How much postage do I need?

August 2, 2008 8:37 PM

How much postage do I need?

I am mailing a standard envelope with one piece of paper and an 8.5" x 11" piece of cardboard (cut into puzzle pieces), but I don't know how much postage I need. Can anyone with a postal scale weigh the piece of cardboard from the back of a standard 8.5" x 11" pad of paper plus one piece of paper and an envelope and tell me the total weight?

Thanks!

posted by ootsocsid to Grab Bag (8 answers total)

I'm going to *guess* that it would come out to 80 cents, but in my experience, the individual letter carriers don't care (or notice) that much. It's a standard envelope, with only slightly heavier than standard innards--it will almost certainly go through with normal postage. (FWIW, I mailed in my rent checks and bills for 6 months several cents shy of the actual postage, and they all went through. I've mailed an envelope of change with standard postage, and it went through.)
posted by phunniemee at 8:56 PM on August 2, 2008

Here's the current rate listing for the USPS. Make a guess on the weight. Apply a few stamps as needed.
posted by chiababe at 9:24 PM on August 2, 2008

$.83 should do it, but if the cardboard is thick, make it $1.34. You can calculate postage at the USPS site.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 9:26 PM on August 2, 2008

Oh, and by the way, if you take it to the post office - they will weigh it for you.
posted by The Light Fantastic at 9:27 PM on August 2, 2008

Why don't you just mail it from the post office? They will charge you exactly the amount of postage that you need, no more, no less.
posted by kenliu at 10:59 PM on August 2, 2008 [1 favorite]

Also, if the post office weighs it and stamps it, it will go through even if they screwed up (by, say, not taking thickness into account)
posted by meta_eli at 8:25 AM on August 3, 2008

FWIW, 5 nickles weigh very close to one ounce if you haven't scale.
posted by Pressed Rat at 8:41 AM on August 3, 2008

Since I have a postage scale and the materials, here you go:

A standard envelope, a sheet of paper, and the cardboard backing off an 8.5 x 11 notepad* weigh exactly 1.5 oz. I'd round it up to 2 oz to be safe.

*Not sure if notepad cardboard thicknesses and weights are standard, ymmv, etc.
posted by sarahmelah at 9:48 AM on August 4, 2008