Stamps.com Vs. Driving to the Post Office

[vanscootin]

I've been staring at a Stamps.com offer on my desk for almost 2 months now. I loathe, abhor, and detest going to the post office and I'm thinking about doing the Stamps.com... I was wondering if anyone has tried or uses it and what you think of it.

 

[otisbg]

I order all my stamps on line from the USPS site. It saves me gas , time and is so convenient . Cannot beat the $1.00 charge.

 

[ShellBeach]

Doesn't stamps.com charge a monthly fee? I just had a look, seems they want $15.99 a month.

Why would you pay that when you can print postage free from the USPS site?
https://www.prioritymail.com/online_discounts.asp?id=17633671&ssno=26968

Also, if you have PayPal account you can print & pay for shipping labels from their site and get the online discounts.
https://www.paypal.com/shipnow

You do need a scale to print your own labels if you aren't using the flat-rate priority packages. Not sure what you're shipping, but I assume it's host packets. You can have flat-rate priority envelopes delivered to your door, print the labels for $4.75 postage with delivery confirmation included, and put them out for your mail carrier to pickup. In my neighborhood we have the boxes with the red flags you raise if you have mail for them to take. In other situations, you can schedule a pickup online.

I am even more frugal- I make sure my host packets weigh 13 ounces or less and mail them first class for less than $3.50. I recycle legal-sized envelopes cuz I'm so green:thumbup:

 

[wadesgirl]

I order all my stamps on line from the USPS site. It saves me gas , time and is so convenient . Cannot beat the $1.00 charge.

I was going to say the same thing. Didn't know they had a fee but I know that you can preorder them online and have your mail carrier deliver them to you.

 

[heather223]

I use Stamps.com and LOVE it. I feel the fee is worth it, and a tip, I called and got my fee lowered to $9.99. I think you loose some reporting methods with the lower fee, but since it is just me using it I love it. I always know my postage is the correct amount and I never run out of stamps. Message me if you have more questions!

 

[ShellBeach]

What do you get for that monthly fee, though? That's what I don't understand. Is it a bigger discount than USPS online postage?

 

[heather223]

You get the service and the only thing I know we get a discount on is Priority Mail envelopes for $4.75. I don't know what the price is on USPS.com. I also don't have to drive to the post office or worry about running out of postage. It truly is a convenience thing for me. I know you can print Priority Mail and other items on USPS.com, but you can't print regular stamps for postcards and smaller packages.

 

[otisbg]

Maybe I am just cheap, but I cannot justify paying $10.00 a month for a service that is basically free. You can request any sort of priority mailing envelope, packet, box- free and print labels free.....and as mentioned before, I can order postage that I need on a weekend and it is at my house by the following Wednesday if not sooner. In these economic times, I choose to be frugal.

 

[vanscootin]

so if I go the USPS route... what do I need to do? Just go to the website and order?

 

[otisbg]

Yep - You will need to establish an account - with your name address and credit/debit card number. You will then do a log-in and password and order all you want...you check out like any other online site, you will recieve a confirmation and they update you every step of the way as far as when it is sent etc...I have never been disappointed.
Hope this works for you as well as it has for me!

 

[esavvymom]

You get the service and the only thing I know we get a discount on is Priority Mail envelopes for $4.75. I don't know what the price is on USPS.com. I also don't have to drive to the post office or worry about running out of postage. It truly is a convenience thing for me. I know you can print Priority Mail and other items on USPS.com, but you can't print regular stamps for postcards and smaller packages.

On top of paying for sending them? or does that include the postage? That's about the cost for the smaller Priority Mail envelopes/boxes if you buy the postage online through USPS.com But the envelopes and boxes themselves for Flat-rate/priority are FREE. You just order them and they are delivered.

I also use USPS.com for most things, and I'm going to start ordering my stamps for delivery from them as well (for $1.00- no matter the size of the order). I'm too cheap.