Are Postage Meters Worth the Investment for Busy Professionals?

[cbord]

Who has one and what kind?

My work hours really don't allow time for trips to post office except on Saturday mornings.
If I could weight things and just stick postage on it and would save me plenty of time.

I have decided a postage meter is my next home office purchase.

Charlene

 

[jenniferp417]

My mom sells on ebay (NOT pampered chef!) - she bought a simple postal scale and then uses the usps.com web site to calculate postage costs.

 

[dannyzmom]

I have a simple old postage scale from a zillion years ago that I use the same way Jennifer's mom does for her ebay stuff.

 

[Brandi2007]

I use the scale I have at work to weigh then just figure out how many stamps I need. Sorry I don't know what kind it is.

 

[Jilleysue]

I just got a thing in the mail for 13.00 a month for a mini scale and it hooks up to your computer and prints out the stamps. I am deciding between that and this damn label maker that is screaming my name....LOL

 

[pamperedharriet]

I just got a thing in the mail for 13.00 a month for a mini scale and it hooks up to your computer and prints out the stamps. I am deciding between that and this damn label maker that is screaming my name....LOL

Hi Jill!

Is it from stamps.com by anychance what you have?

 

[Jilleysue]

No, some other company. I'll have to grab the flyer. I love the scale idea though. Would be very valuable

 

[pamperedharriet]

I have a scale from stamps.com . Yes it does come in handy for packets!

 

[lisacb77]

I use my food scale I have in the kitchen to get the oz weight. It's one of those flat ones you can put a plate on top of so that works nicely. Just remember to add a 24 cent stamp to the 39 cent one for every ounce or partial ounce over 1! But if you get up to 1 pound (16 oz) you have to take it to the post office anyway thanks to post 9/11 regs.

 

[pamperedharriet]

Thanks Lisa for your input!

 

[Shawnna]

yes...the local postmaster told me to use my kitchen scales. Then you could use the ups website to figure postage...you may be able to us the usps website too.

 

[speedychef]

how 'bout Pitney Bowes? They used to call my old work EVERY DAY and send us something once a week. I've been wondering if it might not be a good thing to have now that I mail out so much stuff!

 

[hoosierchef]

No, some other company. I'll have to grab the flyer. I love the scale idea though. Would be very valuable

Jilleysue.....I can't believe this is even an issue with you!! You have the labelwriter now, correct? I don't know about yours, but mine came with Postage labels. All I need now is a scale!!!!!!

 

[raebates]

I use my digital kitchen scale to find the weight.

I'm a HUGE fan of USPS.com. I can figure my postage. I even use it to send my host kits. If I choose priority mail, I can print the label with postage. They have an option to arrange free pickup. And, you get free tracking. I can know when my hosts receive their stuff, so I can contact them a day or two later to answer any questions. I love it!

 

[DebbieJ]

I send all my host packets in Priority Flat Rate envelopes and print postage through usps.com as Rae described. No need to go to the PO.

 

[jenniferknapp]

I don't think that the pickup would suit my schedule, I am at work 8-4:30 M-F.....can you drop the packets in a USPS blue box? That would be great for me!

 

[DebbieJ]

You just leave them in your mailbox or by your front door and the mail carrier picks them up. There is no need to be home.

You cannot drop them in a box b/c they likely weigh more than a pound, depending on how much you put in there. I put four catalogs and 10 OOFs and some other stuff and mine are always over.

 

[jenniferknapp]

You just leave them in your mailbox or by your front door and the mail carrier picks them up. There is no need to be home.

Hmm...that could work!! Do you tell them where you leave it when you arrange for the pickup?

 

[DebbieJ]

yes, there is a section for you to do that. It has to be a certain distance from your mailbox.

 

[jenniferknapp]

yes, there is a section for you to do that. It has to be a certain distance from your mailbox.

Okay, maybe that won't work for me...I live in the country and my driveway isn't right near the road.....and my mailbox is on a 55mph highway, won't leave it there either! Thanks for the info though!

 

[jenniferp417]

I wonder if having them pick up at work would be possible?They don't have carriers in town where I work - businesses have to have PO boxes. But then, the PO is I think half a block from me, so I may as well take them in. But I wonder if that would work for you, Jenn, to have them pick it up from your work?

