be savvy with priority mail.

Knowing how to use the benefits of the U.S. Postal Service can come in very handy. Mother Rabbit is a believer in using Priority Mail at the USPS. Did you know that packages sent Priority Mail are delivered in two days, and if not, they will tell you the estimated arrival when you send the package? Did you know that Priority Mail packages keep moving toward their destination even on weekends and holidays?

It is important to remember that your cost includes the box too. Did you know that you can take those boxes home with you for your own personal postal stockpile? Just ask the postal clerk for two of each size on your next visit to the Post Office. Nothing is handier than having a collection of boxes at your fingertips. You can also go online to usps.com and they will send you a set of boxes at no charge, with no shipping cost. You can pick up some cool sizes that the Post Offices don't even carry. (Mother Rabbit also recommends always having Scotch clear mailing tape, envelopes and stamps on hand at all time.)

For the flat-rate envelope (like the one in my mailbox) you will pay $4.90 for whatever you can fit inside, no matter the weight. There are also flat-rate boxes available. While they are priced higher than their rate-by-weight brothers, you could save $ if you are mailing something very heavy. Since you will have these boxes at home with you, you can make smarter decisions with your packages. For example, if you are mailing some dried milk weed pods and fall leaves to your daughter so she can remember what fall looks like - you would select a Priority Mail Mailing Box. If you are sending her a stack of her favorite magazines and a brick, you would select a Priority Mail Flat-Rate Box.

Everyone loves receiving a package, so why not have fun sending them too.