Some specific things to watch for:

Popular musical greeting cards often weigh more than an ounce, requiring extra postage. In fact, the post office warns that many musical cards exceed letter-size standards and are classified and priced as large envelopes (flats).

Cards that are square in shape may be subject to the 17-cent non-machinable surcharge. That surcharge is on top of whatever the cost of the first class postage would be.

If you're mailing gifts, keep mailing costs down by choosing a box that's an appropriate size for the contents and any needed cushioning. Free shipping boxes available from the Post Office if you're shipping priority mail can be a good bargain if the items you are shipping fit in them. You avoid oversized package shipping costs and save the cost of buying the shipping cartons. There's often only a minimal difference in the price of priority shipping versus parcel post, and the packages get delivered quickly.

If you print your own postage from the USPS.gov site or from an authorized reseller such as Stamps.com, you can get free delivery confirmation for priority shipping, too. (Signature confirmation is extra, however.)

More >> How to Cut the Cost of Mailings

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