General Forum

This is also my process.  I am at 229 completed trades and all PWE's.  A good 90% of them have been a single forever stamp which I stocked up on at .55. Every one has been dropped into the Big Blue mailbox at the end of the street.  I know there are some PWE haters out there but I have had 0 issues with them getting there (I did mix up the envelopes and send the cards to the wrong adresses once but that was user error).  I have also had 0 complaints about damaged cards on the other end. 

I find it fascinating looking at the postage when I recieve a trade from the States. Most of the time a small bubble is $5-6 bucks or less. Then one will come in over $20. Insane. 

I received a great piece of advise on this site when I was new last year:  Avoid the post office counter at all costs!  Once you figure out how rates work, it is cheaper and easier to do it on your own.  For PWE's I have a supply of Non-machineable stamps, additional ounce stamps and forever stamps.  For BMWT and boxes it is cheaper and easier to use an on-line service (I use Pirateship.com but there are many others) and print my own labels.  I do a lot of Canadian PWE trades and keep a sheet of international first class stamps on hand.  The first time I tried to mail cards to Canada (two hockey cards in a greeting card sized enveloope) the clerk wanted me to fill out a customs form.  Another clerk attempted to bend a PWE to determine if it was rigid.  Be your own postal clerk!

p.s. The Postmaster probably doesn't approve of this but the Priority Flat Rate 12.5 X 9.5 envelopes in the lobby make great cardboard liners for PWE trades.  Three simple scissor cuts yield 3 liners per postal envelope. 

I love how they test a PWE marked Non-Machinable to see if it will bend.....

I had the regular clerk at the p.o. here give me the lowdown on pricing and stamps. I have intl forever, U.S. Forever, and some sheets of Additional Ounce stamps. If I need to go to a bubble mailer or box I use Shipstation on PayPal.