I ask for four 37 cent stamps instead of a SASE and have heard on more than one ocassion that is a tad high. I shake my head and think after postage, seed packaging, envelope, there might be a few pennies left over, so whats up with that? I have absolutely no income and while I would love to ship out seeds without asking for postage but I simply can't.
I think I just discovered the problem at long last. I purchased recycled 8 X 11 bubble mailers at about 59 cents each before tax, licence and drive out fees. I guess, not only do they cost more, they cost more to ship, 60 cents! I tried cutting them in half and was stunned with the post lady firmly said, "Sixty cents." Add a dozen seed packets (as full as if you bought seeds at a store for $1.79 plus tax or more) and they cost even more to ship. I liked the idea of using recycled envelopes, what a shame they weigh more!!
Soooo...I am looking for what everyone else buys for envelopes, what they cost to ship, where they get them, etc. ?
SASE postage dilemma
hi Lady annne
i buy from all over but walgreens uaually has a good deal on them and walmart does too.
it costs me anywhere from .49 too .74 to send a bubble envolope thats 4x7 size. for something larger its usually starts at .60 and up.
Marie, I think I am going to go poke at the post office and bother some poor clerk with "How much does it cost to send THIS one, and THIS one?" LOL!!!! Buying locally from Staples, Walmart, etc was even more expensive. I bought mine on line from a paper supplier, so I thought I was getting a good price, just didn't realize the recycled ones were heavier and thusly more expensive to ship, if that is indeed the case!
ladyannne,
Why don't you ask those that want seeds for Stampsss to make an effort on thier own part after all THEY want the seeds. If they were to buy the seeds on line they would have to pay for the seeds and way more postage.
Ask them to send you a self address bubble pack envelope and a 60 Cents Stamp. This way all you have to do is pack the seeds and your done with it. And it will give them the experience of finding out what it cost to get this organized. You will find that those that don't REALLY want the seeds won't make the effort.
I feel you're doing way to much work. Don't kill yourself...this is suppose to be fun.
Daisy
You can also get bubble envelopes off of Ebay for around 12 to 15 cents each. That's INCLUDING postage.
Another thing that I have figured out is that if you are sending only one or two items, you can take a 3"x5" card, fold it one third of the way up, tape the sides, drop your seeds into the pocket, tape the top of that pocket so the seeds don't fall out and drop it in a regular envelope so that the seeds are located at the bottom. This keeps the seeds from being crushed by the machines as they go through. The machines go across the top of the envelope, not the bottom. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong. I could very well be.
Sherri
Junkie, I don't kill myself at all, truly. I love taking the time to package seeds, mainly because I really like receiving neat, fun packages as well. Rather like Christmas all year around.
If someone sends me their padded envelope in a larger manila envelope with a sixty cent return stamp, and pays sixty cents to send it to me, that's even costlier for the receiver. They are up to a cost of perhaps two dollars. If I ask for stamps instead, it saves them the sixty cents to ship the envelope to me, or at least that was the original thought.
It doesn't bother me if someone declines the offer at all, I just figure they have not done the math or want a bit more than seeds for free. It did make me look at my system to see if there was something I could improve, and I always welcome that.
I am going to have to play around a bit with envelope costs and see what else is out there.
Hi LadyAnne,
I have long thought that we should be able to request a one dollar bill (Yankee money) with each request for one pack of seed and a dime (still Yankee money) for each additional seed pack. I wonder what Dave's would think about this. Perhaps it could be put in the rules. I don't want to make money but neither do I want to pay money for the privilege of giving away my surplus seed. If you received a dollar it would pay for the envelope and any postage cost.
Gordon Hale
Gordon, that's really not a bad idea, but I am not sure I would like to see it made mandatory. Some are concerned about sending actual cash in the mail as I am, but I have an amusing story about that, too. I almost threw out the Neilsen rating envelope, then thought, what the heck, I have always wanted to participate in that even though we don't watch much telly. In that envelope was five spanky new dollar bills as a bribe to do the survey!! I laughed to think how many have been tossed in the garbage.
