Oh, man Lynne, that is a good question and the postal workers can't even agree from branch to branch, so I'm not sure I can answer you!

But can I *complain* to you? LOL!

The latest here -- and I'm furious about it -- is that ALL bubble envies go "parcel" and they're telling me this means that they each have to be weighed and then the zip codes plugged in. It costs minimum of $1.13 for destinations around the midwest, and $1.30 for the west coast. (from my PO in Indianapolis) This is for envies that only had one or two packs of seed in them!

Isn't that the dumbest thing you ever heard? Weigh them all? And even if I had a digital scale, I still couldn't do the postage calculations at home because I would need the calulator for the destination zip codes.

Other people are putting on 2 41c stamps and their envies are going places just fine.

Oh, and yes, SASBE is self addressed stamped envelope. And don't tape it to death because the other person has to open it and reuse it. LOL!

Lime

Thanks for the response.. I'll bet the USPS has a destination calculator online-- but don't have time to check now.

But, I'm still being a bit dense... do you mail the SASBE in another envelope? I guess the fact that it's a bubble envelope is what is confusing me..not as easy to pack that one in another mailing envelope..

Most people just put a return mailing label and stamps inside the bubble envelope and mail it that way.

The $1.13 thing is annoying. I think it's 69 cents if you just stamp it and mail it from home. Still, it's cheaper than buying seeds and cheaper than shipping from most seed companies.

So you can just cover the previous label...makes sense! See, I'm glad I asked!

I have a bubble mailer that I use for sasbes. My address is under clear tape for both sender and reciever, and more tape where the postage goes. When I mail it out I just put a sticker over the addressee section with the persons address on it. I put the postage on another address label and put it on the mailer. Then I put another address label with the other persons address and a label with more postage inside the mailer, along with my note and a little extra postage for the senders time and generousity. When they get the mailer, all they have to do it peel off the label over addressee and put theirs over the sender address, and switch out the postage.

When I get it back I can clean up any ink from the cancellation with a dab of fingernail polish remover.

Jeanne

I've been going crazy trying to figure it out with my local post office. One guy has been charging me $1.13 & insisted that was the correct rate. I offered seeds for sasbe & requested $1.13 for postage. Then took them in to the PO to drop off, hadn't put postage on, & got a different clerk who charged me .80 & insisted that was correct. I didn't argue, but the next time I went in, I got my original clerk & expected to pay $1.13. Nope, he charged .80. I mailed out the rest of the envelopes & dropped at a box, everyone seemed to receive them ok.
Who Knows!

You can mail a bubble envelope for $.80 if it meets the following three criteria:
1. Must fit within a "frame" of 6 inches by 9 inches
2. Must weigh 1 ounce or less
3. Must be no thicker than 3/4 of an inch.

If your SASBE doesn't meet these three requirements, be prepared to pay more. With that said, an empty 6x9 SASBE should always go for $.80. A polite requester should send postage which is easily broken up into $.80 plus $.33.

I suspect that number 3 will be the tricky one when SASBE season gets into full swing. It was easy enough to send extra postage contingent on weight, but it's much more complicated when the little packets have to be flattened out to not be too thick.

Hope this helps.

Gee I'm glad I saw this post. This Am I sent a SASBE to a trader but I sent a folded envelope inside another bubble envelope. I paid 1.13 to send it when I took it to the post office. On the inside envelope I just put 3 regular stamps which of course totals 1.23. Regular postage is 41 cents isn't it? Well now I realize I didn't need the extra envelope!!! Live and learn!
Joann

When requesting seeds for SASBE, put your name in the email as it will appear in the SASBE. Also give them your member name. It helps for me to be able to look at wish lists, even if the person has nothing to trade.

Lately the postage has been from 58 cents to 1.13, depending on how bulky the package is.

I tape the seed packets to a piece of paper or poster board, cut to fit. This distributes the bulk evenly and often saves postage.

To help reuse the clear seed envelopes, cut a strip of paper or heavier stock, write the name of seed and date, then place it inside the envelope.
Barbie

Reading the above posts lets me vent my own frustation in this regard. I can mail them out of my home for two first class stamps, even including packages of seeds, I have sent a couple out for SASBE as well and recieved them back fine. BUT if I take them to the post office, they continually change the price , anywhwere between .80 and 1.30! I had my wife send a empty SASBE out a couple weeks ago and they charged her the full price, So no more post office for me, two first class stamps unless they start getting rejected.

Post offices are not perfect, they have alot of irritating rules they have to follow, at my work we mail out ALOT of mail, enough to get bulk rates as little as .31 cents per. YET I had a phone conversation with a post mistress in a rural town THAT KEPT rejecting our mail, she said she wouldnt keep on stamping postage due on our mail!!!!!! I informed her that was our bulk rate, YET she had no ideal of what I was talking about!. It was insane.

lynne: Another trick: if you tape your envelope closed with scotch tape it can be opened more easily by the receiver without tearing. The tape cuts cleanly with a knife for reuse.

Agreed, every time I mail seeds these days the cost varies. In the past few weeks I've paid from 58 cents to (I think) $1.30 something.

Karen

Wow- this post was a great help to me!