Postage Meters Save Dollars During the Recession

By Chris Thompson

We're all feeling the pinch in this recession, and very littleof us are getting stimulus dollars. To stay afloat, businesses need to make wise spending decisions and reduce costs wherever possible. The small business postage machine, around $19 each month, can help you do just that.

Years ago, only big businesses with large mailings used postage meters. They were huge, expensive and required someone to take the machine to the post office to refill with postage. Today, the biggest users of postage machines are small business-1 to 50 employees-for use with their daily mailing.

First, you no longer have to drive your postage machine to the post office to be refilled. The Pitney Bowes postage meters, for example, have a phone jack built in. Just plug in any regular phone line, push the refill button, and it can dial in and refill itself with as much postage as you decide. The whole process takes literally 60 seconds and you never have to leave your office. This saves a drive to the post office, the time of the person who has to make the trip as well as the expense of the fuel (which no one ever reviewd at previously) to make that trip.

Second, as people mail envelopes and packages of different sizes, they very often apply too much postage. When mailing a letter, the current cost for a first-class mailing is $.44 for a piece 1 ounce or less. If the piece is somewhat heavier, for example 1.3 ounces, more postage is required. However, it is not another $.44 stamp. People using stamps very often apply too much postage, easily tossing away money needlessly.

With the postage machine, the scale is built-in. It not only ways the envelopes it also tells you how much postage needs to be applied. Once it shows that, simply put the envelope or the label and it will print the postage in the correct amount without wasting a penny.

Third, you never need to run out of postage. Invariably, the stamps, people run out of stamps at the wrong time. They may be halfway through a mailing, sending out important bills, or simply sending holiday cards. When you run out of postage, you have no option but to drive to the post office to buy more. If you had a postage machine, you would easily plug-in, push a button to refill, in 60 seconds later you could complete stamping your letters.

Fourth, utilizing a postage machine is an inexpensive way of making your business appear more substantial and reputable. It can seem odd, but people have a different perception when they get a printed envelope with a postage meter stamp as opposed to a handwritten letter with the flower stamp. This little bit of added credibility is achieved without any costly marketing, marketing strategies or campaigns. Your attention to detail is enough to set you apart. - 31410

About the Author:

Chris Ulrich is the developer of Pitney Postage - a Postage System website featuring Pitney Bowes Postage Meters

21st Century Stamps

By Myer Thompson

There are a few intractable office supplies you cant run a business without. You've got your stapler, you've got your tape dispenser, and you've got your supply of stamps. I bet you thought I was going to say something else, like a hole-punch or paper clips. All these items are office essentials, but none of them are as customizable as stamps. And no, I don't mean postage stamps.

A brand-spanking new set of custom stamps can give your business that personal touch that makes it unique. Sure, it's odd to say a set of prefabricated stamps will set you apart, but really, how many people are using stamp anymore? You've got the DMV and maybe a credit bureau, but this stamping trend is on the rise.

Forget about the ubiquitous "Paid" stamp or the ominous "Standby." You can customize your stamps to say anything you want. How about "Thanks!" or "Well Done"? You could even have a set of stamps made up for your address or name. Lots of people hate their freehand writing. A stamp just looks cleaner and more professional.

You could even have a stamp made to mimic your signature. That's pretty classy. I mean, it could be construed as spammy, but if you have enough self-irony to pull it off, it could be something of a style coup. There are no limits to what stamps can do for you and your business. And if you don't like them, they're relatively inexpensive, so you don't have to seat the cost.

Customize your stamps to say anything you want. What's your favorite catch phrase? Stamp it! Sure, there is a kind of cheesiness to it, but these stamps can be fun and if you have enough of them, they can be rather versatile too. The key is getting stamps you like and will use, not just stamps that seem official. Hey, it's the 21st century and these aren't your grandfather's stamps. - 31410

About the Author:

Break with tradition and re-introduce the old in a new way. You can buy a set of custom stamps to fit your every whim and whimsy.

