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USA Moocher -- Got any money saving tips?

I'd love to send more books international, but the ones that over seas moochers want are the heavy ones! While I have discussed this with a postal worker, and been on the website of USPS many times, I'd like to know what you, sage shippers, do to send anywhere at a reasonable price.

Sea Mail has been all but eradicated, yes, but a friend recently suggested, at the dinner table where I could not loudly disagree, that there was an international media rate, and continued on to say that it was a postal secret... I am intrigued.

Should I indeed invest in a postal scale? And continue to score those flat rate envelopes? Anything you say could be of service. (Tricks with other shippers, perhaps? Does DHL have a secret deal?)

Thank you!

ljpbb
13 years ago

Comments



I have heard this same rumor. Something to the effect that "it exists, you just have to know how..."

But no one tells...:-(

Robin

Robin
13 years ago
There used to be this surface M-bag rate which looks like it could get interesting fast as long as you sent at least 2 books.

http://www.iosart.com/misc/m-bags.html

AFAIK it exists only airmail now so I guess you'd have to cram quite a lot of books in it to make it worthwile since you get charged the same for anything up to 11 pounds.

An airmail M-Bag to France looks like it'd currently cost $37.95 up to 11 pounds then 3.45 per extra pound.
http://pe.usps.gov/text/imm/fh_005.htm

Aude
13 years ago
On the subject of sending international mooches and getting more points, I'm in favor. I'm very new to BM, and out of the books I've sent so far, 2 have been from Canada. I very much want to send, but have to admit the extra postage is a consideration, because of the cost.

I've also found that I'm not listing all of my books because I got so many hits off of my first listing and the postage was an issue (I'm on a fixed income). So I'm "releasing" my books a few at a time.

Other than that, I'm very happy -- I've mooched some books I'd been wanting for a while, so thanks everyone!

~ Robin

Robin
13 years ago
I am from Singapore and I spend on average $10 to get a book shipped to US or wherever far far away. I am not harping for points. Shipping cost me half the price of a brand new book thereabouts but I didn't mind. I love the culture of trading books. 10 years down the road, your book has it's own story to tell, if it has the ability to speak, in a decade's time *LOL*. I hope that more members will be open to shipping internationally :)
Fida
13 years ago
I use a kitchen scale- it is extremely accurate and can handle packages up to 2 kg. Cost me about $15 US and now I can check postage costs online before I take them to the PO, so I can see if economy air or seamail is cheaper.
Releasing books slowly is a good idea- I just put all my "won't read them again" books in my inventory since I'm new to Bookmooch. Paid more in postage this week than on groceries for my family. Yowza.
VIcki
13 years ago