I wish our post office had them. Sounds like they would really be helpful. Our post office just put in a really nice card rack. Lots of nice cards to choose from. I am going to enjoy use it.

Our PO doesn't have them either. There is a counter with three clerks stations, on a good day there will be a clerk at each of the three.

I seem to have to have things weighed somewhat often - or, its an errand that feels often to me at once a month or so. Parking isn't always adequate at our PO. Yesterday I had to send a report approx. 70 pages that wouldn't fit into any of my manila mailers. I bought a card weight shipping folder for another $1.49, took my label and wide tape with me, assembled it there, had it weighed, paid.

Our Postmaster told me once that the cost of a precisely accurate home scale just about eliminates most of us from having one that's useful.

Yes, I use it almost always as it is much quicker than standing in line. I had two packages to mail yesterday and the post office was crazy-busy! Instead of putting my packages in the bin where they have to fall to the bottom, I usually take them up to the desk.

I ship fairly often and always use my scale at home. I buy the postage online through USPS.com or through eBay, as both of these give me a significant discount unless I'm shipping books. With books, I put the money for postage in the mailbox with the package.

My scale must be accurate because the Post Office seems to like receiving my stuff and has told me more than once that I really know what I'm doing. I gather from that comment that they deal with a lot of people who aren't all that clear on the process. :-)

We use the machine if we haven't printed postage from home and if I don't need to purchase stamps. I hate that our post office managers are so very pushy and rude about trying to make people use the machine. It's been in the PO for years, and it's the first thing you see when you walk in. If you want to use it, you will. My DH gets harassed repeatedly to use the machine when he goes to use cash and/or buy nice stamps.

I use the machine all the time. It's such a time-saver. I just wish that the post office would empty the parcel drops more often during the holidays as they are usually full which means that I have to take my parcels to the counter.

I weigh my packages at home and print a label at USPS like Alisande does. Living in a rural area, I can then just put it out in my mailbox to be picked up when my mail is delivered. It helps that I have a very large mailbox.

On the subject of postal service, I only buy pretty or unusual stamps and now only the forever stamps. I was looking at usps.com for the choices. They have so many more now, I really like several of them. Have you seen the farmers market stamps, they are beautiful! And the new red and white heart forever stamp that you can pre order it's not out yet, it spells out forever in the curly cues of the heart, so cute. I had no idea there was a Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix stamp and Johnny Cash too. The dreams blossom series is very pretty. If you haven't looked recently here's the link. I just find it easier to order them online and have them appear in my mail box. I don't use many these days so they last a long time. I think I will choose the farmer's market series.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stamps

I always use the self-service machines. Most of the counter people at the nearby post offices are un-energetic and seem to speak and move in slow motion.

It may take me a bit longer to use the machine (because they're unfamiliar to me, I don't have a lot of experience using them) but doing so is much more pleasant than dealing with the people there. Unfortunately.

Thanks for the reminder, Raven. I bought so many stamps before the price went up that I haven't thought about buying more in quite awhile. But I used lots for my Christmas cards (Johnny Cash, Jimi Hendrix, and Lydia Mendoza), and wanted to get some Batman stamps. I'll check out the Farmers Market.

I hope everyone who ships packages realizes that printing out Priority Mail labels (purchased online) is cheaper than going to the Post Office. It can add up.

What machines? My post office doesn't have any that I know of.

No machines at any of the POs around me.

I weigh my packages at home and print a label at the USPS.com site.
The mailman gets it off my porch the next day.
I also order stamps online.
No need to go to the PO at all.

I very seldom ever go to the PO anymore. I use the flat rate priority boxes and print and ship on USPS.com also. It is so easy! You can pick up the boxes at the PO or order them online along with many other postal items.

I LOVE the machine at the post office. I mail packages three or four times a week.

I use the machine even when there is no line at the counter because I can process the box faster than the clerk can because I can buzz right through the various questions - no hazardous materials, no special P.O. box or envelope, no extra insurance, type in the zip code, pick the price and voila!

I like ordering from USPS and I have a nice little stash of Forever stamps and enjoy picking an interesting stamp when I send cards.

Susan- I didn't know that about the discount. The Post Office charges less if you weigh the package and print out your own labels at home? Interesting.

I seldom mail packages but I usually go to my local Staples and send them via UPS. Staples now offers both UPS and USPS services and they'll weigh my package and tell me which one is cheaper.

I've had a few unpleasant experiences with the Post Office losing important mailings - even when I've mailed them certified with return receipt requested. UPS does an excellent job of tracking and they've never disappointed me.

My local Post Office doesn't even have a machine that sells stamps! I have to wait on line for every transaction. And the lines are always long- I try to avoid the opening hour (around 9 am ) and lunchtime and the last hour before they close. But I always have at least 4 people ahead of me.

Maire, yes, they give you a discount for ordering the postage online. If you use the USPS.com postage calculator, it'll give you two prices: one if you purchase shipping at the PO and a lower one if you purchase it online. You can also click a box to receive emailed tracking updates if you like.

My Post Office is 10 miles away, so I'm glad I rarely need to go there. There's a closer one, but that Post Office doesn't have a computer. So you can't get any printed receipts. That makes the place pretty useless for me. The only time I use it is if I have a pre-paid package too big to fit in my mailbox. Then I can just drop it off at the PO. But my mailbox is quite large, so that rarely happens.

I even ship internationally online now, filling out the customs form on the computer and then printing it out. No more filling out those dreadful little forms in triplicate at the Post Office. I recently shipped something to Saudi Arabia, and it didn't take much more time than shipping to New Jersey.

I have a UPS account too, used for unusually large packages. I print that postage online too. Then UPS comes and picks it up from my house. Or, if the package isn't very heavy, I can drop it at one of their drop-off sites.

Thanks, Sjerin for the tip about taking the stamped pkg to the front desk - still no waiting in line... I didn't realize the machines aren't in every post office. We had a machine right where you walk into the building and they added two more about 6 months ago... ...and I live in a small town