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Cheap-skate Postage Concerns

SD_Stack

Former J.R. 1am Monitor
Joined
Jul 6, 2003
Messages
1,999
I was just thinking. I know that is dangerous, but no one is close by so if my head should explode, no one will be injured.

Please, let's discuss this.

I think most of us here love to send out seegars to the people we talk to on a day to day basis. I know I do. Receiving them ain't all that bad either.

I am not in any way in short supply of cigars. (that doesn't mean you should stop sending them :)) I am however, in short supply of Priority Mail Postage Funds. I have a stack of packages to send out that will cost me around $25 to mail. That's alot of baby food bros. (mooch attempt - baby on the way :))

By the way, if you haven't already, or even if you have, be sure to guess when my baby is due on the other post to win a pack of sticks.

Back to the issue at hand. Would it be very detrimental to our cigars if we mailed them 1st Class Mail as opposed to Priority? I live on the east coast. USPS.com says that 1st class mail will get to Beverly Hill, CA 90210 (I knew the zip from the tv show - hehehe) in 3 days from my house. It will make it Priority in 2. I have sent a lot of stuff to Joe in New Mexico via Priority and IT DON'T MAKE IT IN 2 DAYS! I contend that 1st class and Priority arrive at the same time. A study was done not long ago that I heard about on one of those 20/20 type shows saying that Priority mail was not exactly what it was advertised to be. I did not see the show and have not ever sent a 1st Class and Priority box at the same time in a race, so I am just speculating.

My packages usually weigh between 4 and 5 ounces. 5 ounces usually covers 8 cigars and the peanuts in a small Priority box. I could mail this for $1.29 plus the cost of a box without delivery confirmation. You are allowed to mail up to 13 ounces via 1st class mail.

Our friends a veripack where we get those little cigar baggies has a deal on plain brown corrugated boxes. A 8x6x4 is $18 for 100. You can buy 25 at a time (if you don’t need 100) for 19 cents each. That is big enough a bunch of sticks.

Using 5ounces in my example:
5 ounces and the box mailed 1st Class would cost you 1.29 + 0.18 = $1.47 without DC.
5oz. priority is $3.85 without DC (unless you use the internet and get DC free)
A savings of $2.38. That’s 2.6 packages mailed for the price of 1.

If you have more than 5 ounces, see the list at the bottom.


Also, is it imperative that we have DC? I know it is fun to say, “Bombs away, DC xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx xxxx.” But is it required? If you think it is, you can add DC to 1st class for 55cents as opposed to 45 cents when mailing priority.
I wish I could do this, but I wouldn’t want the cigars to suffer. Any ideas? Does anyone have experience as to why this will not work?


1st Class Postage
oz. $
1 $0.37
2 0.60
3 0.83
4 1.06
5 1.29
6 1.52
7 1.75
8 1.98
9 2.21
10 2.44
11 2.67
12 2.90
13 3.13
 
I have mailed several packages to winners over at CigarPool vis 1st class mail and never had a complaint. Sure is cheaper than priority,and much cheaper than ups. The boxes from veripac are great! I bought 2 bundles(50) and a roll of bubble wrap for 31.00 to my door. Yes, I know that the USPS boxes are free, but you can't send them 1st class.
 
You know that if you fold the priority mail boxes inside out they work just as well and they have no markings on them excpet for some small print of USPS. Thats where you can put your address label or just simply put some tape over it. That's how you do it if your a real thrifty individual. :D
 
I'll send stuff that is going somepleace close via 1st class. Say Fl, Ga, and Al. Everything else goes out Prioity. You are right in 1st class usually showing up around the same time. What priority gets you is assurance that your package will process before all other mail. If your local PO is really busy, then 1st class may take a day longer to actually leave. Then it could take and extra day or 2 in transit. Then once it gets where it is going, it could take and extra day. So in this situation, it could take up to an extra 4 days longer to get where it is going. So take in consideration where you are sending it. That my .02 cents.

Emo
 
stogieman said:
You know that if you fold the priority mail boxes inside out they work just as well...
Ewwwww! I like the way this man thinks! :thumbs:
 
I live out in the middle of nowhere so almost every single cigar I own gets shipped to me. Nobody I order from uses priority mail. It all comes either in a brown truck or most of it by regular mail. I see no reason provided the smokes are properly packaged that regular mail wouldn't be just fine.

The exception to this is of course box passes. For a box pass there are too many stops so an extra day here and there at all those stops really adds up, and they are so valuable with so many sticks in them they require only the most reliable shipping methods.

