How do you calculate postage?

[TragicallyHip]

I have a few bits to sell and last time I sold anything I underestimated the postage and lost out. Not by much mind you but would like to be more accurate this time.

Thanks!

Royal mail have a website with prices and weight guides, so u need to weigh them all then u wont make any mistakes. I've done it many times myself!

I used to weigh things and then look at the Royal Mail website. Now I just see what postage is for similar items and copy them!

I think I looked at Royal Mail before when I got the postage wrong, maybe I just didn't calculate it correctly.

Thanks I will have a look at Royal Mail again

I tend to add on an extra 20p to allow for error and wrapping paper envelopes...

I bought a pair of digital kitchen scales and postage rule which shows me whether things are thin enough to go as large letter or not. When I originally got teh postage rule it had the postage prices for all weights up to 2kg for first, class, second class and small packets. I've just amended them each time postal prices have gone up. It's just quicker than looking up teh Royal Mail website each time.

Ah thanks, I could use my digital bathroom scales.

Could I get one of these postage rule's through Royal Mail?

The official Royal Mail ones are really expensive. Mine is made from wood and bought off ebay!

Type in Royal Mail guide and several come up - I've just checked!

Oooh thanks, I will have a look!

You can use this but you have to have a set of scales. Don't charge more than the actual cost.

www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBYQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.seajays.org.uk%2Fpostage%2F&rct=j&q=seajays%20postage&ei=1U8yTZyXLOqShAe16tW8Cw&usg=AFQjCNE5irrLUFDsFwF6_Ser5vYkyneieQ&cad=rja

I weigh items in the envelopes on my digital kitchen scales, then add 10g to allow for packing tape / labelling. Then I check on the Royal Mail website, bit of a faff but I prefer that than getting it wrong.

FWIW as I send things in padded envelopes I always send them as 'packets'.

I tend to use those grey posting envelopes as they weigh lighter than padded envelopes, are cheaper, and sometimes allow the item to go as a large letter (and therefore cheaper). I get them off ebay too, in mixed sets!

I mostly copy what everyone else is doing, often with a penny off.

But the vital thing is not making packing too heavy so I use bubblewrap and then a plastic envelope or if necessary part of a bin liner, so even with loads of bubblewrap it comes out as about 25p below what most people charge.

If an overseas bidder asks then I wrap the item up and then weigh it and use the RM website, adding the Airsure/ISF premium (£4.90/£4.65 I think), adding an extra 60g for luck as my scales are crap.