(1lb) entering the USA.

Well, considering the naked x-rays we have to endure in order to board an airplane in the U.S. and sometimes an indecent pat-down, nothing here surprises me. I'd pay $9 just to get out of the naked x-ray! :-D Believe me, sending a gift to Germany from the U.S. is VERY expensive, too. My baby granddaughter lives in Germany and I've spent hundreds mailing gifts to her that I have made. A year ago I took one whole suitcase filled with handmade gifts for her layette and paid the extra $50 and then gave the suitcase to a German thrift store. Saved myself a lot of money. What I suggest is do what I've done: Get a small digital scale and keep your packages under the cost of the extra $9 fee. I also save all the bubble-wrap mailing envelopes and use those instead of heavier cardboard boxes. Don't send anything breakable. I also jam everything I can into an envelope (letters, news articles, cards) and keep it under 1 oz. so I can send it overseas for 98 cents.

I understand your pain. I bought a chest in China and had to pay $275. in extra fees when it arrived in CA.

I thought it was to started last year because it was announced on ebay awhile ago.
If you want to grumble about Aust post -what about the parcel deliverer who just leaves the parcel on the front step without even knocking or waiting to see if anyone is home.Once if you were out you'd find a card in the letterbox telling you to pick up the parcel from the nearest PO ,not any more it seems.

That is awful! The postal service will start losing business and it is deserved for prices like this! I am sure the person you sent the gift to will love it enough to make it worth the cost.

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by killiecrankie 16 Mar 2011

I think they are because for the past 2 Christmas, the postman hasn't been late .In the past ,just before Xmas he didn't get to our place until 7- 8pm now it has been the usual 2pm.

Meg, I'm glad you brought this subject up. It gives us all a little break from all the devastations we've been seeing and thinking about. Gives us a chance to vent and I already feel better, hope you do too.
Hugs Karen

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by meganne 16 Mar 2011

Yes, I've got it off my (false) chest but it doesn't help because I keep thinking of all the gifts I won't be able to send in the future, and it is so upsetting.

Why couldn't they make it only for parcels over about 3 lb, then all the smaller gifts could at least be sent.
Hugs n love, Sis

WOW.....this is crazy the postage alone it too high much less adding another $9.00. The USA must be trying to make up for UPS almost being broke. But if the gift you sent was for me ...well I'll just say I'm sorry and you shouldn't have, but glad you did....lol.
Hugs,Sis

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by meganne 16 Mar 2011

I'm not telling!

For several years now I have sent money, via Paypal, to my daughter to buy my grand-daughter presents at Easter, Birthday and most Christmases and with the American coupon system she can find some brilliant bargains. Eight years ago, when she was five, I sent my little grand-daughter a lovely bought 'on special' ABC book, costing $5, and then paid $20 postage to get it to her..... and this, knowing that America had magnificent books for children for less than that cost.

We all want to send gifts to special people so we fork out the money each time, knowing that we could buy something much more valuable if we didn't have that exorbitant postage cost, or even add that extra postage to the week's food bill instead of fine-tuning the budget for the week.

Last Christmas I should have just bought Gift Cards as my grand-daughter had 'grown up' and all the presents I had made were out of fashion, so last year, not cool or just not appropriate. I've learnt my lesson in that direction and she'll love the Gift Cards next time, bought by her mother from a list of favourite stores.

Another way I beat the system is to order gifts from American businesses and have them sent directly to my family members. Even adding currency exchange, bank fees and shipping costs to the purchase price, this is far more cost-effective than posting things from here.

Having said all that, I will continue to send very special gifts, such as embroidered gifts made by me (things I can't buy), to very special people, but these gifts are becoming few and far between these days simply because of the cost of postage.

Now this new cost is a bit of a blow.

AlmaG.

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by meganne 16 Mar 2011

Precisely Alma.
I love to make gifts because I feel it is extra special, but sometimes I see things on sale that are just too good to pass up, especially if it's a hand painted, one of a kind, or limited edition item and I usually have a recipient in mind when I buy it.

Now I'll just have to keep walk on by and leave the bargain for someone else. :-(((

hugs n roses, Meg

That is insane...

Meganne, you are so good at digitizing. Just make the cuties a special design and email it to them. The heck with postage. We will just beat the system!!!!

3 comments

by meganne 16 Mar 2011

hahahahahahahaha!!!! Thank you for the lovely compliment Kaye, but it wouldn't end up being special as I would just have to share it with all my Cute family. :-)
Hugs n roses, Meganne

by mi30kaja 17 Mar 2011

You don't have to share it with All of us Cuties -- Who said that?, but e-mail it to that SPECIAL person. Lyn

by meganne 17 Mar 2011

Me, I said that, because every time I digitise a design I want to share it with ALL my Cute family.

Meganne, I have grandchildren in the states and I stopped sending gifts as such a number of years ago and I just have to tell you why. I travelled 130km each way so 260km all up this particular christmas to post my two postal bags, waited in the cue 40 minutes only to be told I could send a home made cake but I could not send the chocolate etc I had added as a special treat. So back in the cue I got now bear in mind I had taken out several food items the Aussie post person said that my packages were $210 WOW I thought I would rather spend that money on the kids! So my daughter and I have an arrangement now where she buys the gifts over there and I pay her. Works a treat as she knows what they want and what they have got already and wait for it - it saves me money as things are cheaper there. But must admit still buy alot of things via the post from there as often it works out very cheap. I agree with you often the postage is more than the gift, so no more aussie chocolate for that daughter!

