Mail & Shipping - Recommendations, Questions, and Answers

I hope I made myself clear 😁

Thanks, you did🙂

I'm just wondering what kind of special packaging is required for a banknote? Can I just toss it in a yellow bubble mailer?

Linda Reyes3 said:I hope I made myself clear.😁

Yes, thanks!🙂

I'm just curious about this "special" way you have to wrap printed material... can I just toss it in one of those yellow bubble mailers?

By "printed material," we're talking about things like books or magazines.
The key is that it needs to be wrapped in a way that makes it obvious it's *just* that item—you know, so people can tell there isn't a letter tucked inside.
Don't seal it up tight right away.
Everyone does it a little differently; some people leave the envelope partially open and then just trim off a corner.
You could also try wrapping it in that clear plastic kitchen wrap, then placing a piece of paper over it with the recipient's info written on it.

Hi there!

So, my package arrived, but since I wasn't home, I just found a delivery notice left behind. Here’s the situation: I’m currently renting, so all my deliveries are sent to my landlord's address, though they always include my name on the label. Do you think I'll be able to pick up the package using my landlord's ID, or is that going to be an impossible mission?

jadejackal592 said:Hi there!

So, my package arrived while I wasn't home, and they left a notice. Since I'm currently renting, all my deliveries go to my landlord's address, though they always specify that the package is meant for me. Do you think I'll be able to pick it up if I bring my landlord's ID, or is that going to be an impossible mission?

I'm actually in the exact same situation, and I remember once a small parcel was sent back to me and I had no trouble picking it up, provided it clearly states it's for you... Since your name is listed on the label, I feel confident that it won't be an issue at all!👍

Elizabeth Ortiz said:I was in the exact same boat, and once, a small package was returned to me and I was able to pick it up just fine. As long as it's clearly marked for you, it should be okay. Since your name is right there on the label, I’m certain you won't run into any issues!👍

True. It is noted. I suppose I was thinking about bringing along a proof of residence just in case they needed extra verification. 🙂
Thanks for the heads-up! 🙂

If I drop a package off tomorrow morning in San Diego to go to Los Angeles, is there any chance it hits the destination by Thursday??

It’s weird, because whenever I ship stuff, it takes two days for some people and just one for others. But how can I actually be certain it'll show up the next day? Is there anything I can do to guarantee it, or am I just stuck hoping for the best?? Because things are getting a little frantic on my end

You can only be certain it’ll arrive at a specific time—whether that's tomorrow or the day after—if you opt for HP express shipping
Otherwise, even if you use USPS, they might tell you "it'll probably get there then," but they aren't going to give you any actual guarantees

Ashley Perez50 said:you can pretty much count on it arriving at some point—tomorrow, the day after, whenever—as long as you use HP express delivery.
otherwise, you're basically just guessing. even at the local post office, they’ll give you that vague "it should be there around then" line, but nobody's actually giving you a guarantee.

So, wait... when I pay the extra shipping fee $4.25 does that mean it automatically goes via HP express? Like, once I fill out those little customs forms and stuff

No, you should just use standard USPS mail
If you want HP Express or City Express, they use delivery vans and usually arrive the same day or the next, but it'll cost you more

Carol Rivera40 said:If I drop off a package tomorrow morning heading from a small town in Florida over to Orlando, will it actually make it there by Thursday??

I’ve noticed that whenever I send stuff, it takes two days for some people and just one for others... but how can I be absolutely certain it arrives the very next day? Is there anything specific I should do to guarantee that? It's getting a little urgent.

Carol Rivera40 said:So, when I pay for shipping, $4.25 does it automatically go through HP express? Once I fill out those shipping forms and everything...

Well, if you're staying within the same state, it's usually a one-day turnaround. If you're shipping out of state, expect two.
For $13.08, you get a standard package up to 5 lbs.
But honestly, if you want that HP express service, the price is easily three times higher!

