The Cheapest Places to Buy Stamps (Complete Guide)
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It seems like every time you get a message from USPS; there is news that postage is going up. In fact, postage has increased by $0.13 in the past decade alone.
Given the frequent (and expensive) price hikes, who wouldn’t want to save money on stamps? To that end, I’ve put together a definitive list of the cheapest places to buy stamps. Read on and start saving big!
The cheapest places to buy stamps in 2022
Online retailers eBay and Amazon tend to offer discounts on stamps, especially when buying in bulk (100 or 200) in 2022. Discounts vary between 25-30% of retail price. Online mailing companies like stamps.com and buydiscountstamps.com offer members discounts on stamps up to 10% off retail prices. Stamp dealers can also sell discounted stamps.
If you’re looking to save big on your next stamp purchase, check out my full guide!
1. eBay
Online retailer eBay is known for its auction-style sales and massive product discounts. Fortunately, these discounts also apply to USPS stamps.
At any given time, you’ll see hundreds of auctions of unused stamps; many of these auctions are for batches of Forever Stamps (100 or 200).
Depending on the auction, you can get a roll of 100 stamps for as little as $36.
Save $0.36 per stamp at $36, or $0.24 per stamp at current exchange rates. If you want to look at it another way, it’s 62% off the retail price!
Also, while most Forever Stamps don’t have that much discount, you can have no trouble finding a roll of $100 stamps for $50.
A roll of 100 stamps is $50, which equates to $0.50 per stamp, or $0.08 less than the retail price.
Plus, even if you don’t think you need that many stamps, you can roll up and share the discount with friends or family.
Also, search eBay for “face value stamps” and select only “auction” lots to get the best price.
2. Amazon
At first glance, stamps on Amazon don’t seem cheap. In fact, sometimes they are even more expensive than the post office.
But if you’re willing to hunt, the e-commerce giant has a lot of great stamp deals on offer.
For example, a pack of 100 Forever Stamps will appear on the first page of search results for $54.72. At this price, that’s $3.28 less than the USPS retail price.
In other words, it is 6% off!
Likewise, another seller is selling five 20-packs of Forever Stamps for $50.00, about $8.00 less than the retail price. Also, you can think of it as a 14% discount.
Also, while the savings you’ll find on Amazon won’t be as staggering as those on eBay, Amazon has a wider variety of package sizes.
Plus, it means you don’t have to buy a lot of stamps to save money.
Finally, use your Amazon credit card to earn points that you can use to buy future stamps.
3. Stamp Network
This online retailer is a USPS-approved supplier of postal products, including postage stamps. So stamps.com offers pretty much everything the USPS does, but at a discount.
For example, the company offers a 4-week trial of the service and gives you $5 worth of free postage during that time.
Even better, you can keep your postage even if you don’t think stamps.com is for you.
If you decide to sign up after the trial period, you pay $17.99 per month (plus applicable taxes), and your subscription entitles you to substantial postage discounts.
For example, stamps.com currently sells Forever Stamps for $0.53 per stamp, which is a savings of $0.05 per stamp (or about 9%) at current USPS rates.
That said, you do need to consider the monthly subscription fee when deciding whether the stamp discount is enough to entice you.
Typically, the more you ship, the better the deal, so if you’re only shipping a few items a month, the service might not be worth it.
If you’re hesitant, know that there are no long-term contracts, so you won’t lose much by giving it a try.
Plus, stamps.com provides you with a digital postage scale as part of your subscription, so you’ll never wonder how much postage to use.
4. Buydiscountstamps.com
With a motto like “Get Postage for Less”, you know you’re in the right place to save money on stamps.
With this, Buy Discount Stamps offers a wide selection of stamps at wholesale and bulk pricing.
Usually, its stock changes frequently, so it’s worth checking the site every few days to see if it has new deals.
In addition to a wide range of stamps, Buy Discount Stamps offers free shipping on all orders and no sales tax to customers, which means you can save even more.
In terms of deals, Buy Discount Stamps is currently offering a roll of 100 Forever Stamps for $52.20, which is $5.80 (or 10%) off the USPS retail price.
If big packs aren’t your thing, buying discount stamps also offers deals on small packs of postcard stamps, cent stamps, and extra ounce stamps.
