Use a priority mail flat-rate envelope if the book is heavy. It costs a flat $9.65 (as of this year) regardless of weight, so a massive cookbook or textbook becomes affordable. Just don’t try to stuff a set of encyclopedias in there—you have to close the flap.
Never use a single stamp on a thick book. It will arrive with a “Postage Due” sticker, and your cousin will have to pay the difference. That’s a terrible surprise.
Stack your stamps neatly. Place them in a single row on the upper-right corner of the envelope. The post office machine reads them as a total value, so overlap can cause confusion.
A Fun Little Fact (Because You Deserve It)
The world’s most expensive stamp sold for $9.5 million. It’s the 1856 British Guiana One-Cent Magenta, and it’s the size of your thumbnail. That’s enough to mail roughly 9.5 million books, if you had that many stamps.
How Many Stamps in a Book: Guide to Postage Stamp Booklets - Frugal
On the flip side, the USPS processes 425 million mail pieces per day. Your single book is a tiny, beloved needle in a massive, mechanized haystack. They handle it with surprising care.
If you’re sending a signed first edition or a fragile art book, add a “Do Not Bend” sticker and consider insurance. For a few extra dollars, you can sleep soundly knowing that Tolkien’s handiwork won’t end up folded like origami.