Sent a package from Washington, D.C. on Friday, and I'm also here in Washington, D.C.... just wondering why it hasn't shown up yet and why it's taking this long.

hiddenbadger81 said:I had a package sent out from Washington, D.C. this past Friday, and since I’m also right here in Washington, D.C., I can't help but wonder why it hasn't shown up yet. Why on earth is it taking this long?

Something definitely feels off. You should double-check the shipping address to make sure everything was entered correctly.
If you feel like it, maybe give the carrier a call—the one who sent it—just to verify if things are actually moving along as they should be.
You'll obviously need the tracking number for that.

You could also just check with your local post office; honestly, calling them is probably your best bet to see if there's a package waiting for you there.
A few people mentioned earlier that they've run into issues where they aren't getting those delivery notifications right away.

Just so we’re clear, anything I send under 11 lbs counts as USPS Ground Advantage, right? $4.25?

Also, how are you guys packing clothes? I’m worried they won't fit in one of those bubble mailers. Does it have to be that specific type? I was thinking about wrapping everything up, putting it in two plastic bags, sealing them tight, and then shipping it like that. Would that work?

(I actually received a few items sent this way from people on the forum, so now I'm second-guessing if there's a "proper" way to do it.)

🙂

You can't just send it loose in a bag. At least wrap it in some paper, add some padding, and ship it off.
I usually put most things in a bag, then inside a shoebox with some wrapping paper and padding. For smaller or lighter items, I just use a padded envelope.

Chloe Moore65 said:You can't just toss it in a bag. At least wrap it in some paper, add some twine, and send it like that.
I usually put things in a bag, then into a shoebox, wrap it in paper, and add twine. For smaller or lighter items, I just use a bag inside a padded envelope.

That’s exactly what I was thinking. I wasn't planning on putting this specific thing in an envelope, though. Regardless, the lady at the USPS counter insisted I use the bubble mailer, even though I know it isn't strictly required. It doesn't matter much, though. Next time, I'll do it exactly the way you suggested! 🙂

It doesn't have to be a padded envelope; a standard one works just fine, though there's a higher risk of it tearing along the way.

I have a quick question.

I’ve been digging through this thread, but there is so much information here that it would take me a week just to catch up on everything.
Basically, I'm wondering what the typical commission is for sending money over to Mexico or Canada? Also, if anyone happens to know, what are the average shipping costs from those countries for something light, like a book?
Thanks!😬

Besides an envelope, you could honestly use any kind of box, as long as it isn’t covered in loud, flashy patterns. If you do go with something colorful, just make sure to wrap it up first.
The only thing that really matters is making sure the contents don't rattle around inside the box.

Look, a clerk at the Post Office isn't going to dictate exactly what kind of envelope you use. Just take it as a helpful suggestion.

Nicole Lee4 said:Aside from an envelope, any plain box works too. If it’s colorful, just wrap it up.
The main thing is making sure the contents don't rattle around inside.

A clerk at the UPS Store can't really dictate which envelope you use. Just take it as a suggestion.

I know. I just didn't feel like getting into a whole debate with her. Next time, I'll know exactly how to handle everything smoothly. 😉

Douglas Wells78 said:I have a quick question.

I've been digging through this thread, but honestly, there's so much info here it would take me a week just to catch up on everything.
Basically, I'm wondering what the commission looks like for sending money over to Mexico or Canada? Also, if anyone happens to know, what are the typical shipping costs from those places for something light, like a book?
Thanks!😬

Regarding sending cash, you can always go with Western Union. For countries near the US border or within North America, the rates tend to be a bit more reasonable than sending it halfway across the globe. Just keep in mind, you’re probably looking at starting from $50.00 and up.
As for the books, you can just ship them as media mail. If you scroll back a few posts, someone laid out exactly how that needs to be handled. I'd suggest weighing it first and then checking the official USPS website for the exact pricing. It usually starts around $3.00.