Have you ever realized that you forgot to send something and need to deliver it the next day? Whether it is an important document or a gift for a friend or family member, you need to find the cheapest option to deliver your shipment on time.
When it comes to overnight delivery, the post office offers the cheapest overnight shipping method in most cases. The total amount depends on how and where you send your letter or package.
So how do you ensure you get the cheapest USPS nightly rate? Several factors come into play when it comes to calculating shipping costs.
To determine the best cost, you need to make sure you need overnight delivery. If so, you want to check the weight, destination and extra services involved in the shipment.
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Why You Need Overnight Delivery?
Before entering shipping cost calculations, make sure that you need to ship for overnight delivery. Options, such as standard priority mail, allow you to send within three to five business days. If this option works, do not pay more than necessary to send something.
Examine the different shipping methods to determine if another option will work for your needs. For example, just because something requires a stamp on a certain day, it does not mean that the item has to appear on that day. Only send overnight if the material itself needs to appear on a given day.
If overnight delivery is required, be sure to choose the cheapest overnight options for your needs. That includes:
- Using the right packaging material
- Know the services offered by your local post office
- Paying only for the necessary services
- Understanding zones
You do not want to plan an option not included with your local post office. You also do not want to pay for services outside the needs of your individual shipment. In addition, if you plan well, you can find better options.
Getting the Best Overnight Shipping Cost
To get the best overnight rate, you want to plan ahead as much as possible. For example, you can use the USPS Shipping Calculator to compare your pricing options. It also allows you to see the final cost of the additional services.
Make sure you understand all of the services involved in your shipment. This will help you reduce additional costs for unnecessary services outside of what the shipping method offers.
You also want to plan in advance how to pack your overnight shipment. For example, if you want to use a flat rate option, you need to get a flat rate envelope from the post office to pack your items.
Choose the cheapest overnight courier
First of all, you need to make sure you choose the right service for your shipment. Pay attention to the delivery times of each service offered.
Priority Mail Express offers the cheapest options for overnight shipping in the United States. The cost will depend on the weight and dimensions of the package, as well as the area to which you will be shipping.
Make sure you choose the express option when using priority mail. Standard delivery takes up to five days for delivery to most areas. If you send within your area, Standard Priority Mail can get there on time, but not from outside.
Flat rate options
If you are shipping items under 70 pounds that fit USPS flat rate envelopes, you can use this option to guarantee the cost of your shipment. Items shipped in flat rate envelopes start at $ 23.18 for the smallest envelope. You have three options for flat rate envelopes.
The regular envelope fits into items in a 12 1/2 “x 9 1/2” envelope. This works well for regular documents. The legal flat rate envelope fits into legal documents in a 15 “x 9 1/2” space.
You can also use the padded envelope for items that fit in a 12 1/2 “x 9 1/2” space. This option works well for clothes, books or other non-documentary items that fit in an envelope. Whichever option is used, make sure that the items fit well in the envelope you choose.
You can also use flat rate boxes for overnight delivery to certain areas. If you are shipping outside these zones, the cost of shipping in these boxes will depend on other factors.
Determine full shipping costs
If you cannot use a flat rate option, you still want to send in the smallest option possible. Choose a box or envelope that fits your items well, with as little extra space as possible.
You can use flat rate options for items under 70 pounds. If your items weigh more than that, the weight, dimensions and destination of your package will determine the cost.
Make sure you know how much the shipment weighs after packing to get accurate shipping costs. In addition, keep the normal dimensions of the packaging when possible. Strange or large packages may cost more to ship.
The destination has the least impact on cost, but it is still important. It costs less to send inside your post office area than outside. Remember that if you are shipping something under £ 70, the flat fee offers the best option.
Additional services
Sometimes you need extra services to make sure your package gets to where it should be. However, make sure you need the services before paying for them.
Priority Mail Express offers up to $ 100 insurance for each plan as part of the cost. If your item is less than this amount, there is no need to pay insurance. If the value of your item is over $ 100, it is advisable to purchase insurance for the remaining amount.
Express also offers correspondence tracking with the shipment, so you don’t need to pay too much for it. If you need a subscription or proof of return to make sure the right person receives your package, these are services that you will have to overpay to receive. Other options you may want to consider include an adult membership or limited delivery to a specific person.
In some areas, you may also pay too much for early delivery. Express courier usually guarantees delivery at 10:30 am, so keep that in mind. Don’t pay for services you don’t need for next day delivery.
Other tips to reduce the cost of overnight shipping
If you want to be sure you get the best options, contact your local post office. Customer service can advise you on the best shipping methods and services to meet your needs.
You can also pick up the packing materials at your local post office. Many offer shipping supplies at no additional cost when using a landline or priority mail option. You may also find other options to find the best dimensions for your shipment.
The USPS website also offers many options for online shipping material. You can receive all the supplies you need.
You can even print labels directly from your website if you know the weight of your shipment. This cuts costs because you don’t have to worry about a location when shipping your items. It also cuts down on the time you spend at the post office.
International considerations
If you are shipping items to another country, it is important to know that the USPS cannot guarantee overnight delivery to all countries. You can set up a shipment with a guaranteed delivery date, but only Canada offers guaranteed next day delivery.
International delivery with Global Express guarantees delivery within three days, so it’s always a fast option. It’s also much more expensive, starting at $ 60.
This means that you want to plan all international shipments in advance. Only leave these packages at the last minute.
Delivery guarantee
One final note about overnight shipping that you should understand is to ensure delivery. You will see a guaranteed delivery date with many of your shipping options.
This guarantee does not mean that the Post can guarantee 100% successful delivery by date. This means that if the post office does not have at least one attempt to deliver your package on the proposed date, you can get your money back.
Make sure you know the delivery date range offered by the post office for any package you send. If your package does not arrive within this range except under certain weather conditions, you can get your money back for that package. Also remember that if they tried to deliver within range, that counts as a delivery.
Meet your local post office
If you want to calculate the cost of overnight shipping or compare your other delivery options, you need to know how to contact your local post office. You can contact customer service, but each post office offers different services.
To make sure you get the right help, you want to contact your local offices. This ensures that you get the best calculations for your area.
Need help finding the nearest post office to you? Check out our post office locator to get started. You can also use this locator to find a post office near you that offers the services you need.
