I haven't yet done an M-Bag to anyone before, but I began considering it last night when I discovered that mailing a single book to Kislany in Cyprus is going to cost me $10.10. :o

So I researched and found the Cyprus page from the IMM at USPS and found that an M-Bag up to 11 lbs will cost only $43.45, which seems to be a much better bargain. (Scroll down to see the M-Bag rate.)


I bring this up because there was discussion as to whether or not M-Bags will still be feasible and based on this specific instance, I'd say definitely YES!

The particular book I'm reading right now for Kis is one I told her I'd push to the top of my list since I noticed she was had acquired a copy elsewhere and was gonna start reading it the other day! :whip: (Grave Surprise by Charlaine Harris, which she won from me in a swap back in March.)

So though I guess I'll send this one out as planned, and pay the atrocious $10.10 to get it there, I figured I'd also note that if it'll cost this much for a single book to all countries, then I'm definitely all for starting up another M-Bag for somebody (though probably enclose $2 instead of the $1 we did previously).

I didn't realise USPS was taking away your surface mail options. Certainly, with the only other option being airmail, m-bags still make sense for you guys & us lucky recipients. :( :)

ETA - Just as well FranciJo has sent mine tho' as it was swelling to ginormous proportions :lol:

Yeah, the M-Bags are still a bargain. I was kind of wondering what everyone was complaining about. Having done one, I'll say $2 is definitely appropriate, but for me, it didn't matter. I did it to help someone out :) I used the $1 bills for the tooth fairy - who has taken up permanent residence apparently.

Anyway, as soon as next year rolls around and my life calms down I'll be doing another one... one that's not jinxed I hope! ;)

Excuse me while I ponder aloud........

I was thinking about the flat rate boxes. But, after some experimenting, can only hold roughly 8 pounds. $37 / 8lbs = $4.62 a book.

The m-bag, say to the UK, is $31.35 / 10lbs = $3.14 a book.

I say 10 pounds because the shipping weight includes the bag itself - if you weight it at home and it's 11 pounds, add on 1.5 pounds for the bag so you'll be paying for 13 pounds.

Pay $2.13 media mail, include $2 a book vs. 1st class international roughly $8.

How many people would actually be willing to utilize the m-bags now? Show of hands?

Well, I won't raise my hand again since I'm the one that started this thread. :D

But I've already asked Wendy in the Currently reading thread if she wanted to split a shipment to Kislany since she's currently reading a book for her too.

So just like before, yeah UK and Canada are always cheaper for us than some of the other European countries, but even if we said $2 per book, or like maybe $5 for 3, less for paperbacks, you know, I wouldn't make it a strict $2 per book...

but I still think these Airmail M-Bags are gonna be worth it for us since we've only got Airmail as an option for sending now anyway...

I'd still send to M-bags. That's still about half the price!! And if you wanted to do something wild like *gasp* send more than one pound at a time and now you're spending up into the teens on one weensy everyday package...

Another consideration -- I'm pretty sure those flat rate boxes aren't options for Cyprus, Serbia, Greece, the Middle East, most of South America/Africa/Asia.... I'd love to be wrong, but for the priciest destinations I think it's still M-bags or the highest levels of first class. :unsure:

The Priority Mail flat-rate envelope and flat-rate box are options to Cyprus at $11 and $37 respectively. (I didn't check any of the other countries you mentioned, but I'm betting your right for a majority of them anyway... any that didn't have the Priority Mail option before.)

So yeah, the box at $37 doesn't seem like it'd be that much of a bargain since I doubt it could fit nearly as much as an M-Bag (about 8 lbs according to Three, but even that seems a lot to me). But the Priority Mail Envelope will be... which is why I had asked Wendy if she wanted to send Kis's book along with mine... we could put them both in one of those and save a bunch of money...

I'm not sure which Flat-Rate box you'd use though: this one (Box-O-FRB1) or this one (Box-O-FRB2). It looks like you could use either. But at $37.00 I think the M-Bag would still be better unless it were really time-sensitive stuff you were trying to get there by a certain date...

Yep I'm game. Otherwise there really is no way I can afford to ship internationally.

Thanks cherie for pointing me to this thread.
The main reason why we stopped doing mbags with Rosie is because most of the US folks WEREN'T adding in the $1, so I always had to come up with the missing cash. Which means not only that I was paying intl. shipping for my book to them to the US, but I had to pay for their book to be sent to me to Cyprus.
Now imagine, if folks weren't paying the $1, do you think they'd fork out $2?
And for me, sorry for being so blunt, I just can't afford to pay from my own pocket $2 per book (count that with how many books would/will be not accompanied by the $ amount).

If I knew that somehow this issue is sorted out, I surely don't mind getting mbags just as I was getting them before, I mean for me waiting for the books is definitely not a problem!

Just my 2 cents...

Hmmm... I think only one time I ever sent something to an m-bag for someone, to Three for Sunny. And since she didn't specifically ask for the $1 to cover costs, I sent her a hardcover wishlist book instead.

