Tell me more about postage via PayPal

Yeah, me too. Do you print it on adhesive back paper and if so do you need a special printer?

aMAZEing adventure frog wrote:


DarkZen and Evil Cow Pie wrote:


Here is the link at PayPal. I use a regular printer and tape it to the envelope. I only tape the edges, enough to keep it on.

If you have a Paypal acct, the link is

https://www.paypal.com/shiplabel/create/

Fill in the appropriate info boxes....
(I use my kitchen scale for weight)
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Savings: if I mail a package weighing 5 oz from West to East Coast (using my zip, and my son's zip code), USPS charges $4.81. Paypal charges $3.63. This includes a tracking number :) Savings could be more, depending on what you're mailing.

Convenience: drop off at a post office, mailbox, at work, wherever mail gets picked up.
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I print the label on regular paper and put (clear packing) tape over the address, and on the edges, keeping the bar code uncovered.

Great for postals, regular packages, and taxes (yep, put my label on a flat large env., and got the tracking # to prove when it got processed, and delivered)

Happy mailing!
J

Oberon_Kenobi answered before I did, but you can read my wordier response to aMAZEing adventure frog :)

J

That's the only explanation I have. Other than some type of amnesia after I had my wisdom teeth removed. everything went wrong and that was the most pain I've ever been in my entire life. I still wake up in pain every single night.

I just saw that I had joined a tracker on around January 28th. I had a pretty traumatic butcher job of a wisdom teeth removal surgery on February 1st. So basically I don't remember joining this tracker. But lo, there is a carved pumpkin symbol next to my listing. So I'm like okay, it's possible. Anything is possible. I go look in the box to see if there's any way I've carved the stamp already, and to see at least if I have any pink stuff. By some chance I decided to look in a pre-taped envelope. Not only had a carved the stamp, I made the entire set of cards already. I am quite impressed with myself. I think I must have really had a good time making these 🙄🤤😁
Maybe I'm still waiting for the anesthesia to wear off.

Btw, there are still openings:
https://www.atlasquest.com/showinfo.php?trackerId=10105

🤗

I’m pretty sure I speak for everyone here when I say, “do you have any of those drugs left?”

😄

Ibuprofen yes, hydrocodone technically no, straight hemp brand 1000mg CBD oil no, coffee yes, and baby food nope 🤘

Standard LTC shipping.... How many forever stamps lately? Approx. 15 cards in the standard wrapped 6x9 bubble mailer.

Bubble mailer price depends on distance now. But 8-10 stamps each way I believe.

Edit: according to the USPS calculator, $4.06 across the country. And $3.85 Maine to Florida. So 8 stamps would cover it most of the time. (Compared to less than 3 on a flat mailer.)

This is a handy tool. I use my digital kitchen scale to measure how much my packages weigh. That way I can make sure I always use the right amount of postage.

https://postcalc.usps.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIjY_UxpPQ4wIVyrzACh2OQQ3VEAAYASABEgIrn_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

So, on the time you're mailing them - if dropping in a blue box, does that mean pick up time from that box?

You could always send in a flat 9x12 with a baseball card sleeve should be 3 stamps each way for that I believe -can still make it re useable - happy to send you a baseball card sleeve if you don’t have one and would like to try this -
Some are even going to smaller envelopes 6 x 9 I think ... just folding a paper in half and putting a staple in to divide it into three sections And popping cards in that way I think that way is even cheaper to mail maybe $1.35 or something? Beetle has more info on that as she does this a lot

Please!!

When hosting an LTC tracker, please include a card from all senders in each set. Every set should have the same amount of cards. And if a sender sends extra cards for some reason, they should be sent back if not needed.

I have submitted cards to a couple trackers this year and not received my cards back. I was informed by one of the hosts that they didn't think they had to return the card of the sender in the sender's packet. Yes, I can make a card "just in case" but that isn't the point. If I make a limited amount of cards, they are a limited run!!

I have been doing LTCs since 2008 and have never had a problem before this year.