Handcrafted Future: Rubber Stamps

By James Pynn

Though emails are ubiquitous these days, people still find the time and inclination to send snail mail. The postal service is still doing business for a reason, not to mention the likes of UPS and FedEx. It may seem quaint in our cloud-computing world, but nothing quite compares to getting a letter or card through the mail. It's a tactile sensation that is lacking with email cards and pop-up jingles.

Now, some people, this author included, can't stand their freehand. This tends to discourage writing letters. When you're fixated on drafting the perfect return address, the rest of the card-sending business seems insurmountable. Now, you could run the envelope and letter through your printer, but the price of printer ink hasn't fallen since 1987. No, a more cost-effective solution is the humble address rubber stamp.

Stamps, you say? Hear me out. A stamp is engineered perfection. You can order a customized address stamp and pound out the perfect return address time and time again. It's an obsessive-compulsive dream come true. When you couple this hardy piece of office supply engineering with a palate of ink pads, you're in stamping heaven.

The problem with our Web 3.0 culture is a lack of connection. For all the emails and instant messaging going on, it seems people are more and more hungry for personal, handcrafted goodies. How do you account for the incredible demand for handmade journals and writing pads? It may be the one recession-proof industry now: journal making. People want to feel what it mean to write -- not type.

We're wanting more and more to know real, live people. The future is a reclaiming of the past. Look through any sartorial blog or website and you'll see a hunger to get back to basics. The sports coat is now en vogue -- as are fedoras and wing tips. This is where the tried and true stamp can flourish once more. - 31410

About the Author:

Start drafting letters again. Interact and know people. Start with a address rubber stamp and take it from there.

Unsung Hero: The Notary Public

By Myer Thompson

Being a notary is as impressive as being a bag-boy these days. It's a misunderstood calling, often relegated to a few hard-to-find people in strange places. Well, first off, it is less of an occupation and more of a certification. This was not always the case. In fact, as recently as 1990, it was an actual office you held -- well, if you lived in the UK. Nevertheless, being a notary is being connected to almost 2,000 years of history.

Yeah, it's a grandiose claim, but it's true. Notaries stretch back to the scribes of Republican Rome. These officials were charged with authenticating legal documents, primarily wills and ensuring legislation was reviewed for mass consumption and understanding. So, the notary has a pedigree that's impressive.

When the call goes out for notary public stamps people tend to scour the phone book (remember those?) or punch in a search engine search. These men and women have been entrusted with the ability to verify documents and can even be executors of a will. Sure, that's rare, but it's possible.

Only in Europe does the notary enjoy the distinction of being a reputable, respectable profession. In the United States, a notary is essentially a verifiable state-appointed witness. In fact, becoming a notary, in some states, is as easy as forking over an application and paying a fee. Presto -- you're an instant notary. Not too shabby, but far from the centuries of history and important roles in the government bureaucracy.

Ever dream of getting married in Rome? Paris? Well, if so, you can be assured you'll be grooving with a notary public in the near future. See, the notary can issue you the much sought-after apostille. Funny word -- it's French for "certification" and usually applies to the verification of birth certificates for foreign weddings. If you plan to be wed in Europe, you will need an apostille before you can fill out a wedding application. This is where our hero, the notary, bursts onto the scene. - 31410

About the Author:

Should you need notary public stamps, you need to make sure they have a valid certification.

Differentiating Penny Black Stamps From Other Styles

By Scott McQueen

The very first adhesive stamps were penny black stamps -- originally produced in'40 in the UK and Ireland, these stamps became a part of history, just as our own stamps have become a part of our own culture. With technology going out of control, it's surprising that stamp collecting remains a popular alternative to our Information Age.

They're little more than square stickers, but they represent a guarantee to the post office that the piece of mail they decorate has been prepaid for and thus worthy of their time and hard work. Stamps are displayed in the upper right corner of an envelope.