So maybe it just wasn't made clear that the dollar was more expected than optional. Granted for me, it was when I just started getting involved here again, so I had no clue even what an m-bag was... but I think if maybe we pose it more as a requirement then maybe that'd help? Maybe not, I'm just thinking here...

I haven't done an m-bag myself before, but perhaps those who have can give an approximate of how many books fit in an 11 lb. bag.

But for sure, having to pay for it yourself certainly isn't a very good option. If it were me, I'd email all the people who sent me books, after keeping track of who sent $ and who didn't, and ask them to Paypal me the money. If they never did, then hey, we could start keeping our own list here of people not to accept books from because they don't pay their share. :shrug:

It would be great if m-bags were still a viable option - I'm happy to receive one if you guys are happy to organise them! But I think the $2 per book is going to have to be made clear as no-one should be out of pocket and it will still be cheaper for the sender than mailing direct.

I don't think $2 per book would cover the postage now. For Australia at least, it would take $4 or even $5. Math isn't my strong point, but did anyone else notice this post from Ixion?

M-bag to Australia (scroll to bottom)

I'm considering asking woosang (AU) if she wants one this fall just from me. I offered to send her "all the Left Behind books" in exchange for Kirsty Brooks books for my daughter, and more keep getting published in both series!

You have to look up each individual country, up to 11 lbs is 49.50. Assuming you could fit 22 books that would be 2.25 per book. UK is 31.35 (or something close to that) So that would be beneficial. If we did this we would just have to make sure everyone knew it was a requirement and only allow people to add things to the M-Bag who were good for the money.

Right -- I had just come back to edit because I realized most books don't weigh a pound -- but if a book were that heavy, it would cost $4 to $5 to mail to some places in an M-bag.

Btw, how much does the average trade pb weigh? I know the mm's are usually about 5 oz and hb's close to a pound.

ETA: OK, answered my own question. Looked on Amazon and things like Secret Life of Bees were around 8 oz. The Left Behind series in trade pb are 15.2 oz. each.

I wonder how much it's going to cost to mail this book to Austria? :unsure:

And that was perfectly fine. I know when I started sending out books to m-bags, I didn't include the dollar, but I didn't know any better either.


I'm very curious to know how fast these m-bags will travel.

$10.40 for 14 - 16 oz

$8.80 for 10 - 12 oz

According to Amazon it only weighs 5.6 ounces so even with packing it should only weigh at the most 7 ounces. :erm:

Here is the link to the calculated price after I typed in Austria and envelope --

http://ircalc.usps.gov/IntlMailServices.as...026&M=1&P=0&O=7

Looks like $6.30

I would! I've never done an mbag before, at I'll admit at first when I would send a book to someone for someone else for a mbag, I dind't put in the buck :blush: but only because I didn't know about it. Once I found out thats what was going on, I put in $ after that, usually I'll put in the relase j/e "be sure to check page 69" and yes that's the page I usually put them in. :giggle:


Since the rate hike, I have found out about these flat rate boxes. I've used them for US, but didn't know they were out there for other countries! I know I've got to send two books to England (one for Helly77 and one for Rexuar) So if anyone has anything that needs to go to them, I wouldn't mind tossing it in with mine.. I'm thinking of using one of those flat rate boxes, have yet to check sizes and stuff... but since I'm sending anyway.. :shrug:

Re: M-bags - Weight & Expenses

Three, that's interesting that the m-bag itself weighs 1.5 lbs. And the box of books *is* put inside the bag prior to weighing.

In addition to the 1.5 lb. m-bag weight, I've used plain brown paper as packing material. The roll of brown paper is cheap, but it adds to the weight being shipped.

In addition to the crumpled up paper (yeah, I could use newspaper, but it's not as clean), I wrap the books in groups of 5 or 6, again in the plain brown paper, to help keep the books cushioned and clean. Maybe not necessary, but I do it anyway.

And for a few like-new hardcovers, I've used bubble wrap and/or padded shipping envelopes to protect them...all of which adds a bit of weight being shipped.

I spend $7.50 for each m-bag on a roll of high quality strapping tape to reinforce the box.

I've been happy to pay the extra myself, but if we're calculating actual costs, perhaps this will help.

Thanks Wendy. :kiss:

Unfortunately, my hardcover to Kis in Cyprus weighs 13 oz without any packaging at all, so even with the my super light bubble envelopes, it'll still push it over 13 oz and thus to the 14 oz price of $10.10. Actually 13 oz is also 10.10 so it looks like that's the least I'm gonna get away with for this particular mailing... :(

http://ircalc.usps.gov/IntlMailServices.as...85&M=1&P=0&O=14

Sorry Cherie. :pat:

I’m not familiar with the pricing. I’m more in ”I trust you so just tell me how much money I owe you” way of acting. I looked at the site and saw that mailing to Serbia is the same as mailing to Cyprus.

