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I had mailed three nearly identical cards in square envelopes a week or so ago, each with a Forever stamp and an "additional ounce" stamp. One of the cards was returned to me for extra postage due. The other two recipients' cards were delivered to them with no problems.
I took the returned card to my post office and I learned that for non-machinable envelopes a Butterfly stamp is needed, the cost of which is $1.12. This stamp can be used for any square card weighing less than one ounce (and for cards in machinable envelopes weighing between one and two ounces)
So, as of January 1, 2024:
A first class mail Forever stamp cost is 68 cents
Surcharge cost for non-machinable envelopes is 44 cents
Cost for each additional ounce over one ounce remains 24 cents.
Just thought I'd put this out there for others who, like me, did not know about this change.
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
Well I knew about the butterflies but when I got them they were not that much! It had been awhile. I just looked at them and they don't say forever on them but I hope they are!
And while they may be good for 2 oz regular cards...why spend 1.12 when we can spend 92 cents with an additional oz stamp? I guess they were telling you if you had a 2 oz envie and no add oz stamp the butterfly would work....
I just checked online...different butterfly! Oy. Now I don't know if they will honor the old yellow one. (new is purple) sigh....
__________________ Margot
I am a proud fan club member
I just checked online...different butterfly! Oy. Now I don't know if they will honor the old yellow one. (new is purple) sigh....
I've used a mix of yellow and purple (I was given a choice which color I wanted, last year; this year I was just given purple), and all were sent, no problem.
I send A7, A9, and 6"-6.5" square cards (multiple 65#/80#/120# layers inside and out + 120# base + the occasional 65# liner on a 32# envelope, with all sizes), and I always use the butterfly stamps. Haven't had anything returned so far. *fingers crossed*
I tend to have to go to the PO for work most days anyways so, I stand in line with mine. I start out with a regular stamp and an additional ounce stamp on Square cards and it depends on which clerk I get as to if I am going to need to buy more stamps... for flat ones and if its lumpy then I know it will be I do two stamps plus the additional ounce.
Well friends, from reading your comments it sounds like it's a crap-shoot what it costs to mail square envelopes. Obviously, whomever is at the postal window will have their opinion of what it takes! Or, is it that any square envelope, regardless of weight will require just a butterfly stamp?
Margot, I hope your yellow butterflies will still be honored!
__________________ Claudia Splitcoast Fan Club Member
Or, is it that any square envelope, regardless of weight will require just a butterfly stamp?
I could be mistaken, but I think this is the case. Since the square isn't a "standard" shape (rectangles only), it requires additional postage and/or butterfly for non-machine processing. I think the machines get mad if anything other than rectangles (of certain sizes) are put in it.
I also wouldn't discount the idea that whomever is at the counter that day might also influence how much it costs. I have super friendly folks at my post office, and hardly have any issues. Which is amazing, because my area is growing by leaps and bounds, and I know their workload has exploded.
A square envelope is a non-standard shape, therefore non machinable. It requires non machinable postage and is usually hand canceled. I don't think the counter personnel who handles the transaction makes much difference — it's easy to see that the envelope is square. Where it *may* make a difference is when an envelope is standard rectangular shape but non-flexible. Those are non-machinable *but* there seems to be a lot of leeway for the counter employee's determination of that. Karen Werner created a very handy flowchart that helps make the determination clearer. I don't know if I can share a link here but will if it's possible.
I don't think the counter personnel who handles the transaction makes much difference — it's easy to see that the envelope is square. Where it *may* make a difference is when an envelope is standard rectangular shape but non-flexible.
Agreed. Sorry if my post implied otherwise!!! I should have specified in my second paragraph that I was referring more generally to rectangular cards.
Well, I make lots of square cards for mailing. Once I have it in the envelope and weighed (with an electronic USPS scale), I go to the USPS site (starting at home page, go to Send/Calculate a Price) and it tells me how much the postage to adhere. I then look through my stamps to come up with a combo closest to what I need. I rarely use the butterfly stamp unless it helps add up to the total I need. NEVER have a problem. So, while the stamp is convenient for like a 1-oz. square envie, it's NOT required for a square envie.
I make 5.5", 5.75" and 6" square cards. The envies for the 6x6 are 6.5" square, so I mail those as Large Letter/Flats, because that exceeds the max dimension for letter mail.
As long as I've used the website and my scale, I've never had one problem (ie, card returned or recipients needing to pay). I mail 3-4 cards off a week on average.
I've been considering investing in a USPS scale and your post, Aimeslee/123scrap, has convinced me to get one.
I had a card returned 2 weeks ago with postage due of 68 cents. I took it to the post office to find out why, since the exact same 4 other cards I mailed at the same time arrived just fine. What was even more puzzling is that the postage due card made it from Pittsburgh, PA to Richmond, VA (its destination) before the USPS decided postage was due and sent it back to Pittsburgh. My local post office said the only postage due was 24 cents for being more than one ounce and the 68 cents was an error PLUS the postage should not have been cancelled. A scale would have alerted me to the extra 24 cents needed (although the other issues were USPS errors).
Postage for square cards in U.S.