That's not it, though. Technology allows the post office to store data in each stamp that tells them where the particular piece of mail is coming from. An electronic mail sorting device is used for this purpose.

Today, many people engage in the hobby of stamp collecting, a mesmerizing and almost compulsive need to sort stamps by their creative images, place of origin and uniqueness. Famous faces frequently adorn certain stamps, which can add to the fun of collectors worldwide. They reflect real money, sometimes substantial amounts, spent to ship something important - this lends stamps the impression of being quite valuable.

Prior to beginning collecting, would-be stamp collectors learn to ID the different kinds of stamps. This way, they can properly organize them and gather similar stamps by their value or classification.

Stamps: Special

Special stamps are frequently larger than normal stamps, but are sold for the average price. When stock runs low, the prices may dip. Letters or packages sporting special stamps show that these items are first rate posts inside the USA, and are treated with appropriate care.

Commemorative Stamps

These large stamps are made to consider important events or people that have had important lives in our country. At first, they were created to commemorate the time at which the stamps were produced, such as the penny black stamps previously mentioned, but as time goes on more and more stamps are imprinted with pictures of Elvis, for example, and many other celebrities.

Commemorative stamps are sold in limited runs - what this means is that only 200 of them are produced at a time, which means the chances of a reprint are quite slim indeed. Fortunately, this only makes a collector who runs across one of these stamps all the happier.

Definitive Stamps

These stamps are less attractive, but they are the bulk of the stamps used every day. A single definitive stamp design might be reprinted again and again for several years before the style can finally change.

These stamps aren't as big as commemorative or special stamps, but their shape is similar, only on a smaller scale. This makes sense, since they are in essence the generic form of stamp.

Definitive stamps might be misinterpreted as dull, but to a collector they can still provide plenty of enjoyment. Seeing as how they're reprinted several times, there is always the possibility of an error in the printing, which then creates an accidentally unique stamp. Finding these can prove rewarding for collectors indeed. - 31410

About the Author:

Stamp collecting penny black stamps or another kind can be incredibly rewarding. Why not give it a shot yourself? Obtain the necessary items, and other useful tools from a trustworthy supplier today for the in-depth information about penny black postage stamps today.

Stamp Stamps, Not Postage

By Myer Thompson

What's a stamp worth these days? It depends on what it's designed to stamp. Yes, a stamp does one thing -- and does it well -- but each stamp is unique. No two stamps, even if they are etched with the same pattern, will stamp the same way. The ink and rubber play off each other in the same unique way fingerprints do. So, if you've got your hand on a stamp, know you've got the only stamp that stamps that way.

Now, all this begs the question of who uses stamps anymore? Fair enough. Ever been down to you local DMV? Bingo. What about the passport office? Yup. In fact, some businesses still use stamps to verify invoices and payments. Nothing says you've paid in full like a nice red "Paid" stamp. It's a thing of beauty.

What about this: the humble address stamp? Save your printer ink and just stamp the top left corner of the envelope and be done with it. You can opt for all kinds of fonts and flourishes, but the bottom line is you've got a stamp that will lat for ever. Play with different colors of ink while you're at it.

Why not opt for a seasonal address stamp and stay festive and relevant? A flourish of holly or even jolly Saint Nick make for a good time, period. You could get a stamp for every occasion. Easter Bunny? No worries. Halloween? You're covered. The possibilities are limitless.

Don't get caught up in the computing trend. Theses essentials never go out of style. Just because you can convert a document into a PDF file and email it will never diminish the need for a solid stapler. What about a hole-punch? It would behoove your to think of stamps as business and home essentials. Not matter how much cloud computing slowly engulfs the way we do business or correspond, you can never replace the solid, brass tacks of a good set of stamps. - 31410

About the Author:

You're not stepping out on a limb, just adding to your practical home and office supplies. Come on, buy yourself an address stamp and a few ink pads and go wild.