Holiday shipping deadlines near; send now to save money

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Christmas is a little over two weeks away, which means it’s time to get those packages shipped. Waiting until the last minute could cost you!

Robert Rhoads with the U.S. Postal Service says to save money, get your packages in next week.

“If you send it on time, you could look at two or three dollars for a children’s book whereas if you wait until that last minute, so I know it could run you over $20.”

The deadline for the USPS’s cheapest option – First Class – is Dec. 18. For UPS and FedEx ground shipping, the deadline is Dec. 15.

Rhoads says if you can’t swing by the post office during regular hours, they have a 24-hour shipping kiosk in the lobby, kind of like a shipping ATM.

“You put your package on there, it weighs it and measures it, punch in the address, it tells you OK, we know where this address is, and it prints you out a label once you pay; stick it on there and there’s a drop-off,” Rhoads explained.

To help keep the busy lines moving, make sure your box is taped up. They don’t offer free tape at the post office unless you choose the more expensive option of Priority Mail.

Also, know the ZIP code. Leaving it blank means they have to spend time looking it up.

Last but not least, USPS suggests that inside your package, include an index card or piece of paper with a return address and the destination. That way, if something happens to the box, there’s backup information.

RELATED LINKS
USPS shipping deadlines/info
FedEx shipping deadlines/info
UPS shipping deadlines/info

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