In science we call quick estimates “back of the envelope calculations”. We do indeed write them on the back of used envelopes. Apparently the Laffer curve which is a principle of economics was first written on a napkin. I guess we’ll write on anything!

These days, I only buy new envelopes for handmade cards, where I think the presentation matters. If I sell anything on ebay, out comes and old envelope! Part of my problem with being frugal is I often keep things knowing that I’ll use it someday, but in the meantime it takes up space (and it’s not very organized). I don’t really mail anything else besides handmade cards and items that I’ve sold.

Don’t forget to save and reuse the packing materials as well. Think styro-peanuts and bubblicious wrap.

@Andy – Good point. It probably only work in cities, where it’s tough to dump illegally.

I don’t think I’ve bought a new envelope for years, barring with the occasional birthday card.

Once you get out of the habit of ripping them open, they’re perfectly reusable. If you like to make a point then a little rubber stamp with a suitable eco-warrier battle-cry goes a long way 😉

There was a while a few years ago now I helped publish a quarterly magazine with a certain amount (maybe 100 each issue) of them being mail subscriptions. We NEVER had to use a new envelope over ten years, they always went out in reused ones. To this day I can’t throw away a perfectly good A4 wrapper…

You could always shred the envelopes and compost the paper with your food scraps. I just can’t see myself reusing an envelope with postmarks and addresses on it. Sure you could use paper and tape to cover the addresses and post marks, but it seems like a lot of time spent for little value. An envelope might cost 5 cents at most.

@Macs
Where I live at, a city in central Texas with a population over 100K, you have to pay for curbside recycling. I believe it costs around $7 per month and you get one pickup per week. Alternatively you could take the items to the city recycling center and they will take them free of charge. I think it would be great just to get free pickup.

The utility companies want you to autopay:

1) Saves them money not having to pay for a stamp and the time for the machines to mail you your bill. Reason why postoffice is going bankrupt!!! (and taxes will increase to compensate)

2) You are more likely to forget about a bill deadline (if you have bills 😉

3) Further secures actual information from seeing your eyes. Like all those hidden franchise fees, taxes, equipment rentals, etc. Even better when the company can legally wrap up all the fees under a Branded Title like for example Exfinity, so all you see on the Bill is

Exfinity $129.99 (-$29.99)
$100.00

when hidden is actually 40% in taxes in fees.

You will care less if it’s via email, even if it may contain a series of links to be able to view the hidden fees. (who wants to waste precious time clicking?)

Hi,

I recycle envelopes too, but using tape isn’t really good for the environment > plastic garbage, makes it difficult to recycle the paper in the end. Perhaps paper glue would be better?

Best regards

I only have to mail one thing a year…

My taxes.

I e-file but they always make me mail my supporting documents for proof.

When I worked for a medium sized online retailer we would do our best to re-use boxes for shipments or just tape up and throw a shipping label on the box of the product the customer ordered. We never had any customers complain, it saved us over $5,000 a year in shipping supplies and it prevented new packaging from being made.

Glad to see folks doing it on an individual level.

@Brooke @Jacob : Yes, ‘back of the envelope’ calculations are also called Fermi calculations because Enrico Fermi famously made a (very) rough calculation of the yield of the Trinity test by dropping small pieces of paper in the air and measuring at how far they were moved by the blast wave of the explosion.