Postage on hand stamped Holiday cards

[Vegastamper]

Quote:

Originally Posted by nestof3

It is my understanding that putting 62 cents on the envelope automatically gets it hand-cancelled.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

You would think so, wouldn't you! LOL

This has not been my experience, though. I always put the extra postage on but it seems like way less than half of the cards are actually cancelled by hand. It doesn't seem to matter if my carrier picks them up at my house, if I take them to the box at the PO, or if I wait in line and hand them to a window clerk. It irks me to pay the extra postage and have my little works of art get chewed up in the machines!

[bound4london]

The cost to Mexico and Canada from the States is 72 cents, to any other country is 94 cents. There is an additional charge of 20 cents for non-machineable items. You can help prevent that by putting in a piece of cardstock to cover the embellishment.

I have to say we have a wonderful mail service in this country. My son is temporarily living in Mexico and mail to him is a miracle to arrive safely.

FYI--just because you didn't get it back doesn't mean it went to the person--they could have been charged a fee to pick it up and sometimes it takes forever to get back to you.

[stampaholic17]

If I make a really bumpy card I sometimes go ahead and add an extra stamp just to be safe. If it's only slightly bumpy due to a small bow or brad I put an extra piece of cardstock in the envelope over it so it doesn't poke through the front of the envelope. I have a scrap piece of chipboard I used to cut a 1/4" slot in so I can test if my cards are too thick. For Christmas I tried to go light on the layers and embellishments because I was doing so many cards but for a birthday or event where I'm just sending one card I don't mind paying a little extra postage for my card if it's something really bumpy and full of bling that I spent a lot of time on.

Oh and I agree - I never take my cards to the window at the P.O. I usually mail them from work. I haven't got enough years left in my life to waste it standing in line at the P.O. I put the stamps on and in the box they go! I have yet to have a card not make it, get destroyed or go to the recipient with postage due.

[Susan_T]

The people at my post office are great! Yesterday I offered to pay extra postage on one of my cards (because when I tried to slip it through the 1/4 inch slit on my paper cutter it wanted to snag) they told me it would not need extra postage. I put extra cardstock to cover the bow, but I was worried that the recipient would have to pay extra. If it passes at my post office could there be a problem with machines or workers at other post offices? How many times does it go through machines?

[binx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cathy'sFancy

I mailed a 5 1/2 inch square envelope, which the clerk said did fit the standard size, .

This just goes to show that it depends on whom you talk to at the P.O. At my post office, they charge the extra fee for any square envelope, no questions asked. The way they explained it to me is that it takes them more time to process a square envelope (vs. a standard rectangular one), so they charge more.

I don't mind the rates (try mailing something from Europe) as much as not being able to plan b/c you never know what you'll be told at the P.O. If they would just be consistent, we would know how to plan, KWIM? :rolleyes:

[jmtaylor]

I have a thing from the post office that was given to me 105251 rev d or psn 7610-03-000-9053 it is called a standards template. That helps a lot but they didn't tell that you have to pay an extra 20 cents for the plastic envelopes.

[Marshaspeck50]

I mailed my 90 yesterday. I put regular postage on them. They had little rhinestones on them. I always put the card in so the front is what you see first. The back of the card is actually what is smooth on the front of the envelope. I have never had any returned and I mail ribbons, buttons, etc. Maybe I have just been lucky