I think that we should all trade the way we would like, each of us have what method we prefer, and those who wish to trade elsewhere can for what ever reason? But it has been interesting to post a public seed offering in order to find my overflow of seeds good homes. I am not trying to pad my stamp supply! If I wanted to make money on my seeds, I would have tried to sell them on ebay. I am much more into karma and having someone as pleased to receive seeds as I am.
I found a place where I can get, in the future, much cheaper envelopes, but the shipping will still be 60 cents. : )
I have always found shipping to be .49 cents in a bubble envelope unless it weighs more than one ounce. I wonder if your post office is overcharging you.
Cherish, I am going to ask when I go to the PO, I think it is because the recycled envelopes are heavier? What kind do you use, what size? What does the imprint on the back of yours say?
It's a joy when you can share your seeds. But you have to do what's best for you. In no way should you endure the cost. But to asked for a SASBE is more then fair. In my opion "ASK for a SASBE" from anyone who wants your offers.
well I am always happy to get seeds so I always offer at least $1 sometimes more if I am getting more than one pack, I have not found bubble envelopes cheaper than 69cents each at our Wal-Mart, only cheaper in ebay if you buy at least 50 or 100, I think folks go to a lot of work doing trades, and I enjoy getting the seeds.
Doris
ladyannne - what about the tiny bubble padding and a normal size envelope? I just got a roll of the bubble packing at Dollar Tree for $1. Just throwing out an idea.
I've already sent my envelope to you. From me you requested 2 stamps, but I sent 5 just in case. Now I feel I should have sent more.
Judy
PS The dang mouse must not have eaten too many, he's still messing with me!! The Buttermilk Pie is great, so give it a try. (lol lol)
Judy, bless thee. Five is MORE than enough. It will help me come up with the postage to send seeds to Pakistan where they cannot ship out currency or have access to US stamps. If I have to make my own padded envelope situation, then I start to lose the fun of it. I buy the rolls for my bowmakers already, and that IS a hassle to package those, lol!!
I will try the pie!! I went hunting for more datura seeds for you, too, but I guess we finally managed to kill that plant off!
I get 4 x 7 bubble envelopes at Wal Mart a 10 pk for like 3.56 and it only cost me .49 to mail. If they want more than 5 packs of seeds or there are big heavy seeds then it would be .60. I also just ordered a 200 5 x 4 white bubble envelopes from e-Bay for about 20 dollars, also 1000 2 x 3 glassine envelopes for about 20 dollars so I am set for the next year at least.
Ten cents apiece? I have to keep looking. Thanks, Donna! I have never had an envelope cost less than 60 cents to ship, or sent less than 5 packets. : )
Cost of padded envelopes have been .60 for me as well, i do recycle old bubble padding, and have mailed in regular envelopes, and recycle many boxes
I buy mine from www.bargainsgalorestore.com and they are the #000 size. Basically, they are 4" x 8" and very light in weight.
I just checked his website and it looks like you can get 100 envelopes for about .07 cents each + shipping, whatever that would be. The first 50 is about $4.50, $2.50 for each additional 50. You have to email him for a quote on shipping. I've found him to be quite responsive to emails.
I did win them last time in an auction from him but I just checked and he's charging WAY too much on ebay. He may be trying to get people to use his website instead of going back to the auctions all the time. He has over 1300 feedback on ebay with 100%. Seems to be very reputable.
We may have hit upon the second mystery. If postal rates are 37 cents plus 23 cents for every ounce thereafter, where does the 49 cents come in? What am I doing wrong here?
Cherish, thank you for that link, I shall go there next. Anyone want to buy half a box of 8 X 11 padded envelopes for half price, 30 cents? LOLOLOL!!
Postal rates for a regular envelope is .37 cents and a 4 x 8 bubble envelope is .49 cents if they are under an ounce. (Your 8 x 11 envelopes would probably go above the one ounce limit). The reason a bubble envelope is higher is because they have to hand stamp it instead of sending it through the sorters, which is what you want when you have seeds to protect. Those sorters can really do some damage to seeds if they get in the way.