I would suspect most of us, my self included, just get so used to priority mail that it has become a habbit and we don't stop to think if its really whats needed.
 
Excellent insight Steven. I've just started thinking about the postal costs adding up lately. I'm in favor of the 1st class idea. I'm pretty anal when it comes to the tracking though so I'm not sure if I will go without the dc. I'd like to hear some thoughts on tracking. What do you all think?
 
I only worry about DC when it is a trade or pass. Yhe only issue you really need to worry about is heat. The extra shipping time could lead to a split foot and or beetle problem. I try and freeze all of my cigars when they come in unless I am just going to smoke it off the truck.

Emo
 
lucasbuck said:
I'm pretty anal when it comes to the tracking though so I'm not sure if I will go without the dc.
DC to me is useless from the USPS. UPS and Fedex has great DC but the USPS? No. You only know when it was shipped and when it arrived. You will know when it arrived because the person you sent it to will thank you for it. I don't see that it is needed unless you are trading or bombing a crook.


I only worry about DC when it is a trade or pass.

A Pass? I say send it priority. Send it UPS Red or Blue if you can afford it. Take all necessary steps to ensure its safe and "documented" arrival.

Trades? If you are trading, you already have a certain amount of trust for that person. I see no need for DC on trades either. That's just me.

What priority gets you is assurance that your package will process before all other mail. If your local PO is really busy, then 1st class may take a day longer to actually leave.

I have never read documentation to verify my thoughts on this but I had the understanding that 1st Class went out the same day it was mailed. It has to. Parcel Post (3rd class) may not and Pre-sorted Bulk Mail does not usually. The have up to 7 days to process bulk mail (reduced rate mail) and I don't know when they have to send out Parcel Post but 1st goes out the same day. Maybe JoeM can ask his brother about this and chime in.

My .02. :D
 
I'm convinced.

With the six packages I have to send out Monday, it will cost me 23.10 Priority.

Calculating exact postage by weights (ranging 4 - 8 ounces) of each package, I can send them 1st Class for 9.12 plus the cost of 6 boxes at 0.20 each equaling 10.32. Saving 12.78. Thats 55%! I'll could take that money and buy an Opus to celebrate my frugality. hehe :D
 
Well SD, it looks like I shoulda check the Lobby first before my lengthly post in our "My friend is having a baby" pass.

I think Priority is a complete waste of money. I participate in the www.CigarPool.com pool and when I won it in May, I received 70 to 80 packages from all over the country.

Most people sent them in priority boxes turned inside out so the postage averaged $1.29 instead of the minimum $3.85 priority rate. I sorta kept track of when they were postmarked vs when they arrived and I tell ya, there was virtually NO difference in delivery time for priority vs. regular old first class from no matter where they came from in the country.

As I said in my other post, the post office can take an EXTREMELY dim view of people turning the boxes inside out in order to not have to pay the $3.85. You can order a package of 20 priority mail boxes to be sent FREE to your house from the USPS on their website but you have to check a box that says you will ONLY use them for Priority Mail only (yeah, okay.......) or else!!!!

About half the people turned them inside out AND wrapped them in brown paper (an old shopping bag is ideal) in order to conceal the "USPS" stamping in black ink found on the inside of the priority boxes which I think is a good solution.

So, there's my 2 cents worth.

By the way VERY NICE play by you in the "My friend....." pass. Stay cool in NC and I'll send you a couple of native hand rolled Connecticut maduros (made right here in Enfield, CT with CT broadleaf wrapper rolled by an old-time Cuban cigar roller, mmmmmmmmmmm, nice and tasty) as soon as I visit my tobacconist in honor of your soon-to-be baby.
 
By the way VERY NICE play by you in the "My friend....." pass. Stay cool in NC and I'll send you a couple of native hand rolled Connecticut maduros (made right here in Enfield, CT with CT broadleaf wrapper rolled by an old-time Cuban cigar roller, mmmmmmmmmmm, nice and tasty) as soon as I visit my tobacconist in honor of your soon-to-be baby.

I love Maddies. I can't wait. :thumbs:
 
What's even easier than turning the boxes inside out.... pack the boxes the correct way and then take the (also free) Tyvek Priority envolpes and turn them inside out. Toss the priority box in the completely blank white envelope and you're set for first class. You don't have to worry about covering anything up this was. That's how I've been doing it for many years now. :thumbs:

Cheers,
Dixie
 
Ya'll are just a bunch of shameless crooks. :sign: All to save 20 cents. I got my boxes on order. :D
 
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