Debt Help Ideas

If you send books, CDs, and/or DVDs to friends or relatives (great ideas for long distance grandkids or elderly shut-ins), you are eligible for one of the most practical little ways to save money on snail mail.

Media Mail is ultra cheap and quite easy. Just package up the books, CDs, and/or DVDs in a sturdy box. Don’t include anything else, especially not magazines or personal letters. The post office does do regular spot checks and if you accidentally include those, your package might take a lot longer and will cost a whole lot more! Wrap the package and address it. I usually write Media Mail in big letters on both sides of the package.

Take the package to the post office and request that it be sent via Media Mail. As an example of the great savings:

• 2 pound package from the West Coast to the East coast – Parcel Post would cost $6.97 whereas Media Mail is only $2.58
• For a 7 pound package – Parcel Post would run $12.81 while Media Mail is only $4.33

Think of the possibilities, particularly if you are working hard making extra money at home and have to mail these types of items. Mailing by media mail is definitely one of my favorite and very practical ways to save money!