 

[jenniferknapp]

I wonder if having them pick up at work would be possible?They don't have carriers in town where I work - businesses have to have PO boxes. But then, the PO is I think half a block from me, so I may as well take them in. But I wonder if that would work for you, Jenn, to have them pick it up from your work?

I don't think that I would go that route, I am really trying to keep my jobs separate (oops, am I on CS? hehe) ....I work for the state on a College campus in the Administration Building.....it would be too obvious! Good thought though

 

[jenniferp417]

I don't think that I would go that route, I am really trying to keep my jobs separate (oops, am I on CS? hehe) ....I work for the state on a College campus in the Administration Building.....it would be too obvious! Good thought though

Yeah, a lot of jobs just aren't compatible.

All my coworkers LOVE PC - they've all ordered, one's booking a show... they WANT me to get stuff delivered to work so they can see it first. LOL!

 

[jenniferknapp]

Yeah, a lot of jobs just aren't compatible.

All my coworkers LOVE PC - they've all ordered, one's booking a show... they WANT me to get stuff delivered to work so they can see it first. LOL!

Haha, that is great... my previous job was more like that, it was a small organization that contracted with the College....but I HAD to take this promotion just for my professional growth, and of course the salary.... but there are some things that I miss, that would be one of them! I could make copies, faxes, get personal letters, etc...... here, not so much. I guess you have to take these sort of things into consideration when you are looking for a job change.

 

[PampChefJoy]

I used to have stamps.com (they gave me a free scale!) but dropped it after awhile... the extra fees got to be too pricey. I just buy stamps in bulk - a roll of 100 first class, plus a set of extra ounce, and several ones in the $1.29 (or whatever it is) denomination, so I can send catalogs with 1 stamps. Actually, it's probably an ounce heavier now... but the PO does make them in all those denominations and I like that I'm not putting 5 or 6 stamps on an envelope.

 

[raebates]

The postmaster in Mexico, IN, is wonderful. She told me that anything under a pound you can just put in a blue box. If it's a pound or more, a postal employee needs to see you. You don't have to wait in line. If you just go in, say, "Hi!" to get someone's attention, and lay the package on the counter.

One of the things I love about USPS.com is that I can get everything ready, and my DH can drop it off if that's more convenient.




For anyone who's wondering, Mexico, IN is a teeny, tiny town just off 31, about 5 miles north of Peru. It's also about 3 1/2 miles from Denver, IN, where I live. My son used to enjoy telling people that we rode our bikes from Denver to Mexico all the time.

 

[DebbieJ]

The postmaster in Mexico, IN, is wonderful. She told me that anything under a pound you can just put in a blue box. If it's a pound or more, a postal employee needs to see you. You don't have to wait in line. If you just go in, say, "Hi!" to get someone's attention, and lay the package on the counter.

Do that all the time (because I always seem to be getting my host packets out at the last minute and don't want to wait the extra day for carrier pickup).

I just walk up, pass up everyone in line, and hand it to Lorraine or Tom. They see me coming now.

 

[jenniferknapp]

Do that all the time (because I always seem to be getting my host packets out at the last minute and don't want to wait the extra day for carrier pickup).

I just walk up, pass up everyone in line, and hand it to Lorraine or Tom. They see me coming now.

The PO where I work always has a long line, and they never offer that...... The one that is for my town closes at 4:45.... and I get out of work at 4:30, and have a 20 minute drive to there! So, it is a pain!

 

[DebbieJ]

The PO where I work always has a long line, and they never offer that...... The one that is for my town closes at 4:45.... and I get out of work at 4:30, and have a 20 minute drive to there! So, it is a pain!

They don't offer--you just have to do it! The employees at my PO didn't tell me I could do it, I just started doing it and they don't mind. I try to wait until they are waiting for the customer they are waiting on to write a check or when they are in between customers. I don't interrupt them mid sentence. LOL.

 

[PampMomof3]

I use my digital kitchen scale to find the weight.

I'm a HUGE fan of USPS.com. I can figure my postage. I even use it to send my host kits. If I choose priority mail, I can print the label with postage. They have an option to arrange free pickup. And, you get free tracking. I can know when my hosts receive their stuff, so I can contact them a day or two later to answer any questions. I love it!

That's what I do too!