Also, while there is no minimum number of stamps you need to buy, Buy Discount Stamps has a purchase limit of $500.
5. Stamp dealers
Believe it or not, stamp collecting, or researching stamps, is a big industry. Unfortunately for collectors, it’s also a very volatile one. However, this is good news for the average consumer.
Here’s how it works: Stamp collectors typically buy unique stamps when they are first released, hoping that someday they will become valuable.
Stamps usually don’t appreciate in value, so collectors sell them to dealers at a discount. Dealers then pass those savings on to consumers.
Also, here are some places to find stamp dealers online:
Also, if you want to visit a stamp dealer in person, try searching for “stamp dealers near me” or “stamp shops near me” in your preferred search engine.
Also, keep in mind that buying stamps from a dealer may mean you have to use several stamps of varying value to pay for first class postage.
6. Costco
Costco, a wholesale giant, sells 100-packs of stamps to members at a slightly discounted price.
For example, while USPS currently sells 100 Forever Stamps for $58.00, Costco sells the same product for $57.75, or $0.25 less than USPS.
Fortunately, stamps can be purchased online or at your local Costco warehouse.
While the savings aren’t huge, they may increase over time with the number of stamps you use.
However, please note that you must be a Costco member to benefit from these savings, which cost $60 or $120 per year, depending on your plan.
So it doesn’t make much financial sense to buy a Costco membership just for the stamp discount, but if you plan to shop there, the savings might be worth it.
Additionally, Costco limits customers to 10 packs of 100 Forever Stamps per trip, so plan accordingly.
7. Sam’s Club
Like Costco’s competitors, Sam’s Club offers members discounts on USPS stamps.
For example, a 100-pack of Forever Stamps currently sells for $57.75 at Sam’s Club.
Plus, you can order stamps online, order ahead and pick up in-store or get a roll on your next purchase.
However, keep in mind that membership costs $45 or $100 per year depending on your plan, so only join if you use your membership regularly.
In addition to the standard American flag stamps, Sam’s Club often issues Christmas stamps around the holiday season.
8. Wholesale of BJ
Like competitors Costco and Sam’s Club, wholesale retailer BJ’s is offering discounts on 100-packs of Forever Stamps.
That said, BJ’s is currently selling 100 stamps for $54.75, which is $3.25 less than the Post Office (a 6% savings)!
Again, remember to factor in the cost of an annual membership ($50 in this case) when deciding whether to join.
Additionally, BJ’s sells 40 packs of Forever Stamps with holiday designs, so keep an eye out for when they release.
9. Walmart
The large retailer Walmart sells USPS stamps in a variety of designs and sizes (eg, 20 per sheet, 100 per roll).
With this, while some unique designs are priced above USPS prices, it’s still fairly easy to strike a deal here.
For example, Walmart currently offers a roll of 100 Forever Stamps for $43.50. At this price, that’s $14.50 less than the current USPS price, or 25% off!
In addition, stamps can be purchased online or at your local Walmart by going to a money service or customer service desk.
Unlike the post office, Walmart is open 7 days a week, sometimes until 11:00 p.m., which means you can get your stamps even if the post office is closed.
10. More ways to save on stamps
If you want to save even more money on your next stamp purchase, coupons and rewards programs are the way to go.
That said, coupons are especially useful if you’re planning to buy stamps from online retailers like Amazon.
So while they’re not specifically designed to save on stamps, they’ll put more money in your pocket, which you can use as you see fit.
Also, some of the best coupon sites include:
- Lotte
- RetailMeNot
- coupon.com
Also, when buying stamps through eBay, you can browse cashback sites like Cashbackholic to find the best cashback deals.
Finally, try using your cashback credit card “transaction stack” when buying stamps.
Here’s how it works; let’s say your credit card offers you 1% back on every purchase you make. So a pack of 100 stamps that you bought for $50 is now just $49.50.
To learn more about USPS, you can also read our posts on USPS stamp types, whether USPS stamps expire, and Purple Heart Forever stamps.
in conclusion
Without a doubt, eBay is the best place to find the most consistent stamp deals. You might get lucky at Amazon or your local stamp dealer, though.
Additionally, people who ship in bulk or have a business can benefit from discounts from stamps.com and Buy Discounted Stamps.