The Good Life on a Budget

• Posted by JvW on July 26th, 2009 filed in Frugality

The other day, I had to send a few packages - the contacts I wrongfully ordered, and a necklace to get repaired. Since I had some at work, I grabbed a couple of USPS flat rate boxes to send them out in. (Side note: Part of my job deals with shipping carriers, though I am in no way associated with the USPS.)

The flat rate boxes are really cool, since you can stuff anything in there (as long as they stay below weight limits) for - you guessed it - a flat rate to anywhere in the US. You can order all boxes for free on the USPS website. The small boxes I was using cost $4.95 each to ship, and could be filled up to 4 pounds.

Before I could ship back the necklace, I needed to make a copy of the original receipt, so I stopped at a copy shop. I noticed that they also shipped things, so I was happy to not need to make another stop. Until she told me how much it cost - $6.90 each. Now, I understand that these places need to make money, but that’s approximately a 40% markup on the actual shipping price! No thank you! Make sure to bring them to the Post Office for the best pricing.

These boxes are perfect for mailing many different things, but I think their best use is for eBay or Craigslist sales. They can be sent to PO Boxes and there is no charge for fuel or Saturday delivery. I know I use them for all my shipping needs.