fine or needs about 20 to 30 cents of extra postage.  Feel really blessed at how well Our mail and letters are handled here at The Space Force Base and the larger Satellite Beach Post Office as well.  Hope everyone is having a decent September thus far!!

My experience with PWE shipments is very similar to Felix's. If it's 1 or 2 cards, I don't check, but when it's in a #10 envelope and is more than a couple cards, I take it into my PO and ask them to weigh it, to be sure whether it needs more than the 1 stamp I've already put on it.

I preferred the days where if you took it in without postage, they'd add the metered label. That was an "almost guarantee" that the receiving PO couldn't say "postage due" if the postage was applied by the origin PO. Now, if I take in a postageless envelope, they sell me the stamp(s) needed and affix them.

I wonder if the Postal service is cracking down on this stuff...I think I had one in the past 2 years that I didn't put enough postage on. I sent the trader a few more cards to make up the difference. I have never received a PWE with a postage due on it until a few weeks ago. I received another last week and 1 this week. Apparently my postman doesn't care because he just put them in my mailbox and doesn't say a word about it.