Postage, Printing & Money Saving Tips

The US Postal Service will continue to raise postage rates.  To help you handle these increases, we offer these postage saving tips:

• Screen your mailing for unnecessary names, duplicates and incomplete addresses.

• Barcode your mail for postage savings.

• Double side your inserts to keep weight down.

• Use "Certified" instead of "Registered" mail whenever possible. It costs less and still provides a receipt and notice of delivery to the sender.
  
• Do not over-insure. The post office and shippers will pay only the actual value of an item, not the declared value.

• Use the most cost effective shpping method - USPS Priority Mail instead of Express, First Class instead of priority Mail or Media Mail instead of First Class.
  
• For mailings with more than 5 pages, fold pages in half and place in a 6"x9" envelope and save an average of 41 cents. (Do not use an envelope with a clasp - there is an extra USPS service fee).
  
• If you currently use Business Reply (return postage included) envelopes, consider using Courtesy Reply (return postage not inluded) envelopes instead.
  
• If Express is needed, use the lowest level of service available to accomplish your delivery objective (Two-day instead of overnight, afternoon instead of morning, etc.).
  
• Only request a signature on Express when absolutely needed. There are now charges for signatures at residential and some business addresses.
  
• Use post cards for short messages or announcements. This costs 1/3 less than using an envelope.
  
• Fax critical infomation if possible when short on time rather than sending via Express.
  
• If you purchase 9 x 12 or 10 x 13 envelopes, order plain white or manila, not the ones with the green "First-class" logo.
  
• To avoid potential damage to the envelopes & contents, use ony 'peel-n-seal' or self-stick large envelopes, not the clasp type. There is a handling charge assessed by the US Postal Serivce on clasp-style envelopes when used for mailing purposes.

• Use regular business envelopes for off-campus mailings only. Intra-campus envelopes* should be used only for campus mail.
  
• Request Library and Media rate whenever posisible. Savings can be as much as 50% off the cost of First class mail but it is slower.
  
• Use Non-profit/Bulk Rate whenever possible, saving can be as much as 20 cents per mail piece.

• Use Priority Mail only for items out-of-state. Priority takes two to three days delivery time. Anything in-state sent out 1st class is delivered in that time. Use Business Reply envelopes provided by vendors, instead of department envelopes.
  

*Use only Official Yale University Inter-Departmental Mail envelopes.  Purchase envelopes by faxing (4-9312) a Stock Request form to the TR&S Central Stockroom.  They are less expensive than using an outside vendor and request correct addressing information needed for accurate delivery.  

ENVELOPE, CAMPUS MAIL manila 10x13 w/tie 100/bx

Stock #38445

Approx. $10.00/bx

Copying and Printing Tips

• Copy Center copies / prints cost about 1/2 of what it costs for the same black and white or color work on small office machines. Consider using them when making more than 25 copies or prints.
  
• Use color only when necessary.
  
• Request two-sided copying & printing whenever possible.
  
• Produce only the quantity of documents needed.