Two M-Bags are traveling to me right now and according to what I’ve read here those two are Whale-sized m-bags:
The one from morsie is 28 pounds and ended up costing $30
And the one from Zmrzlina 29 pounds, 7.6 ounces
(PS
I'm totally not familiar with lb, oz...etc)
Oh and Zmrzlina told me that clerk wouldn’t let her use newspapers :erm:

I don’t know would it be cheaper for you US folks to use M-bags in the future but as far as I’m concerned I wouldn’t mind to wait (especially when I receive these two) books but I do see the problem in forgetting to include $, especially now. With these, traveling m-bags there wasn’t problem since the postage is very reasonable (or maybe because this is my first time :whistle:) but with new rates …

Cherie, since it costs so much to send to Cyprus, why don't we do something else instead?
Keep the book (very valuable to list on Bookmooch, will go in a heartbeat!), and instead maybe donate me 2-3 points at Bookmooch, so I can request something else instead?
Just a thought...

Heh, it's funny! While you were posting this for me, I was busy composing an email to YOU as well.

By now you should've gotten it...

just refreshed my email and saw your reply, so we'll take it over there. I actually like my idea if you're up for it. :P


ETA - Also, I only have 2 bookmooch points, so your idea would totally break me there! :P

No problem, let's talkie through email :lol:

I'm all for keeping the M-bags going. And I think $2 or $3 is absolutely fair. But we'd have to come up with some kind of policy for books received without the money. Would it be reasonable to e-mail the sender if no money was included? That way people new to m-bags (or someone who just forgot) would have a chance to send money separately. Thoughts?

I think it would absolutely be appropriate to email.

The real question is, I think, what do we do if the person still does not send the money (or other pre-arranged compensation).

At that point, I guess it would be between the person who should be receiving the book and the m-bag organizer. Either of them could offer to cover the extra cost. Or the book could be wild released or donated to a library or other local charity.

I'm curious to hear other suggestions (especially from those who would be receiving the m-bags).

Like Pepper said, it's definitely appropriate to email and ask for the money if they didn't include it. I think $2 should be appropriate, and I'd probably even give a sliding scale so that someone who sent 3 books didn't necessarily have to pay $6, but maybe $4.50 or $5.

If they didn't include the money, and won't respond to numerous emails/messages about it, I would suggest we keep a blacklist of such people out here and don't accept books from them.

If you've already got the books in hand, I think it's appropriate to wait and see at the end... if you've got enough money to cover the m-bag from other contributions, it's up to you whether you want to include these books or not, but I still think we should keep track of them out here so that if they stiff one person, they don't stiff everyone else doing m-bags as well.

I think people here would be good for it. I think if we went outside this group we might run into problems.

I agree with you there... it'd probably mostly be non-Obsessors that would be a problem, if at all...

As most of you know Ixion has sent my first m-bag :bananadance: It's long overdue but no complaints as it gives me time to sort out my TBRs and bookshelves :rolleyes:

I'd like to have an ongoing m-bag if someone is willing NMZ, Cherie :whistle: :flowers: I know it's expensive to Australia but if we tried to keep it as close to 11-14lbs it wouldn't be $100+ which is f-ing crazy!!!!! I would also be contributing to the postage cost myself as I'll probably be buying a few books for myself as the ones I love aren't always available here.

With the changes to your shipping from the US and no surface mail - does that mean all m-bags are sent air mail? Which means it could be here within a month or so :o OMG I'd really have to read a lot to clear my shelves just to read my new m-bag books ... but I guess that is good incentive hey .. haha! :giggle:

I think you're right. Anyone who would knows enough to send the books for the m-bag, also knows to include postage. It's a given, or it should be.

This is what I'm very curious to find out, how fast they will actually travel. Even for the single books going international, how fast will they go.

You'd think so, but it's not always the case! (At least not in one of the recent ones I did.)

Ya know what... I'll start an M-bag for ya! Starting right.. um... NOW. :wink:

Well, if you wanna go ahead and do it, I'll add you to the Partners post. Just go ahead and confirm in there if you're going to. And I guess you want to say what... $2 per bag?

I wonder if I should just make a new post or edit Rosie's... since we're changing those rules a bit too... :thinking:

Maybe just make a new one, stating **New M-bags**.

Here's another question/idea.

Example, for Sunlight's m-bag, to the UK it is $35. Even at $2 a book, it won't cover it all. I know that I'll be pitching in a bit at the end, and I knew it going into this. And that's no big deal. Sunlight and I work it out. But, if I were to continue doing one for Juliet, it's $43(?). $2 a book won't come near that. It would make more sense for m-bags going further to include $3, but how do you ask for that? I, knowing that fact, will include more if I'm sending a book for an Australian m-bag ((I just sent a book to catsalive - $10.10!! - and am still gagging over it. Who is doing Cats' M-bag??)) Cherie, do you have a polite way of wording this?

:wuv: thanx babe :wuv:

For mine it's ok to say that $2 a book is enough because I'll cover whatever else is needed. To me it's really helpful having an m-bag (you're doing me a favour) so I don't mind paying part of the shipping cost. As the shipping costs for single books are crazy. Besides, I'll be purchasing a few books I can't get here in Oz anyhow.