Which brings up another point......most of the time when I receive a regular envelope with a bubble pack insert, most, if not all of the bubbles are busted from going through the sorters. Those bubble inserts are usually flat as a pancake by the time they get to me. Thankfully I've not had any seeds crushed by them because the seeds are generally at the bottom of the envelope simply by weight of gravity.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/471790/
This way. People can get one ounce worth of seeds for only 50 Cents and the cost of their padded envelope. I recycle mine so never really have to buy any. Sometimes I cut them into post card size when I'm running low.
Daisy
Ladyanne, our postoffice only ask's for .49 cents for a SASE bubble envelope.
I have mailed out many of these and never had the post office ask for more.
Will try the other web site, because I buy from Wal-Mart and I think I get 8 or 10 for under $4.00 but that is the smaller size.
Maxine
wonder why our Wal-Mart only have small size for 69cents each. guess I will check out ebay
here's the e-Bay link for the ones I got. He did sent me a paper for all he sells that I can buy directly from him now and is just a little cheaper than his e-Bay prices
http://stores.ebay.com/Shipping-Supplies-CHEAP_W0QQsspagenameZl2QQtZkm
I was buying bubble envelopes, seed baggies, and various other shipping supplies at Staples. When I got really heavy into the seed trading, I realized the bubble envelopes, though purchased in bulk, were eating my lunch!
So, I switched to buying bulk 6x9 and letter size heavy duty envelopes, and rolls of bubble wrap. They go farther, and are much cheaper, IMHO.
When I aske someone for seeds, I believe it is MY responsibility to provide the person offering with all the necessary shipping supplies, unless that person states otherwise. I'm more than happy to send SASBE, seed baggies, and return addy label.
Sure, that can get expensive when you trade as much as I do, and some folks say wouldn't it be cheaper to just go buy your own seeds. Here's my take on that:
Sure, it would be cheaper, providing you could find that particular seed for sale at a reasonable price. But I'd rather trade or share with other DG'ers. I've made a lot of good friends this way. I've also been able to get seeds for flowers I never knew existed. And, seeds I couldn't find anywhere else, no matter how hard I looked. But the biggest benefit to doing it this way, for me anyway, is the friendship and caring I've gotten from eac and every person I trade with. There's nothing like opening that stuffed envelope and pouring out all those goodies! It's just not the same feeling when ordering from a seed company :)
If folks want seeds, they should be ready to provide the means to be able to receive them, right? I've been able to ship up to a 6x9 envelope, completely stuffed with seeds, for 49cents. Anne, I don't know why they would charge you any more than that. I agree, you should trot down to the PO and make them be specific with you :)
How much the bubble mailer costs will depend on how much it weighs, just as with a regular envelope. With fat envelopes or bubble mailers, they tack on an extra 12 cents for "handling" for items that are too fat for sorters. If you're using "recycled" mailers, I'm thinking these aren't the bubble mailers, but rather the ones that are stuffed with some other material, right? Bubble mailers are lighter, so that's why yours are costing more.
Bubble mailers, unlike plain white envelopes, are automatically thrown into a different bin and aren't supposed to go thru the sorters. Occasionally one does, but I've never received crushed seeds in a bubble mailer. I have received many crushed seeds in white envelopes. I've also received mangled white envelopes that were empty by the time they got to me. And whaddaya know, the person who sent them didn't have anymore to send. So I sent mine safely and I got nothing in return. It's not necessarily the cancelling of the stamp that crushes the seeds. It's the rollers on all the sorters at all the post offices that your envelope goes thru during its journey.
If we all use bubble mailers, we can recycle them. You send me seeds in a bubble mailer, and I can turn around and put a new label on that mailer and send someone else some seeds. In the long run, it saves money. And why disappoint someone by sending seeds that get crushed and then wasting more postage to remail?
As far as sending SASEs, if you're the one offering, then you make the rules. If people don't like the rules, they can go elsewhere. I've given away lots and lots of seeds and plants over the years, and it ended up costing me money in many cases. I'm on a tight budget, so my money matters as much as anyone else's. Besides, it's a lot of work to gather, sort, clean, and package the seeds. And when you consider that generally a pack of seeds would cost a buck each at Walmart, people are getting a bargain if they get even 3 packs for 4 stamps!! People make money selling seeds, so when you get tired of offering them for free to people who think 4 stamps is too high, you can sell one pack of seeds for that much on ebay!
