Care Package Money Saving Tip: Use Pirate Ship
Once you decide to create a care package for your loved one, you get excited and pull all your goodies together in the box, and then you get sticker shock from the cost to ship your box. Trust me, I’ve been there.
The good news is that a friend of mine told me about Pirate Ship a few years ago, and it is a game changer. I don’t ship any packages now without using Pirate Ship, whether it’s a care package or not.
Some links in this article are affiliate links, which means that I may earn a commission if you purchase through them. That said, I have no relationship with Pirate Ship other than flat-out loving them and using them all the time.
What is Pirate Ship?
Pirate Ship is a shipping software that uses the buying power of everyone who ships through them to get discounts on shipping that usually only major companies like Amazon or Target or Staples might get when shipping packages.
Yes, this is absolutely legit. It does not violate any rules or terms of contract with the shippers. It lets individuals and small businesses send packages at significantly discounted rates by using their bulk rates.
Unlike traditional shipping companies, Pirate Ship focuses on providing affordable rates and simple processes. It is free to sign up, and everyone who uses the site needs an account.
You see exactly what the package will cost to send before you purchase the shipping label, and you choose the carrier and speed it will arrive, so you really have all the control over it.
I have used Pirate Ship personally for years, and it’s easy peasy. If you make a mistake, you can also cancel your label as long as you haven’t had it scanned by the carrier yet. Yes, I’ve done that, too.
They’re pretty irreverant, and you’re going to find a lot of pirate puns through the site, but again, this is a legit site and a legit company. It just flat out works.
Who can send packages with Pirate Ship?
Pirate Ship lets anyone sign up for an account. You can use it for any packages you plan to send with the major carriers, and small businesses can also use it for their business shipping.
There’s no minimum shipping volume required, and you don’t need a business license to sign up. This makes it perfect for someone who sends packages periodically and needs to save money, too.
I use it for every care package I make, as well as anything I ship from my Etsy store and more. And if you don’t know what care packages are, I’ve got you covered with Care Package 101 so you know what to you’re getting into.
What carriers can I ship with?
Pirate Ship partners with two major carriers, USPS and UPS. I swear when I first started using them that they also had FedEx as an option, but you cannot ship with FedEx or DHL through Pirate Ship.
This means you can select the carrier that best suits your needs based on factors like delivery speed, cost, and package size. Sometimes I find that UPS is the best option and other packages USPS is a better option in terms of price and speed.
Whether you need a package to arrive overnight or are happy with a slower, more affordable option, Pirate Ship has you covered. Plus, the platform automatically calculates rates from different carriers, so you can easily compare prices and choose the best deal.
How do you know how much it will cost?
Once you are logged in, you enter the shipping origination address and destination address and the measurements of the package. You need both the size in inches and the weight of the package in pounds and ounces.
Pirate Ship then provides you with an accurate shipping estimate. It will auto select what it thinks is the best option for you, but you can easily choose the fastest or the cheapest or see all the USPS and UPS options to figure out what you want to choose.
There are no hidden fees or surprises, so you know exactly what you’re paying upfront. You pay the rate shown via credit card, and that’s it.
What is the best way to weigh packages?
In order to know how much your package will cost to ship, you need the weight and measurement of it. Since you aren’t going to be purchasing shipping directly from the post office or UPS store, they don’t do it for you.
Use a tape measure and a kitchen scale to figure this out. You do not need to get a full on postage scale that can be relatively expensive.
A kitchen scale that weighs up to 13 or 15 pounds is just fine. If your package is heavier than that, then use the scale in your bathroom.
You can easily find a scale for under $20 that will give you the weight you need. Be sure to look for a model that lets you see the screen when you have something on it, as some have the screen close to a small base.
Considering how much I save on my shipping, the scale costs less than what I save when I ship two care packages. This kitchen scale is perfect for what you need.
How much money do you save with Pirate Ship?
The amount you save depends on each package and will vary. The size and weight matters, as does the distance that you’re shipping.
