Packaging supplies that save you money

The right packaging keeps your post in a cheaper size band and gets it there in one piece. These are the essentials we recommend.

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Lightweight, waterproof and cheap. The best way to send clothes and soft items.

Bubble-lined envelopes for books, games, CDs and small gifts. Pick a size under 2.5cm thick to keep Large Letter prices.

Boxes sized to fit Royal Mail's Small Parcel limit (45 × 35 × 16cm) so you never pay the Medium Parcel price by mistake.

Cardboard mailers that wrap around books and keep corners crisp.

Accurate to the gram. Pays for itself the first time it stops you overpaying a weight band.

A slot gauge that shows instantly whether an item is a Letter, Large Letter or parcel.

Essential for anything fragile. A large roll lasts for months.

Strong tape and a dispenser gun make packing faster and neater.

Print postage labels with no ink. A must-have if you sell online regularly.

Peel-and-stick A4 sheets, 2 labels per page, for any normal printer.

'Please do not bend' envelopes for photos, certificates and prints.

Measure every parcel before buying postage - it is the dimensions that set the price.

Tips for buying packaging

Buy in bulk. Mailing bags and boxes are far cheaper per item in packs of 50 or 100.
Reuse boxes from your own deliveries – just cover or remove old labels and barcodes.
Choose packaging by size band. A box that is 1cm too deep can cost you a pound or more per parcel.