What would you do - Stamp Crisis?

tobefletcher

Looking for your recommendations!
Our RSVP's are postcards.  The postcard rate is going up effective 4/17.  We are sitting on sending our invites out, waiting for the new .29 cents to be available (they were suppose to be available yesterday, however the local post office does not have them yet...and you can not order them on-line yet).  We are at the 7 week mark until the wedding...so we are pushing it and don't have time to delay mailing.  RSVP's are to be returned on 4/22...so we would need to ensure a .29 cent stamp is on for those that may send them back after 4/17.  Would you:

- Go ahead and mail the invites with the .28 cent stamp currently available...and hope not to many folks send RSVP back after 4/17  AND hope the post office gives a grace period and lets them go thru?
- Would you add a .01 cent stamp to the postcard RSVP (would not look appealing)?
- Would you see if the post office could hand stamp additional postage (again, not really pretty)?

Would love your in-put!

nnoble4

i'd just go with the extra .01 stamp.  If you don't put it on, frankly, your guests also probably won't have .01 cent stamp, and you may never get it.  For peace of mind, I'd just get the extra stamp on it.

TheBeckmeister

You could send them without stamps - though that probably breaks etiquette rules and it'd be better to have it ugly than rude...

You could try a different post office nearby - maybe they've already got them in?  I'd call first before driving all around though.

You could put "regular"/forever stamp postage on them - so you'd be overpaying but you'd ensure that they'd each only have one stamp, and that it'd definitely get back to you.

Personally, I think I'd check another post office (or call first before you drive around to them).  If they don't have any available, I'd probably just leave the 28 cent postage on and hope that people return them early or that the post office will give some leeway, or that your guests will add that extra penny.  But, etiquette-ly, you should probably add that extra 0.01 stamp even though it'll look ugly.

BCsGal

Ugh, what a pain to deal with!  I would go ahead and get the one cent stamp.  It isn't the cutest option, but no one besides you will notice it, and you avoid a  potential RSVP nightmare.  For those family members/close friends who you know will return their rsvps promptly, you could put just the 28 cent stamp on it, but for peace of mind, I would probably just stick the 1 cent on all of them.   I had a postage issue too, due to a flippin' tenth of a ounce, I had to pay 2 oz. prices, and it was just annoying, and an unplanned expense, so at least yours is only one cent more per invitation!  Good luck!!

tobefletcher

Thanks ladies!  I must be a truly stressed bride because I didn't even think about just putting on a .44 cent stamp.  so simple ( :  Consider it done!

Thanks fellow brides!!!

sep72fendr

cant you custom order 29 cent stamps? with your picture and stuff!! that would be cute. I don't know how that works though. Just ignore me. :-)

BCsGal

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_ohio-columbus_would-stamp-crisis?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:112Discussion:c0b35677-95cc-4daa-9563-c3bee3c21024Post:f031cc73-4525-4154-b432-2b1922d95a13">Re: What would you do - Stamp Crisis?</a>:
[QUOTE]cant you custom order 29 cent stamps? with your picture and stuff!! that would be cute. I don't know how that works though. Just ignore me. :-)
Posted by sep72fendr[/QUOTE]

If you are trying to go with the most-budget friendly solution, custom stamps are not the best choice, it costs a lot more than regular stamps.  If you go with one 44 cent stamp, you are over-paying 15 more cents for each rsvp, so $15 more for 100 invites, and $30 for 200 invites.  Part of the appeal of the postcard rsvp is that it is cheaper postage,  I really think no one will notice/care about the stamp(s) on the back of your postcard.  I would just rather put $15-$30 toward something else in my wedding, than on the postage, when you will have people who don't return it at all (thus <em>wasting the whole stamp</em>, not matter what the value), which irked me to no end, while handling my rsvps.  Overpaying postage is just a waste of money, IMO.  I would make sure I bought the cute  44 cent rings stamp for the envelope of your invitation, and that can satisfy the cuteness aspect, and just put the minimum value of postage on the rsvp.  But that's just my 2 cents (hahaha). 

KellyRVT

Add the 0.01 stamp on there

SummerTwentyEleven

Aren't all stamps sold now Forever Stamps?  If not, I'd definitely buy them in the future!