Lynn

I'm sorry you've had this experience, Lynn. I honestly don't recall a host keeping any of my leftover cards, or even the one I send that's supposed to be returned to me.

I'm guessing it won't happen again, now that you've discussed it with the hosts (and mentioned it here!). Sometimes people aren't aware that they're doing something wrong until someone tells them.

I hope you get your "extra" cards back!

Saddened to hear that your current experiences have caused frustration but happy you spoke up.

As a host, I've had the opposite happen where a participant sends one less card so as NOT to receive one back. I get the logic. However, it is easier to sort cards when there is a card for each and every stack. Intentionally or unintentionally, the shortages continued, so I figured out another way to track my place during sorting. EVen with my revised system, the shortage still throws me off now and then.

When I am short one card to send to the host, I stamp the image on a blank card and label the card "place filler" with instructions to send this card back to me. This way the host has at least a similar card to keep track during the sorting.

Why would I send one less card? I keep my fav card for myself and I may have exhausted all the extra copies during the design process with boo boos.

I always make sure to put a time that would be normal post office hours. I've never had a time affect the price of postage. Only the weight, size, & shape of the package changes the cost. Also international mail is always so much more.

I haven't hosted a tracker yet....

I am thinking about it, and what a theme would be..........

I have been also thinking about dealing with the the logistics of hosting a tracker. One of the things I thought about doing with the sorting, would be the way I keep them in my binder... in the order people have signed up. That way I would see all the sets looking exactly the same in the baseball sleeves and know that they are ready to head out.................(PS, I would have the first sleeve spot have their trail-name and address card so I know who it belongs)

those that host, let me know if that would work or has issues I am missing.

That's probably about what I do when I go to sort. I keep the unsorted cards in the envelopes that they were sent in. When I go to sort I have the tracker page up on my computer and I go through the envelopes in the order the members are listed on the tracker. I also double and triple check myself a lot, so after I sort all the cards, I will recheck to make sure I have one of every card in each pile, then as I put them in what ever the member used to send them, such as a trading card page or handmade inner envelopes, I will check them again. I have a cat that likes to "help" with sorting so it's important for me to keep rechecking that all of the cards are still sorted correctly.

The host I had an issue with told me that people send one less card for that reason, I have never heard of that!! In reality, by not sending enough cards can create a sorting nightmare for the host, it is much easier to create equal piles of cards. For myself, if I am interested in trackers going forward, I will ask the host their policy, for my trackers I will state my policy.

I always send enough cards for all listed participants regardless of how many stamps get listed. That way there are always enough cards in case a stamp gets listed late. Better to send extra and get them back than to not send enough and be a problem.

I have 16+ plastic containers I got cheap. I set containers out on a large table and put one mailer in each container. As I sort I can just toss a card into each container. https://www.atlasquest.com/gallery/viewphoto.php?photoId=147531 . I use to just make stacks but the cat likes to help.

When I open a mailer, all the plastic and stamps etc. stays in that container for later steps. I put a binder clip on the plastic container of the mailer I am sorting (in case there are not enough cards.)

Once all sorted, I then go to each container and quickly count the cards then organize them back into the mailer...Remove/add labels, weigh, add stamps, and seal.

This works for me. At least until my cat decides to help. I'll snap some picts next time I'm sorting. Meanwhile, as the mailers are arriving, I place them in labeled boxes in my closet, i.e. Autumn, Winter, Spring. https://www.atlasquest.com/gallery/viewphoto.php?photoId=147530

As the due date nears, I check the upcoming tracker box against the tracker list of people and notify participants if needed.

An idea I thought was cool was using a grocery bag on hangers in a closet. Label each bag and just put the mailers in the appropriate bag when it arrives.

I would recommend hosting one tracker at a time until your system is ironed out.

Now if you really want to get crazy, consider having a tracker in which there is also a swap happening, i.e. Autumn Craft & Swap. That organizational system has been fine-tuned as well...more containers!