Square Envelopes Beware! (thought I had done my research)

kdsdds

When ordering my invites, I knew the postage for a square envelope would be more.  I was okay with the extra cost.

Doing what I thought was my research, usps.com says the minimum size for a square envelope is 5x5.  My envelopes are 6.5x6.5.  Although the maximum height for a "letter" is 6.125", I thought my invites would count as a large envelope at $0.88 with a $0.20 surcharge for the non-machinable.  

I had ordered stamps and was ready to go.

Nope, that doesn't apply to large envelopes and my <1 oz invitation counts as a "package".  Therefore, my package of an invitation costs $1.22 to mail.

I know it's only $0.14 more per invite, it's just frustrating when I had stamps and everything.

Argh!!!  Thanks for letting me vent!

GeauxTigers17

Ughhh I'm sorry..I feel ya. That's frustrating, especially when you did the research. The post office in general gets to me though...I don't know if it's just me, but dealing with them can sometimes make me feel like a total idiot. 

SaraAndrew2010

I ran into this same problem.  My parents ordered the invitations and had them delivered to their house.  I suggested to my mom on multiple occassions that we should take a stuffed envelope to the post office to be measured and weighed to be sure of the correct postage.  However, my mom weighed the invitation on the postage meter on her office and kept insisting that she had done all the research on the post office website to figure out the correct postage.

So we stuffed all the envelopes and stamped them with $0.88.  My dad took them to the post office in our town to mail, but the clerk told him we had insufficent postage because our square envelopes were too big.  He couldn't get ahold of me right away, so he took them to the post office in the next town and they accepted them without comment.  When I heard about I was majorly freaked out since I was afraid they would all be returned to sender for insufficient postage.  However, they all ended up being delivered without a problem.

I'm not saying I recommend trying to mail them with only $0.88 postage, because I was an edge for several days waiting to make sure they all got delivered ok.  But I definitely feel your pain.

[Deleted User]

the reason square envelopes cost more to mail is because they dont fit in the sorting machaines, and need to be hand sorted.

kdsdds

I understand that they are square and need to be hand sorted; just didn't realize that it would count as a "package"

Update: after waiting in line for 30 minutes at the post office, I was ready to purchase stamps to equal $1.22 (the cute $.61 wedding cake stamps).  This post office had 2 different clerks who INSISTED that I only need $0.88 and proceeded to sell me $0.44 stamps.

My FI didn't believe me and took the envelopes during lunch and went to a 3rd post office.  They also said $0.88 if fine???

Here's hoping they don't get returned!