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Mail Services
Division of Administration
  2. Faculty/Staff
  3. Postage-saving Tips

Postage-saving Tips

  • Screen outgoing mailing lists for unnecessary names, duplicates, and incomplete addresses.
  • Fold multipage material and enclose in a #10 envelope to save the extra charge of sending a “flat” mail piece.
  • Do not over-insure; the vendor will pay only the actual value of an item, not the declared value.
  • Combine mailings to the same location into one large envelope.
  • Use Priority Mail rather than Express Mail when two- to three-day delivery is acceptable and no tracking is needed, especially when mailing on Thursday or Friday.
  • Use Bulk Rate mail when mailing more than 200 pieces of identical weight and contents.
  • Use Certified instead of Registered mail whenever possible as it costs less and still provides a return receipt and notice of delivery to sender.
  • Use a Certificate of Mailing when all you need is proof that you have mailed an item to an individual or business.
  • Use Business Reply envelopes provided by vendors rather than university envelopes and postage.
  • Use intracampus envelopes for on-campus mail and regular business envelopes for off-campus mailings.
  • Use postcards for short messages or announcements. The cost is much less than sending an envelope.
  • Fax or e-mail information when time is critical instead of using Express Mail or overnight services. Overnight costs are the #1 “runaway cost” of large businesses. “Rate shop” your package; you might be able to send it as ground mail and still meet your time service standards.
  • Always use machineable-size mail. A $.20 surcharge will apply to each mail piece that is First Class mail weighing one ounce or less that exceeds 6 x 9 or 1/4" thick.
  • The minimum size for letter and postcard mail is 3.5" x 5" and 0.007" thick. All mail pieces smaller than these dimensions is UNMAILABLE.
  • Use these addressing tips for faster delivery of your mail: type or use a laser printer (not handwritten), use black ink, use a minimum 10 point fixed font and all capital letters, use no punctuation, and place address in the middle of a white envelope. Always use the ZIP + 4 code if known in order to receive faster processing.