Download ArticleDownload ArticleThis article was reviewed by Tami Claytor. Tami Claytor is an Etiquette Coach, Image Consultant, and the Owner of Always Appropriate Image and Etiquette Consulting in New York, New York. With over 20 years of experience, Tami specializes in teaching etiquette classes to individuals, students, companies, and community organizations. Tami has spent decades studying cultures through her extensive travels across five continents and has created cultural diversity workshops to promote social justice and cross-cultural awareness. She holds a BA in Economics with a concentration in International Relations from Clark University. Tami studied at the Ophelia DeVore School of Charm and the Fashion Institute of Technology, where she earned her Image Consultant Certification.
This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources.
This article has been viewed 556,675 times.
Sending a postcard home shows your friends and family that you're thinking of them. It can be a great way to preserve a snapshot of your time in an exciting and foreign locale. The process of sending a postcard is fundamentally similar to sending a letter: you'll need to add the correct number of stamps; properly address the card; write your message; and find a place to mail it.
Steps
Buy a postcard. You can find postcards at most local supermarkets, souvenir shops, and gas stations. Choose one that sums up the locale – something that gives the recipient a taste of your experience. If you have time, consider making your own postcard: you can use an online photo store, or you can do it yourself if you have access to a computer with photo editing and internet.
Buy a stamp. A stamp is a proof of payment for your postcard: without a stamp, no letter or postcard will be handled by the post office.[1] Depending on the destination, the price of the stamp will vary. Domestic stamps are usually cheaper than international ones. Some postal services will have one flat rate for all international destinations, but some others will have a range of prices depending on the distance to the country. Always check with the post office or the postal service website.- Depending on where you are sending the postcard, you may need two, three, or even more stamps. Look up the postage requirements for, say, "mailing from Tanzania to the U.S."
- You can usually buy stamps directly at the post office. In the U.S., you can buy stamps at most supermarkets, and some mini-marts or gas stations; you may even find stamps in vending machines and souvenir shops.
- Make sure you have the most recent stamp. The price of stamps changes over time. Unless you send them often, one postcard stamp bought a while ago, may not be enough postage.
Advertisement
Attach the stamp. Stick the stamp to the postcard in the upper right-hand corner.[2] There is often a mark on the stamp or a symbol telling you where to put the stamp. Some stamps are self-adhesive, but others must be moistened.- If the stamp is self-adhesive, just pull it off the backing and attach it to the postcard in the proper place. Make sure it's not upside-down! If so, however, don't worry – the US postal service usually mails postcards with an upside-down stamps.
- If your stamp is not the self-adhesive kind, you will need to moisten the back of the stamp to activate the adhesive. Some people lick the stamp to do this. If you don't want to lick the stamp, then you can use a sponge, or even just dip a couple of fingers in some water. Moisten the back of the stamp until it's a little wet, but not dripping. If it's too wet, the stamp might rip or slide off the postcard.
Address the card. Postcards usually have dedicated spaces for the message as well as the sender's and receiver's address. If it is a homemade or non-standard postcard with no dedicated spaces: draw a vertical line down the middle of the card while it is in a horizontal position, then draw a horizontal line splitting the right half in two. Use the left hand side for the message, the upper-right for your own address, and the bottom-right for receiver's address.[3]- It is not essential that you include your own address.[4] As long as you write the receiver's address, they will receive your card. If you're traveling, you may not expect a reply – or you can give your correspondent the address of the next place you'll be staying.
Write your postcard. See How to Write a Postcard. If you're mailing it to yourself, write a memory on the back of the card; if you're mailing it to a friend, add a short message to let them know how you're doing. Try to give the recipient a brief snapshot of your experience. You don't need to write a novel – the very act of sending a postcard, however short, is usually enough to show a person that you're thinking of them.- Again, make sure to put the stamp on first. This way, you won't end up writing where the stamp covers.
- It's important not to write too low on the postcard. Most of the time, the post office will print a barcode or attach a sticker across the bottom of the card in order to send it where it needs to go. Try to keep at least a finger's width between the edge of the postcard and the bottom of your message.[5]
Mail the postcard. Find a post office or a public mail drop box in your area.[6] Make sure that you've added the correct amount of stamps and properly addressed the card. Once you're certain, mail the postcard as you would a normal letter. If you're abroad, allow at least a week or two for the letter to reach its destination.- Some office buildings, government offices, or community centers may have a mailbox. If you are at a hotel, the front desk will often mail your postcard with its outgoing mail. If you can't find a place to mail your postcard, ask the locals and other travelers.
Community Q&A
- QuestionIf I wanted to mail postcards to sick children at a hospital, would they be delivered individually to each child?
DonaganTop AnswererThe Postal Service will deliver all the postcards to the clerical office in the hospital. It would then be up to the hospital staff to deliver the cards individually. - QuestionHow much is postage for a postcard?
Ryderbishop1Community AnswerIn the US, $0.34, and in other countries it is letter rate. - QuestionWhat is the size of the postcard that is sent for 34 cents?
Community AnswerMost postcards are 4 inches by 5 3/4 inches. As of January 2018 it costs 35 cents to mail a postcard.
Tips
Warnings
- If you send the postcard overseas, it might not arrive when you expect.Thanks
- Do not write anything personal or private. The postcard doesn't have an envelope, so anyone can read it.Thanks
Things You'll Need
- A postcard
- A pen or pencil
- A stamp
- A letter box
References
About This Article
To mail a postcard, first write the recipient’s information on the back right-hand side of the postcard, including their first and last name and full address. Write your message on the left-hand side of the postcard with the date at the top. Leave a fingers-width of space at the bottom of the postcard since the post office will print a barcode or attach a sticker there. Don’t forget to add a stamp to the upper right-hand corner on the back of the postcard. The right amount of postage will depend on where you’re sending your card to. You can find this information by visiting your post office’s website. After you add a stamp, just drop your postcard off at the post office or into a mail drop box and you’re all set! To learn more about how to mail a postcard, including how to check postage rates in your area, scroll down.
Reader Success Stories
"Was pretty helpful, to be honest. I got my postcards sent to my dearest friend! I did find it a bit difficult figuring out the part where it mentioned stamps. I wasn't sure whether to use forever stamps or something else. "..." more
Did this article help you?
⚠️ Disclaimer:
Content from Wiki How English language website. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike License; additional terms may apply.
Wiki How does not encourage the violation of any laws, and cannot be responsible for any violations of such laws, should you link to this domain, or use, reproduce, or republish the information contained herein.
- - A few of these subjects are frequently censored by educational, governmental, corporate, parental and other filtering schemes.
- - Some articles may contain names, images, artworks or descriptions of events that some cultures restrict access to
- - Please note: Wiki How does not give you opinion about the law, or advice about medical. If you need specific advice (for example, medical, legal, financial or risk management), please seek a professional who is licensed or knowledgeable in that area.
- - Readers should not judge the importance of topics based on their coverage on Wiki How, nor think a topic is important just because it is the subject of a Wiki article.
