The post office is still alive and well because we still can’t do everything digitally.
Most of the time, to prevent fraud, packages or papers can’t legally be handled digitally.
There have been changes in the postal system in the United States and questions need to be answered about how to best use it now.
What Does Extra Postage Required Mean?
Extra postage needed means that your piece of mail does not have the required postage for the weight of the envelope or package.
When we buy stamps for our daily or weekly postage needs, an envelope or small package may come back or be rejected by the mail carrier for not having the required postage.
It’s kind of hard to tell how much postage an envelope or package may need.
The standard weight of an envelope needing one stamp is one ounce.
If it weighs more than that, more postage will be needed.
They won’t always tell you how much postage is lacking.
You will have to go to a post office and have it weighed to find out.
There are other reasons you may need more postage.
There is something called non machinable mail pieces.
These are in the category of packages or thick envelopes where you may have several folded pieces of paper inside one rectangular envelope.
You may have photo envelopes or another unbendable type of package.
The good rule of thumb is, if it’s not able to go through a franking machine, which is the postage machine, then it automatically should need extra postage.
If You Can’t Make It To The Post Office
They don’t want you to put more than one Forever Stamp on a piece of mail unless it weighs more than an ounce.
You should have a book of Forever Stamps and a book of regular stamps in the proper, current denomination.
Place a Forever Stamp and one or two regular stamps on the envelope.
More is better in this case, but it could turn out to be a waste.
If you only send small or medium rectangular envelopes, you can actually use a food scale.
They’re small, inexpensive, and perfect for measuring ounces.
If you really want to go further in doing it yourself, we can tell you that a standard one-ounce envelope is measured at 6.125 X 11.5 inches in length and no more than 0.25 inches in thickness when stuffed.
For the one-ounce rate, you can get away with an envelope of this size and 4 to 5 regular pages, and for the two-ounce rate, you can have 10 pages.
You can also figure 55 cents for an ounce and 15 cents for each additional ounce.
Whew, that’s a lot to think about.
Unless you use USPS very sparingly, we suggest you take bulk mail to the post office or get a PO Box because you’ll be making regular trips to the post office, and you can do it all in one shot.
Can I Use Forever Stamps When It Weighs More Than An Ounce?
When an envelope weighs more than one ounce, the post office will permit you to use two Forever Stamps.
Each one is worth the equivalent of a first-class stamp, so you could get away with $100 worth of postage as long as it’s not much over an ounce or two.
It is, however, still a risk.
There are a few things you can do in order to make sure you never have to worry about extra postage needed and making a trip to the post office unnecessarily.
Here, we’ll explore everything you need to know about postage.
How Can I Avoid Not Having Enough Postage?
As we illustrated, there are some annoying factors that come along with the postal service.
Today, we aren’t as used to sending mail out.
Everything is digital, but we can’t perform certain mailing processes digitally.
The post office has digitized many things, even allowing the user to see what mail they have coming that day.
That’s a lot of convenience.
However, if you order or send out a passport or any legal papers such as some medical form, etc., it just can’t be done any other way than mailing.
There are a couple ways to avoid not having enough postage.
First, go to the post office for anything that’s oversized or bulky.
If that’s an issue you can purchase or rent a Franking {Postage} machine.
Most people who do this have businesses or want to save on postage because they are constantly sending things that vary in size and thickness through the mail.
If that’s you, then this is the way to go.
You can skip to the “Is It Worth It to Buy a Postage Machine?” guide in this article to find out how to do that and weigh out the cost.
What Are The Best Things To Use The Post Office For?
There are things that the post office is good for.
It’s a government office, and there are services they provide that lots of us still need.
- Passports: Now that travel is back on the scene, many people will want to get a new passport or renew an old one. You’ll need to do a few things first. Go to the website and understand what documentation you’ll need. The post office only takes the picture, unless you need to bring one, and they process it, but you must have the proper documents. Typically, it’s a birth certificate, proof of citizenship in some other way, and the old passport if you are renewing.
- Money Orders: A money order is still needed for a multitude of things, and you want them to come from a reputable place. The Post Office is that place. It may cost you a fee. Typically, it’s under $2.00. It’s very convenient when you have a P.O. Box and a lot of business to take care of at the Post Office. Remember to keep the stub and receipt in case it’s stolen from the mail. Things do happen. If you have a security envelope, use it so no one can see the money order. You can also send it straight from the Post Office.
- Help With Your Business: The Post Office has had to innovate in order to stay relevant. Yes, they have a lot of great services, but they need to do more. They developed and rolled out the Every Door Direct Mail Program. This is a way to directly market your business. This is a valuable service for small business or corporate mailings. It’s simple. Just use the free mail targeting program and get your region and target clear. Then, create your mail pieces and bring them to the post office for delivery after choosing the budget you have to work with. That’s it.
Is It Worth It To Buy Or Rent A Postage Machine?
If you have a small business or you have too many postal runs or bulk mailings, then we suggest you look into a postal machine, commonly called a Franking Machine.
They can be purchased or rented.
If it’s a short-term yet heavy amount of mail, then you may want to rent, but for anything more long-term, buy one.
Postage Machines Are Great For Budgets
If you have the hassle of bulk mail or a business, you have to obtain the receipt and then work on your budget.
With a postal machine, you get software that will keep track each time you go online or call and refill the postage amount.
This means you get to control and track your spending.
You can also send the records to your accountant or do it yourself to pay taxes and create your profit and loss statements.
Some postage machines will also have a way for you to track your mail.
Are you sending items out to customers often?
Then you can track where it ends up and when it got there.
This means there will be less hassle in tracking all these separate packages with the post office.
There’s something to be said for having a tracking system that allows you to better control your business.
There are several other good reasons for having a postage machine.
The postage will never fall off the package or envelope.
It’s printed directly on the piece of mail, so it’s guaranteed never to come back needing more postage.
You’ll also never have to guess the price or overpay either.
A postage machine can save you from nickel-and-diming yourself out of business.
In fact, you can collect more of those nickels and dimes over time and watch them grow.
How?
The postage machine will allow you to enjoy a discount on postage.
It may only be about three to five cents per piece, but that adds up.
Can I Save Money At The Post Office?
The post office can save some money for a business that ships small to medium sized packages and bulk mail.
Going to an office supply store is expensive.
Most people aren’t aware that half the things they may need, at least for a good percentage of the things we need to do in this type of business, can be had for free.
A padded envelope or box could run you $3 to $5 per piece when you buy it.
Remember that you are going to use the USPS and pay for postage, so giving you boxes and labels won’t hurt them one bit.
Flat pack boxes that are pre priced—meaning if it fits, it ships for one flat rate—are free, and you can order them in several sizes and have the post office give them to you at your home or office free.
You don’t even have to go to the post office for that.
Get Organized And Use Postage To Your Benefit
If you have a business or send out a lot of mail, you can get a lot of benefit from the post office.
If you follow these steps, you’ll never have to worry about postage issues for your business again.
First, get organized.
You have to know what you need in order to spend what you need and no more.
If you have a business, you’ve probably kept the receipts.
Now would be the time to look at them critically and see where you’ve spent the most.
Have you overdone it by guessing?
Have you had a lot of things come back needing extra postage?
From what you typically send out, give yourself a rough estimate of how much you will pay monthly or quarterly, whatever fits your dynamic.
Figure the cost of renting or buying a postage machine.
Would it be better to have the Post Office handle it?
An educated business decision gives the best result, and that makes good business sense.
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