Postal Rates - Oh My

I must be losing my memory.

The last I recall mailing a small USPS Flat Rate box, the price was $6.90.
I mailed a box yesterday.  The rate is now $9.20.  Ouch.

Are their lower cost ways to mail or ship small items?

I must be losing my memory.

The last I recall mailing a small USPS Flat Rate box, the price was $6.90.
I mailed a box yesterday.  The rate is now $9.20.  Ouch.

Are their lower cost ways to mail or ship small items?

Yes, I forgot. I was going to say no.
If you stay small and keep it under 16 oz, you can ship 1st class. We use this method for about $4-5

Be prepared for some new retail rate hikes taking effect 01/09/22 if approved, which they will, as always.... First class mail will mostly stay unchanged thou. Commercial base pricing will actually see some decreases on several postal services.

Ouch. I find this hard to swallow. I've been trying to support them, because they've been loosing money for decades and decades. Still, it's hard to 'make friends' when the changes you make don't seem to make a bit of difference.

I have a package that's been "arriving late" for a week plus. It was mailed 12/6 and due on 12/9. I filed an inquiry and got the run-around ("its in transit to the regional warehouse, it should have arrived by now. Give it a few more days. We're busy"). I've never lost a package with the postal system. I worry I may break that streak.

Edit: Sorry, I know this isn't meant to be a USPS bashing thread. Issues happen, especially at the busiest time of the year. This package is special, though.

Anyone ever used Pirateship.com or Stamps.com?

If you generate your labels online via PayPal I think it’s cheaper. Just need to have a kitchen scale to weigh things out.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/ebauer/2020...68053747f5

Anyone ever used Pirateship.com or Stamps.com?

I've used pirate ship for the past couple years without an issue. Saves a few bucks per package usually.

Ouch. I find this hard to swallow. I've been trying to support them, because they've been loosing money for decades and decades. Still, it's hard to 'make friends' when the changes you make don't seem to make a bit of difference.

I have a package that's been "arriving late" for a week plus. It was mailed 12/6 and due on 12/9. I filed an inquiry and got the run-around ("its in transit to the regional warehouse, it should have arrived by now. Give it a few more days. We're busy"). I've never lost a package with the postal system. I worry I may break that streak.

Edit: Sorry, I know this isn't meant to be a USPS bashing thread. Issues happen, especially at the busiest time of the year. This package is special, though.

No need to apologize to me Paul.  My package has been "late" since April.

If you generate your labels online via PayPal I think it’s cheaper. Just need to have a kitchen scale to weigh things out.

I like PayPal Shipping.  This link will get you there after you are logged in.  You can use it even without a commercial account, although there are fewer options.  You can use it for non PayPal purchases too, but there will be no buyer or seller protection from PayPal.  Even in the most restrictive case - a non-commercial account shipping a non PayPal purchase - you have more options than the USPS Click 'n Ship site, most notably IMO 1st Mail Parcel Select and Parcel Select Ground.  Voiding a label and getting the refund is easy.  If you do it within a few days - I forget the exact number. - your refund is immediate.  Not only that, but I recently forgot about a voided label, and after about two weeks, a refund email from PayPal showed up in my inbox.  It would appear that unused labels are refunded automatically after two weeks or thereabouts. 

I recall thinking that the Flat Rate Priority Mail price was a tiny bit cheaper than the price via Click 'n Ship, but I am not sure about that.  There may be better deals elsewhere too.  Even so, for low volume shippers like me, PayPal Shipping is easy, and there is no extra fee or subscription for using it.  As Jesse said, all you need is a scale.