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by katydid 15 Mar 2011

I suppose you could just send money or gift cards. This postage thing is ridiculous.

by danababes 15 Mar 2011

Wow I didnt know you could post a home made cake heh. I assumed as much about the chocolate though, since at the WA border we're made to throw away fruit, nuts, chocolates and plants/flowers before you're allowed into WA. That certainly was a steep postage bill for you tho, wow! xXx

by meganne 16 Mar 2011

I could never justify spending that much on postage, especially when I don't earn the money that pays for it.

I would feel so guilty, even though I know Ray would just say, "Well it costs what it costs!"

Might be different if it was family but then I'd probably come to some monetary arrangement with family instead. But you can't do that when you want to send a gift to a friend.
Hugs n roses, Meg

Holy Cow...that seems like a huge jump in fees!
Makes you wonder ???

Try to keep your packages under the weight guidelines and send several smaller ones or try to find someone you know flying to the US and ask them to send them for you after they arrive avoiding that security fee. Every time we turn around there is a new fee, tax, surtax. Feel like we are taxed to pieces. Gee, how did we survive before taxes and fees?

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by kazza 15 Mar 2011

Don't worry we are the same in Aussie, they think we have a bottomless pit of money. It's time we got people in Government that can handle it and not mismanage and go from one crisis to another. We need smart people!

by meganne 16 Mar 2011

The trouble is, it doesn't take much to weigh 1 lb, especially with packaging and protective wrap if it is a breakable item.

And I agree with you Kazza, we have idiots in government now, the money the NSW government has wasted on programs that have not even gone ahead is the biggest crime of the century.
And every time I drive passed the depot where all those new (billion dollar) buses, are just sitting doing nothing, I positively want to shoot someone for this waste of taxpayers money!!!!
Hugs n roses, Meg

Sorry. I feel your outrage. Even without the surcharge postage is high. When I send a package to my daughter in England and it is considered US to US because we use the military address it would be almost cheaper to just send her the money to buy what I have sent.

What can I say Meg? Unfair yes, but so many things seem to be unfair now days. I'm glad Angelbaby explained but it's still unfair to those of us who do not have a lot & have friends & loved ones out of the country that send to us./Hugs lillian

I agree! Its very unfair & unjustified! If corporations would cut thier unjust spending and unearned unjust bonuses prices wouldn't have to raise like that! I used to sell things on e-bay and that was one of the things my customers and I had to deal with. I no longer ship over seas because its just to expensive. I have complained for years to what seems like deaf ears.

that is steep but I wonder how the receiver of the gift is going to feel now-kinda takes a bit of the joy out of the gift knowing all this

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by meganne 15 Mar 2011

Nah, she's a good egg and she'll understand it isn't the cost of sending her gift that upsets me, but the new fee applied by USA Customs.

I wouldn't care what the postage cost was but for overseas senders having to pay a "United States" Customs fee, is just highway robbery, especially when it applies to ordinary people, not just exporters or big business, but ordinary people.

I posted three gifts earlier this year and they cost $56 to send, and that's ok, but add another $27 to that and I just would not be able justify that amount.

Imagine how many families send Birthday and Christmas gifts to relatives in the States, $9 AUD on top of each parcel will prohibit many people from being able to send gifts to their loved ones.
And it's only $9 while our exchange rate is at parity, it will be much more if our dollar drops.

No, she is worth every penny and she knows it, or she will know it when she receives her surprise and if she reads this. LOL!!!

I'll stop ranting now. :-))))
Hugs n roses, Meganne

Wow that is crazy. You are sweet to send it and I am sure the cutie will very much apprecite it. Hugs Lisa

I know how you feel Meg. It's as much as costly sending parcels to Japan too. The gifts are way cheaper than the postage. But I know the person on the other side will be so happy receiving it, this feeling is priceless :)

This is a sad state of affairs. It is special to receive a parcel from a friend overseas. Lyn

This is exhorbitant. I'm glad I'm managing to keep the Secret Santas pretty well within countries. It does spoil the fun a bit though.

Ouch and double ouch Meg. I agree with you it seems ludicrous(?) that we have to pay so much for such a small item in weight? What do they think is in it - GOLD? Still glad you sent it as it will mean so much to her. Love Chris

So sorry dear - I will lobby my local member of the unfair fee.

This is how I found to receive from the USA to the UK. bought some shopping bags and import duty and fee of postal company to administrate this added a huge amount and I will never buy from the USA again lol. Lesson learned. Think your case is you paying and the receiving person not. hehe, they get their money somehow. Yes know how you feel !

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by meganne 15 Mar 2011

It won't stop me purchasing from the States because I don't think it applies to outbound parcels.

But it may prevent me from being able to send gifts to my US friends, especially when Ray retires, as we just won't be able to afford the extra fee on top of postage.

Ouch...I wonder what its going to cost to send out....well we shall see real soon....

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by pennifold 15 Mar 2011

That's why I asked if we could help out with postage. I posted a parcel to Germany for a Cutie and it was $20.00 I think the postage cost me more than the gift! Love Chris

by meganne 15 Mar 2011

Deanna I don't think the fee applies to outbound parcels from the States only INBOUND to the States. It really sucks!!!