Sending a package can be expensive, especially if you are using the United States Postal Service (USPS). The shipping cost can quickly add up if you are not careful. This blog post will discuss some tips to help you save money on your USPS shipping costs. We will also provide a few examples to help illustrate our points. Let's get started.

While there are a lot of different shipping options with varying cost structures, the United States Postal Service offers an easy-to-use and affordable standard shipping option called First Class.

According to USPS Domestic Mail Manual section 1.5: The First-Class Package Service is an expedited service that provides delivery confirmation for shipments at a flat rate regardless of weight or distance.

First Class Shipping Packing Recommendations

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According to USPS Domestic Mail Manual section 1.1: The purpose of First-Class Package Service is to provide economical prices with an enhanced level of service on lightweight "everyday" parcels that are not mailable Express Mail or Priority Mail.

The maximum weight allowed for First Class Shipping is 13 oz (370 g), but if you're looking to purchase something over 13 oz, it may be cheaper just to ship via Priority Mail according to the USPS Postage Price Calculator. This maximum weight limit is for parcels up to 12 inches on any side, which is the size restriction for First Class Shipping.

If you're interested in reading more about the proper way to package items for shipping with USPS, consult their guide here.

USPS First Class Shipping Time Estimates + Delivery Confirmation

According to USPS Domestic Mail Manual section 1.5: The basic domestic service standard for all single-piece price First-Class Mail (including Priority Mail) parcels weighing between 5 and 13 ounces is 2 to 5 business days; however, delivery time is not guaranteed. This means that if your package goes through processing at 11 AM on Monday morning, there's no guarantee it will arrive at your doorstep by Thursday.

While USPS does not guarantee USPS First Class Shipping to arrive in 2-5 business days, it does offer a Delivery Confirmation service which provides the sender with an online tracking number and delivery confirmation once the package has been processed and is on its way.

Delivery times can vary depending on location, so it is recommended that you use the USPS Postage Price Calculator to estimate how much time it will take for your parcel to arrive at its destination before purchasing First Class Shipping.

First Class Shipping Receiving Times

According to USPS Domestic Mail Manual section 1.7: When a delivery scan indicates that an article was delivered, First-Class Mail (including Priority Mail) parcels are considered delivered on the date of mailing. This does not preclude later inquiry into delayed deliveries.

When receiving First Class Shipping with Delivery Confirmation, it is recommended to wait at least 48 hours after USPS has processed your package before considering it as "lost." From experience, I can tell you firsthand that packages will often show up within this time frame but not always, and there's no reason to worry until at least 48 hours have passed.

Before contacting USPS about a missing package with Delivery Confirmation, here are some things you should check to be sure your items were, in fact, delivered:

- At home in the mailbox: The mail carrier might just have dropped it off inside the mailbox. Look around the outside of the box for any packages that could be hidden among ads or other papers.

- At your neighbor's house: Sometimes they accidentally deliver mail to the wrong address - especially if it's right next door or across the street from yours! Make sure you ask all of your neighbors, even if you didn't see a delivery truck come by. They may not have been home when it was delivered, and they might not know that their mailman tried to deliver something to them.

- Mail theft: Unfortunately, it happens in many parts of the country. Hopefully, you live in an area where mailmen are trusted and respected members of the community, but don't be too surprised if your neighbor tells you that someone has stolen their mail before - it happens more often than people think! If possible, file a police report with your local authorities even if nothing was taken because they will appreciate having documentation of what happened if anything else goes missing.

Conclusion:

USPS offers a variety of shipping services to meet your needs. With the holidays coming up, it's important to understand the different shipping options and choose the one that best meets your needs. We hope this article has helped you better understand USPS shipping costs and how to get the most from your postage budget. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us for help.