There are many costs associated with the Christmas holiday. These costs can include gifts, wrapping paper, travel expenses, parties, and various food items that always seem to go with the season. In addition to all of these things, there is postage. A few books of stamps may not seem like a very big deal, but when people are thinking about sending out a long list of Christmas cards or letters, the cost of postage can be significant. If people are going to be serious about keeping their Christmas budget under control, they may need to reign in certain items that are negotiable. Here are a few thoughts on how to save money on Christmas postage.
Online correspondence
Despite our technologically advanced society and our increased use of the Internet as a means of communication, people still like to send and receive paper Christmas cards. However, this can be an expensive venture. Not only does it require postage but it requires fancy paper, envelopes, and pictures. Therefore, saving money may be accomplished by sending an electronic Christmas card via e-mail. Or, people can post their Christmas card online with a website or social networking site.
Cut down the list
Sometimes postage gets out of control because the Christmas card list is simply too long. Since sending Christmas cards is a once a year activity, doing maintenance on the list may be something that is never effectively done. A Christmas card list is one of those things that is driven by sentimentality and memories of the past. There is nothing wrong with this, and in many ways the Christmas card is a wonderful tradition that keeps people connected, even if it is only once a year. However, relationships do change over time and sometimes removing someone from a Christmas card list is an appropriate step. If people are willing to trim their list on a regular basis they can save money on postage, as well as all the materials that go into the Christmas card or letter.
Forever
Finally, people can save money on postage by buying “Forever” stamps, which were first offered by the Post Office in 2007. The Forever stamp is sold at the current stamp price, but it is good “forever.” The benefit of buying these sorts of stamps is that they allow the user to continue to use existing stamps without having to buy new stamps at the current price. If people are willing to buy a large amount of the stamps, or small increments of them throughout the year, they may save money on Christmas postage in the long run. Granted, it may not be a great deal of money and there is always the cost outlay of buying a quantity of these types of stamps. However, saving money is about adding up the little things and enjoying the benefits of discipline by keeping the Christmas budget in check.
