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Save Time and Money by Printing Postage at Home

Maggie OLeary
*Note: This was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up with the Yahoo! Contributor Network to start publishing your own finance articles.

So many of my friends and family members burn up so much time and money standing in line at the post office and waiting on a clerk to help them mail their packages. I haven't been to the post office in years, and my life has been a lot less cluttered and hurried as a result. Whether you only ship one package every few months, or you are a high-volume eBay PowerSeller like me, you can save time and money by purchasing your postage online and avoiding your local post office.

Paypal

One of the best options is to use Paypal. It takes just about three minutes to set up an account and you simply have to input your name, address and bank account or credit/debit card information. It is completely safe and secure; I have been a Paypal customer since 1999 and have never had any problems. If anything, it can be a little too safe and secure at times.

Once you get your Paypal account set up, it's time to print your postage. If someone sends you a payment in Paypal, you'll see a button on your main screen with the option to print postage to the address your sender has on file with Paypal. If you are shipping to a friend or family member, and there is no information in Paypal, you can still print a shipping label. Simply go to "Multi-Order Shipping" on the right side of the screen, input the requested information, and you are good to go. The cost of shipping will be deducted from the balance in your Paypal account, or be debited from the payment method you have on file. Tape the label to your package and give it to your mail carrier, and you are good to go!

USPS.com

You can also print postage online by setting up an account at the United States Postal Service's website. It is similar to Paypal; just put in your name and address and a payment method, and start printing postage. Hand the completed package to your mail carrier and move on with your life. Both options, USPS.com and Paypal, offer a substantial discount on postage costs, usually between 10-20%.

Saving time and money by printing postage online at home is easy; you simply need a cheap scale and a printer with plenty of ink. And you won't have to fight for parking or spend time in frustratingly long lines anymore!

More from this contributor:
Common Retirement Mistakes I've Seen as a Retirement Advisor
Tips For Paying Off Your Holiday Bills
How to Get Great Deals When Shopping Online During the Holidays

Published by Maggie OLeary - Featured Contributor in Lifestyle

Maggie O Leary served on active-duty in the United States Military from 1997 to 2010, before joining the Reserves. She is currently attending college full-time, pursuing a Bachelor s Degree in History. In ad...  View profile

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