Cheap Ways to Send Parcels

Media Mail

Media mail from the U.S. Postal Service is one of the most cost-effective shipping solutions available for specific kinds of packages. The package must be low priority. Media mail can be really slow, and there are no guarantees on how fast it will be delivered; it's often just slightly slower than regular first class mail, but can be a week or more slower. Media mail is limited to books, printed music, sound recordings, videotapes or recorded computer-readable material such as CDs, DVDs or diskettes. No advertising flyers are allowed, and the post office retains the right to check. For heavy packages of media materials, media mail is inexpensive. For example, a 10-pound package going from the Midwest to the west coast via media mail is $9 less than parcel post, $20 less than standard Priority Mail, and $60 less than Express Mail, as of May 2011.

While the USPS isn't always the cheapest option, its flat rate services can save you money over other options. It offers a flat rate Express Mail envelope for $10 to $40 less than the overnight competitors. However, USPS "overnight" sometimes means two days, so check before you send something that must arrive the following day. Flat rate priority mail boxes can also save postage. The boxes come in small, medium and large. If you can fit more than two pounds in a small box, more than four pounds in a medium box and more than seven pounds in a large box, you can save significantly over any other carrier. However, the standard rates for priority mail are extremely close to UPS and FedEx, so it's best to use priority mail for flat rate boxes containing heavy items. USPS doesn't guarantee delivery times, so it's not the best choice if delivery time is crucial.

For those who ship regularly and are comfortable working in an online environment, FedEx offers a 15 percent discount to anyone who opens an online account. Combine this discount with cost-effective Fed Ex solutions like second-day air for quick delivery and ground for low-priority deliveries, and Fed Ex offers some shipping options that are less expensive than you might think...and your delivery time is guaranteed.

The shipping service Unishippers offers the reliability and on-time guarantees of UPS combined with the pricing discounts of a bulk shipping company. Unishippers negotiates volume discounts with UPS for individual package deliveries, then passes the savings on to its customers. Customers get the lower rates and can complete all shipping logistics--scheduling, printing and tracking--online at the Unishippers website. It's a cost-effective option for businesses looking for reliable and low-cost package delivery.