How to Get Cheap or Free Shipping Supplies

Sending things through the mail can be very expensive, so why add the cost of shipping supplies to your bill? You can often find free or greatly discounted shipping supplies around your home or local community with a little bit of legwork and research.

Reuse Shipping Supplies

Recycle what you have on hand to save money on shipping supplies. When you receive shipments in the mail, break down the box and save the packing material for later. You can also send your items in used shoe boxes, small appliance boxes and sturdy food boxes. Recycle yesterday’s newspaper, old magazines or junk mail as packing material. If you don’t have any old newspapers, pick up some of the free classified ad papers at your local store.

Ask around at local stores to see if you can have any shipping supplies that are heading for the trash. You can often find large, sturdy boxes at grocery stores, liquor stores and office supply stores. For smaller boxes, visit craft or jewelry stores. Target stores that sell a lot of breakables if you want to get packing material like paper, peanuts and bubble wrap.

If you are lucky, the store may have some boxes on hand that you can just take with you. Usually, however, you will need to speak to a manager and ask them to set the boxes and packing material aside instead of throwing them directly into the trash. Work with the manager to find a good time for you to come back and pick them up. You may need to go back to the store early in the morning or late at night to get the boxes after the employees are done unpacking them.

Check Freecycle for Shipping Supplies

Browse through recent Freecycle postings to see if anyone is giving away free shipping supplies. Freecycle items are usually picked up quickly, so you don’t need to look through listings older than two or three days. If you don’t see any postings for free shipping supplies, go ahead and post that you are looking for some. More than likely you will receive several responses offering you what you need. The only thing this will cost you is your time to go pick the shipping supplies up.

If you are going to be sending your item by USPS priority mail, you can get boxes, labels and even tape for free. These free shipping supplies are available at your local post office, or you can order them online and have them delivered right to your home at no extra charge. Keep in mind that priority mail shipping supplies are only to be used with priority mail and not for any other shipping method or use.

UPS and FedEx also offer free shipping supplies to their customers. You can order these free shipping supplies online or pick them up at your local FedEx or UPS store.

Craigslist is also a great place to check for cheap shipping supplies. Use search terms like “shipping supplies”, “moving supplies”, “moving boxes”, “packing paper” and “bubble wrap” to find what you need. Many people don’t realize that Craigslist also has a place for free items, so be sure to check there as well. You can also post an ad in the wanted section and see if anyone responds.

Ask Your Neighbors and Friends

Ask your friends, family and neighbors if they have any extra shipping supplies. Most people get shipments in the mail occasionally and will willingly give you their shipping boxes and packing material. Spread the word well in advance so that you will have plenty of time to gather supplies before you actually need to mail your items.