So here I am, a very new first timer. Trying very hard to make sure I do all of this correctly and with the minimal amount of faux pas so that I can continue to support our troops. Well I picked out two contacts in Iraq both Marines . Naturally I want very much to make sure these contacts get what they were asking for. So after a hard day of shopping for trail mix, nuts, water guns etc. I realized I have no idea how I am going to ship this. I have a box here for the one group filled with food its approx 17 pounds and measures 16x14x10. So I see on here that you can get flat rate boxes and I am so lost because I have never done this before. So naturally I called the post office at which point the postmaster tells me just to box it up, fill in the paperwork, and he'll send it out. great right? well here's my issue I realized I could take it to the post office and send it... my question to him was which way would be cheaper...the flat rate boxes and splitting them up, or the box as it is. Well after no answer, I got online to usps and naturally I have no idea what zone I am sending to if its packaged right if my paperwork is correct. I mean I am so confused I was hoping to get the boxes out to both contacts by next week... that idea might be scrapped if I dont get some help. Why cant the postal service just be helpful? And I am in small town PA so this should be easy to take care of. well....maybe the problem is me... LOL! HELP someone!

Amy- Mother of Gabriella 4 and Carey 2 Wife to Greg

You can calculate the postage here:

http://www.usps.com/tools/calculatepostage/welcome.htm?from=home&page=0061calculatepostage  

Whether the flat rate boxes are cheaper depends on where you live and how heavy your package is. For example, AE goes to New York, so if you are close to New York, the package has to be fairly heavy for flat rate to be least expensive.

Have you read the "How to Send" section on this site?

http://www.anysoldier.com/HowToSend.cfm 

Good luck.

Pam 

 Amy,

If you go to the USPS website there is a place to calculate postage.  You put in your zip and the contact's zip and enter the weight.  I play around with the weight to see where I get ahead using the FRB.  For me it's about 4 lbs, then I'm better off using the FRB.  I live in Louisiana and since I'm right in the middle, there's no cost difference for me to send to either CA or NY.  You're in PA so I would assume it'll be best for you to send to NY. 

ALittleIrishFairy:

So here I am, a very new first timer. Trying very hard to make sure I do all of this correctly and with the minimal amount of faux pas so that I can continue to support our troops.

It's great that you are helping out so much right off the bat!  In general it may take some trial and error to get all the logisitics of sending the boxes exactly right.  Take it one step at a time and pretty soon it gets easier. I just sent my third box today - it went a lot smoother than the first two.  As far as which box to choose, I prefer to send the smallest Flat Rate Box and load it up with heavier items.  The box is free and the shipping charge is currently $8.95 no matter how neavy it is.  Best wishes!

There's a 20 lb weight limit on the FRBs (flat rate boxes). Figure a can of corn weighs about a pound. If you have really light stuff (toothbrushes, kids' artwork, a few granola bars, dryer sheets--not all together, of course or your granola will taste like Bounce!)--and if they're fairly flat, go for the flat rate envelope. I think most of us junkies manage to accumulate a "heavy" box worth in short order.

You'll be fine.  If you're shipping liquids, take extra precaution to double wrap them in ziploc bags and in such a way they won't get busted open (if possible).

Unless they have recently changed the limit, the weight for the #1 and #2 FRBs is way more than 20#.  It is the new or other large FRB/MILIFRB that has a 20# weight limit unless I dreamed that.  For the #1 and #2 FRBs it is over 50#, but not sure of the exact #.

Gran

 Hi,

  Just to shed a little light on your dilemma.  I am in Pgh.PA and I usually send the regular white priority boxes 12x12x8

to our East coast contacts, (Carolina's, Kentucky, NY)  I recently sent a box weighing 16 pounds for a APO-AE

address and the cost was about 14.00.  I fit substantially more in this size box than the newer flat rate for $10.95.

Hope this helps.

Joy 

I believe the Flat Rate Box (FRB) weight limit is 70 lbs. All sizes domestic & APO/FPO.

The 20lb limit is for NON-APO international mailings.

Addt'l info copied from USPS website:

Now you can have delivery of documents and packages made in an average of 2 to 3 days. Low flat-rate shipping is also available with Priority Mail for any destination and any weight up to a 70 lb. maximum when you use either Flat Rate Envelopes or Flat Rate Boxes.

	Delivery to every address in the United States - including PO Boxes and military addresses.
	Saturday and residential deliveries at no extra cost.
	Convenient flat rate envelopes are available.
	New flat rate boxes are available in two different sizes.
	Maximum weight is 70 pounds, and the maximum size is 108 inches in length and distance around the thickest part combined.
	Print a shipping label online and get Delivery Confirmation™ service at no additional cost!

More addt'l info copied from USPS web site INTERNATIONAL :

• Flat Rate Boxes
  • Canada and Mexico $23, other countries $37
  • Large Flat Rate Box
    • Enables customers to ship 50 percent more than the current box
    • There is a 20 pound weight limit on all flat rate box shipments to international destinations.
    • Like other Priority Mail International options, the Priority Mail Large Flat Rate Box offers a 5 percent online discount
    • Canada and Mexico $29.95, other countries $49.95
• Flat Rate Envelope
  • Can weigh up to 4 pounds
  • Is not tracked
  • Does not offer insurance
  • Offers registered service for a fee
  • Uses PS Form 2976, Customs Declaration – CN22
    

Thank you all so much for your help! This has been something that I have wanted to do for so long and never really knew this sight exsisted until yesterday. I actually found it from the cellphonesforsoldiers.com web site. I am so pleased to be involved with this now, and I know it will be a great learning experience for my girls. Tomorrow we are going to get working on some letters and cards for the soldiers from my girls! thanks for helping out and making this so much easier. There are so many posts to read that it would take me all day to ready a quarter of them. I try to read as many as I can but often times I have found it is so much easier to just ask you veterans for the help. So many of you seem to have been involved for so long I am sure you know darn near just about anything on how this works! Thanks for all the help, I TRULY appreciate it. I may have been lost without your answers and then they never would have gotten the packages! Thank you thank you thank you all!