Interestingly, pay attention around the holidays, as there is a surge type pricing that goes into effect, so if you are sending a care package for finals, for example, make sure you ship it before those higher prices start up.
In the packages I’ve shipped, the savings has been significant. As in shipping USPS would have been $23 and I paid under $10 kind of significant.
I’ll share a couple examples to give you an idea of how much you can save:
To send a standard size care package box that is 11×8.5×6 inches and weighs 7 pounds, something I typically ship my kids:
- UPS Ground Saver currently costs $17.59 if I were to walk into a UPS store, but the Pirate Ship rate is $8.66
- USPS Ground Advantage Cubic is $16.25 at the post office (and you have to ask for cubic rates, as they don’t often tell you about them) but Pirate Ship has it for $8.76
Both those options arrive in about five days, but if I want to get a package there sooner, I have other options, too:
- Priority Mail Cubic is $20.30 at USPS but $12.35 with Pirate Ship
- UPS Second Day Air A.M. is a painful $67.76 at the UPS store but just $22.08 with Pirate Ship
See? Serious and significant savings. Keep in mind that these are just examples and that carriers are changing their prices regularly, but you can see the kind of discounts you can get by using this free shipping service.
Many mailing options come with insurance automatically, but you can also add additional third-party insurance beyond that. You can also add signature confirmation, create a return label for your package, and more.
What kinds of packages can you ship?
Pirate Ship is versatile enough to handle a wide range of packages. It can accommodate everything from a simple envelope or box up to the fun and funky pinatas and hazard cones.
If you are shipping a non-standard item, you do need to go through a few extra steps to get the right shipping. Before you do anything else with your label order, make sure you open the extra services menu and select Irregular Package.
Note that with the irregular packages, you may be better off using USPS than UPS, as UPS tends to add more surcharges to the unusual sizes and shapes than USPS does.
To measure an irregular-shaped package, it may be best for the carrier you want to use to measure it for you to keep it simple. But it is possible to do it yourself.
You need to figure out the girth of your package, which is the distance around the widest part of your package. Then you need to do calculations.
- When calculating the girth of a square or rectangular package, use girth = (2 x Height) + (2 x Width)
- To calculate the girth of a triangular package, use girth = Sum of the 3 sides of the triangular package
Be sure that nothing is loose on any unique packages and that your label sticks to it well. You might run into an employee who says you can’t ship them, but you can, so keep at it.
No matter what, check the specific size and weight restrictions of the carrier you choose. Pirate Ship will provide guidelines to ensure your package meets the requirements.
Can you ship internationally with Pirate Ship?
Oh heck yes you can ship internationally with Pirate Ship, which is fantastic if you have a student studying abroad or someone in the military. You can ship your package using Pirate Ship through USPS or UPS and take advantage of those shipping discounts.
Pirate Ship also has a Simple Export Rate that is by far cheaper that you can use on any package under four pounds pretty much anywhere with delivery in one to four weeks. Best of all, you drop it off at the USPS just like any other package, so it’s really super simple.
That said, make sure that you check any restrictions on any of the countries you ship to. Some countries will have different weight and size restrictions or will prohibit shipping certain items.
The good news is that through the Pirate Ship website, you can easily see the import and export regulations for any place you plan to ship. Make sure that you check for any restrictions before you purchase a label.
How do you attach the label?
Once you’ve purchased your label, you can print it out directly from your computer and attach it to your package. You do not need to write anything on the package, including your return address as the label has everything you need.
You can print on regular paper and tape it to your package or use shipping label stickers. I used to use paper, but I bought half-sheet labels off Amazon, and they’re so much easier to use, and I don’t worry about them tearing.
Honestly, I wish I knew those labels existed years ago.
Once you have your label attached, just bring it to the post office or UPS store. They’ll scan your package, and you’re good to go. Pirate Ship even has tracking for your package on their site.
Whatever you do, use Pirate Ship anytime you ship anything!
Pirate Ship has simplified the shipping process, and it saves me so much money. I use it personally and swear by it. Why not give Pirate Ship a try and see how it can benefit you?
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