NancyAnn
I buy my 4 X 7 inch bubble envelopes at Office Max. They are about 7.50 for a package of 25 envelopes, about 30 cents per envelope. I've looked around at online options, but often the shipping costs ruin the deal.
I also hate the thought of having someone send me so much postage--the postage for the outside of the bubble envelope and more on the inside. It seems like such a waste.
I have a question for you guys.
When you request a sasbe for your seeds, how do you want to recv it? All addressed and mailed to you in another envelope so all you have to do it is pull out addressed bubble envelope and stuff with seeds, or is it acceptable for me to send a buble envelope addressed to you with a new label for me and postage inside for you to reuse the bubble envelope and mail seeds back to me?
Lisa Moore
Lisa I think most send the envelope with new label to be sent back to you. Sometimes if the one sending the seeds has there own bubble envelopes they just request stamps. It depends on the person being kind enough to offer the seeds.
Ladyanne , I have thought of getting one of those small scales and doing my own weighing just to know I am using enough stamps . That way i could figure what it would be with different amounts of seed. Just a thought.
Usually if I want the seeds it doesn't bother me to send what is asked.
Carolyn
Interesting trip to the post office!! I had a ball chatting, with charts and stamps. Those poor people.
A 4 x 5 padded envelope with four seed packets in it cost 49 cents.
A 4 x 5 padded envelope with eleven seed packets in it cost 60 cents.
An 8 x 11 padded envelope, 10 packets were 83 cents, now we are at three 37 cents stamps.
Add a small cutting for 1.06, four stamps
Seventeen packets and two small cuttings goes for $1.29, still only four stamps to mail.
Think I am going to have to find 49 cents, 60 cents, 83 cents and 1.06 cent stamps, lol!!!
Ya, but did you include the price of the envelope?
I'm not ever gonna sent out seeds, sending out cuttings was bad enough cause I wanted to go the limit on cuttings for the minimum amount of postage or if I was at the next level make sure the person got every bit of their money's worth .... but didn't have scales.
You are one brave woman and I for one appreciate what you're doing!!!
Judy
Hanna, lol!! Nope, that was the postage costs only. However, my seeds and cuttings found homes, and that is my reward, seriously. I do have a postal scale and have kept track of how much costs what to ship, sooo...I can at least in the future give a fairly accurate cost of shipping from now on. I would still love to find homes and know that my seeds grace someone's yard (like Judy's, tee hee) across the US, just as theirs smile in my own yard, just wish I had an income so I didn't have to ask for postage. Anyhoo, at least I now know why the postage is more for me as I use the recycled envelopes and evidentally send heavier envelopes. : )
I sent seeds to someone, and since I was out of bubble envelopes I sent bubble wrap in a regular envelope, they informed me all the bubbles were burst, and did not hold up in the mail, thought I would pass this along.
Doris
Thanks, Doris, I have heard that, too! It's only pennies of difference if you send you own (and the extra postage to send it) opposed to me using mine, so....bottom line is what ever works! : ) Your seeds/bulbs went out yesterday, pleeeease let me know how my babies are when they get there?
Ladyannne, all arrived in tip top shape, I can't thank you enough, your envelope didnt feel any heavier than the ones i get at the post office, actually I think mine weight more! Seeds in great shape, ((((((kiss kiss))))))
when i sase for seeds, i always send the bubble mailer with my address label to go over the senders address and the stamps. If they are good enough to share their seeds with me i figure that i can at least make it as easy as possible for them. I put tape over the flap instead of taking of the paper strip to seal it so that they can seal it when it is returned to me.
And maybe i have missed one or two but i like to let the sender know that their seeds have been received.
Don't let people get to you over a sase. You are good enough to share with them and that is what counts.
Merry Christmas everyone!
P.S.
Have you folks checked at your local stationary store for bubble mailers. I get mine at ours for just 15 cents for a 4x8 and they go on sale for 12 cents sometimes. It might be worth checking out even if you just call them.
traiingon, Very good words! Happy Holidays to you all, Annie