 Amy-Mother of Gabriella 4 and Carey 2 Wife to Greg

First...Hey Amy, Hugs...don't worry, people will help.  Second, I felt just like you about 30 days ago.  LOL we all start out that way, eager to get things in the mail.  The Post Office is usually not help, until you start seeing the same people every week.  There are discussions on here about the cheapest way to send things, and remember that UNDERWEIGHT is just as bad.  for the small FRBs, my post office lady said 2 pounds, for the large FRBs 3 pounds.  Like I sent a bunch of silk flowers and post cards that filled the box and she said it was a waste of weight, I actually could have sent it in a regular box, or sent more in a bigger box.  you will get the hang of it.  Do what I did, set aside about $20 and make that your post office mistake money.  LOL  I sent a bottle of soap and it cost me over $30 because it "deformed" the box about a 1/4 inch.  Go read my rant on the post office.  You will do great.  Don't worry...and WELCOME!

...Lisa

Hey Bellwood, I'm in Duncansville! Waving at ya! I use the flat rate boxes because I like to know the postage before I get there, I generally send heavy things, and it's nice to have them all the same size when carrying several boxes. But if you go to, say,  Benzel's Pretzels Outlet Store you can buy a case of pretzels, simply slip in a letter, address the Benzel's box, and tape like mad, LOL. Just as an example... In colder weather the same works if you go to the Boyer Candy Outlet Store, <grin>... Send a private message if you need more inspiration!

Thanks, Mom

Mom,

I love your great online store leads   I sent you an email.

Thanks Alison

It's probably 70, that's the max weight they will accept

Hi,

I usually figure it this way, if it's over 5lbs and will fit in a small FRB, then that's the best cost, if it's over 7 lbs and will fit in a lg FRG that's your best cost, but usually if it's over 7 lbs and won't fit in 1 lg FRB, unless it's way over 7lbs, it's cheaper to just use the regular large box, as the price per lb decreases after the first lb.

 I am constantly on USPS.COM using the Calculate postage option, to determine how to save on shipping. From my location, bulk rate is usually $1 or less cheaper than priority, so that's not an option for me, but for alot of people you can save a bunch of $$$. You can check it on the Calculate postage option, it should give you a price for bulk, FRB as well as media and regular Priority.

 Dawn

Sounds like you are off to a great start!  

It is confusing starting out. I've been mailing care pkgs for over a year and still come up with questions. Luckily, I have a wonderful postmaster at our local (tiny) post office. She actually knows her stuff on military mailings and is very helpful and friendly, unlike the staff at several other larger local post offices in the area. She's even baked cookies and done donation drives at her church for my soldiers.

I have experimented with packing the same materials in flat rate boxes vs larger "regular rate" boxes. Almost every time, it comes out less expensive to use multiple flat rate boxes. Unless it's really light-weight stuff, which is seldom the case for me. I remember once packing up a bigger box that was going to be $28 to mail at regular rate. My postmaster suggested sending it in 2 flat rate boxes instead and she was right - fit fine and was only $17.90. Of course I had to run home and re-pack it. Now I use flat rate boxes unless size of items requires a larger one, or the items are really light in weight. Boxes with cans of ravioli are expecially heavy - LOL.

For anyone who is still getting used to the customs form, you just need the following filled in:

• From & To
• Detailed description of contents
  
• Total value
• (10) Airmail/Priority [check this]
• (11) Gift (check this)
• (17) Redirect to Address Below [check this]
  [fill in the following]
  Chaplain or C.O.
  [add your soldier's address - without his name, of course. This will ensure that if your soldier is not reachable for whatever reason, the package will be delivered to the chaplain or commanding officer at the same address.]
• Date and signature

Tip from experience... Watch the postal clerk and make sure they fill in (4) package weight and (9) postage and fees, and count to make sure they stamp ALL SIX copies of the customs form. The important thing is that they stamp all copies on the form. One of my packages never arrived and when I checked my form copy, it wasn't stamped so I guessed that may have had something to do with it but not sure. Luckily that was early on and with a soldier who thanked me for every package so I found out and learned to watch the stamping.

Another tip, since you are just starting out. I put an index card with the To/From and a detailed list of contents in each box sent. I also make a copy of this for my "soldier file" before putting it in the box. This card is helpful if the box is opened for inspection, and also helpful for the soldier if he later wants to send a thank you. I keep a file for each soldier, with customs forms and copies of letters and any other written materials sent. I also copy postcards so I can be sure not to send another of the same design. One soldier used to call (before he returned home) and I took notes and stuck them into the folder, too. When it's time to write another letter or send another card or postcard, I pull out their file for reminders of their details and what I've already sent.

I also keep a spreadsheet which lists every mailing (to, date, occasion - if any, contents). Before I file the index cards, I enter the contents into the spreadsheet. This makes it easier to sort by mailing dates, names, or addresses. Came in handy last week when I got a postcard with no name - just Scorpions and an address. I searched on the zip and figured out who it was without flipping through a dozen paper files.

whew. sorry for the novel. hope it was helpful.