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WANTED: Plea for help! Newbie needs clarification.

Liz
10 years ago

It would be oh so helpful if someone would post an explanation, either as a sticky or in the frequently asked questions, on "SASE/BEAP." I am finding the seed exchange procedures a little confusing. I gather that SASE/BEAP offers are for free seeds, which would be very welcome since I am a newbie to trading. I am trying to set up a butterfly garden for next year.

Could someone please clarify? Do I send a bubble envelope inside a regular envelope, with loose stamps? I gather I also enclose little plastic bags and labels for the seeds. I would enclose a self addressed label, and also small labels for the individual seed envelopes. Is that right?

Thanks for clearing this up for me!
Liz

Comments (11)

  • LullabyF360
    10 years ago

    Yes. SASE or BEAP are free seeds--you send in the postage to have the seeds mailed to you. Some who offer SASE will just ask for the stamps & will provide the envelope. Others, you have to mail them a return envelope also. You do not have to provide baggies or labels for the seeds unless the person specifies. When I send a bubble envelope, I fold it in half & stuff it inside another bubble envelope. Sometimes the person offering the free seeds will require a specfic amount of postage ($2.50, 4 first class stamps, & etc).

    Any more questions, don't be afraid to ask!

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    10 years ago

    See link below for an explanation and discussion.

    Here is a link that might be useful: sase-sasbe is NOT a self addressed envelope-bubble or otherwise

  • graanieb
    10 years ago

    Hi Liz , welcome...great place to join, very nice folks.
    Trades can be agreed upon among participants, I for one, need a padded envelope with stamps, we agree upon-the more you require the more stamps you will need to send for postage, enclose in the envelope your address preferrably on a peel and stick label which will be used by me or any other recipient, to place on the envelope you send, may be another envelope if we choose so...we reuse the envelope you send, no need to send but one padded envelope, stamps and your address, hope this helps you.
    Happy trades, let me know if you'd like to get seeds for stamps from me?
    Bea

  • LullabyF360
    10 years ago

    My post office won't let me send an empty envelope. #10 enevelope or bubble envelope or whatever. I guess, because this is a tiny community, they can't be properly trained. I've quit wasting my breath telling them otherwise. The way my post master talked, they can't mail "just stamps" because it "raises suspicion of a scam". Not sure what difference it makes. You can still get scammed even with an envelope inside another! There is no tellin around my parts. All I'm doing is spending a couple of more bucks in exchange for the lack of a headache & meaningless trouble.

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    10 years ago

    My post office won't let me send an empty envelope.
    LullabyF360, I'm not understanding what you are saying. If you place stamps, and a return address label, and a note inside including your GW name and what you are to receive, then it wouldn't be an empty envelope. Maybe I'm not understanding what you are saying they told you.

    Sue

  • LullabyF360
    10 years ago

    That puts me & you on the same page. I don't understand it either. Every town has to have a couple of crazies. He makes Number Two of the crazies I've met in this town :P plain lack of training has a lot to do with it, I'm sure.

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    10 years ago

    I don't understand it either.

  • gvozdika
    10 years ago

    LullabyF360, just put in a thank you card :) it is non of their business what people send but it becomes less and less obvious these days.
    To the OP, I was also confused. I read the thread mentioned by chemocurl several times but could not understand how people clean the received envelop to reuse it. I used a plastic bubble mailer with scotch tape in place for labels and stamps and still it can be hard to clean it. But when you send an empty envelop there is less chance the post office will put any hard to remove markings on it. To clean a plastic bubble mailer I used a used dryer sheet with a dub of dishwashing liquid and gave it a gentle scrub. Good luck and happy trading!

  • Liz
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Hello chemocurl,
    I did see that link, and I followed along with it a good ways. However, I found it puzzling. Why can't you send a self-addressed bubble envelope with postage on it? I realize, of course, you would have to put sufficient postage on it to send back the seeds, so not one stamp! However, usually the sender tells you how much postage they require, don't they?
    Liz

  • Chemocurl zn5b/6a Indiana
    10 years ago

    However, I found it puzzling. Why can't you send a self-addressed bubble envelope with postage on it?
    You can do it that way if you like, but it really isn't necessary to put a bubble envelope inside of another envelope.

    Most of the seasoned members who offer up seeds for postage will just reuse the one bubble envelope...tearing off the old address label, or just placing the new one over the top of the old one. They will then tear off the old stamps and put the new ones on it. Occasionally the USPS will miss cancelling the stamps, so then they can just be used 'as is' and the member can either return your stamps or keep them...just whatever they choose to do.

  • graanieb
    10 years ago

    Lullaby, never heard of it either...thought if I put nothing in the envelope it'd be sent according to weight and thickness.
    Btw- seen it in another post if we don't write on the envelope HAND CANCEL /STAMP or so, PO won't charge extra.
    What I at times do to reuse the envelope sent to me, tape/glue white piece of paper over the front or most often use peel and stick labels, mostly 1 but at times another/or part of, is needed,labels I use are ab. 4x3 in.
    Know a little ,lots to learn, just want to say what I've been doing.

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