The Low Budget Collector Part 3:Shipping PWE The Right Way

My budget for card collecting the last couple of years has been so stingy, it's basically enough money to cover shipping prizes and mail days. That's it.

So let's talk about one way to ship and save money, ship PWE style. Those three letters can sometimes scare collectors but I don't think there is a need to be scared if done the right way.

I have sent out over 100 PWE's in my time and only once did one ever have an issue. Plain White Envelopes cost  just .50 to send and being sent the right way, you can get up to six cards sent out at once. Sometimes seven.

I used to send three cards out with one being in a top loader and the other two in penny sleeves surrounded by a team bag. But, no more. Not since I discovered a new way to ship PWE which I gotta give a shout out to Gavin over at Baseball Card Breakdown for showing me this way with one of his mailings. This is probably the most efficient and best way to ship PWE style.

First, take one of those old pages or less sturdy ones you would find at the dollar store and cut it into three strips. I choose to do this to cheaper pages because cutting up one of the good ones would truly bother me when I could be using it elsewhere. I will also use those really thick ones or ones I may have torn by mistake myself.

 

Second, grab one of those three rows and stick some cards in it. This was a recent mail day that I sent to my buddy @Jake1725.

 

Next grab your longer business envelope. 

Then simply slide the cards into the envelope and they fit like a charm! You can easily fit six for the cost, but sometimes if they are thin enough a seventh or eighth card can be slipped in without going over the correct weight or bending. The pages flexibility lets the USPS machines not bend the cards as they slip through easily.

 

I write *Do Not Bend* on both the back and front at the bottom of the address. Then I simply tape the back down to really seal it. I don't like trusting the envelopes stick level. 

 

And boom! Mail day ready to send! 

 

I also have some other suggestions on cards not to send PWE despite it's safe travels. 

1. Do not send valuable cards. If they get lost, well, you're out of luck. Always make sure those get tracking.

2. Do not send cards out like this without giving your trading partner forewarning. I always let mine know and I forewarn those entering my contests.

3. It's okay to send autograph cards this way, but never, ever attempt memorabilia cards. They will sometimes get stuck in the machines and bend or will end up costing you more because of weight.

So there you have it. Another way to save money in the hobby and another way to enjoy the hobby especially with the rates for USPS going up every few months it feels.

I hope Part 3 of this will help you in some way today to keep on collecting no matter the circumstance. This is the point of these posts and even though some may be obvious like this one, it will hopefully still get you in the right direction without wanting to quit the hobby. I am also hoping it may give you a new way to save money and collect.