Hi Plantermunn,

It is great that you have a good scale for plant trading. To send Priority (1 LB minimum their box or yours), is $4.80...what you could buy some hens and chicks for unless they are uncommon ones and hard to find without buying on line.

For small trades (small by nature, weight, etc under 13 OZ) I...and several others use First Class Parcel. My PO folks tell me it travels just as fast as Priority. The only drawback is that you must provide your own packaging. I regularly scavenger for small, sturdy cardboard boxes that would be appropriate for a smaller lightweight things. If you can find a box, the cost to send it First Class is a lot cheaper. I recently configured a cut down pizza box for some shrub cuttings and it was perfect.

When trading, it might be best to describe as best you can what you have to trade...size, weight, or pics...that the member will know what to expect.

Check the link below, and scroll down a little ways, (to 1.6) and you will see the new rates for First Class Parcels.

Happy Trading!

Sue

Here is a link that might be useful: USPS First Class Mail Prices

You can send up to 1# in a box anywhere for $4.80, or what ever you can fit in a flat rate env. I do see a lot of talk about sending in env. but haven't done it for fear of it being a pancake when it gets there. Maybe some who have sent/rec'd this way can put there comments on for us.

You can get all sorts of boxes and supplies for free at

http://shop.usps.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductCategoryDisplay?beginIndex=0amp;pageSize=10000&langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10152&categoryId=13354

they will deliver to your house for free, there you can look up prices also. It depends on where you are shipping from and to, if you pull up the zone chart,

http://postcalc.usps.gov/Zonecharts/

put in your zip and print out the page you can find the zn for the zip you are sending to, then check on the rate chart

http://www.usps.com/prices/priority-mail-prices.htm

to get the cost. You can also ship in a flat rate priority box for $9.80 or a larger one for $12.95. Unless you are shipping something very heavy these boxes usually cost more than sending by wt.

I hope this helps, I'm sure the "resident busy body" Sue will be in to cover what I've missed! I learned it all from her! - (love ya Sue!)
and she can put the actual "links" in, I don't know how

Vic

Sue!
How did you get there first! I need to type faster!
LOL

LMAO...
USPS Free Shipping Supplies...

Postal Zone Chart

Priority Mail Prices

Unless you are shipping something very heavy these boxes usually cost more than sending by wt.
That is soooooo true. If I mail to someone in mail zone 4 from me, I have to stuff 6 LBS in there to warrant going Flat Rate, as opposed to paying by the pound.

I STUFFED a box yesterday until it was bulging, and it only weighed 3 LB 4 OZ. To ship to mail zone 4 would have been $7.85, but to zone 8 would have been a whopping $14.25.

I really think a lot of folks tend to think boxes are a lot heavier than what they really are...so they think flat rate is the best deal. I can guestimate things fairly well, keeping in mind how a LB of burger feels, or 5 LBS of sugar...but having the digital scale sure helps to verify I am right.

I've also started using the Click and Ship and paying the postage on line, and getting the printout of the mailing label and postage...and taping it on. Silly me, thought you had to have special sticky label paper for that...

I also Schedule Priority Mail Pick Up on line...as they will no longer pick it up, if it is not scheduled If it is a First Class parcel (under 13 OZ) and will not fit in the box, I just put a note in the box for my carrier to pick up at the back door.

Hey Vic!

Stop by the Test Forum and you too can make clickable links and bold and italics and red and BIG! If I can do it, anyone can...I promise.

Sue...resident busy body

Thanks Everyone.

I think I got a handle on it. I was practicing with some large garlic heads. They are about the same size as a semp and weigh out about the same. I can stuff a good trade into an envelope.

I can stuff an instant tater box into a 12 x 9 envelope. I will get a priority mail envelope and see what kind of box I can stuff into that.

First class is easy. There is a post office on my way to work. You lay the package on the scale and it will print the postage and bill your card. Even at 4:00 in the morning.

Now I just need to get a few good pics of my semps.

Terrance

I can stuff an instant tater box into a 12 x 9 envelope.
Good deal...if under 13 OZ, it can go as First Class, and save you $$.

I will get a priority mail envelope and see what kind of box I can stuff into that.
There is really no advantage to that, that I can see. You likely could not stuff more than a pound of anything in it, so if it is inder 13 OZ, you would be better off with a box in a 9 X 12 envy, as you describe above, or if over 13 OZ and under 1 LB, you may as well as well go with a 1 LB Priority box, and let the PO supply the box. The Priority Flat Rate envy costs $4.80...the same as a 1 LB box.

Sue

i think i could get addictive to the parcels for smaller trades lol i just stuffed a few 6, daff bulbs in a small instant cup-a-soups box, that fit in a 6x9 envy 5.4oz it would only cost me 2.02 to send!!! lol corse these are the smaller daff bulbs, i could maybe fit 4 of the bigger daff bulbs in, i might have to try sending one n see how it dose, :)

I guess i just never thought about it before. But you can stuff a lot into a small package.

Hmmmm....I just saw this post and it's pretty interesting...but cereal boxes & instant potato boxes are pretty thin....wouldn't plants & bulbs get crushed in there?? Has anyone been on the receiving end??? Just wondering...
Linda

How strange this post just surfaced again. Just this AM, I cut a Triscuit box into 2 halves, and packed some seeds, about 12 Daffodil bulbs, and some hard candy to round it up closer to 7 OZ. I then wrapped them in sturdy brown paper (grocery bag recycled.)

The cost to ship one little box...just $2.19. The joy the receivers will have...priceless..
{{gwi:25405}}

I used my handy dandy digital postal scale bought quite cheaply on ebay.

My scale is similar to these.

Sue

You can also use the video mailing box for small trades. They are less than the 4.80 box. And if it is a small trade, you could put the video box in a manilla envelope and mail first class instead of priority.
Pam

I've received plants in envelopes with no boxes with good results. Why are you guys using boxes inside the bags?