With 'bulk' I mean large amounts.

E.g.: if you need number three, it better to buy at least two of them, so you have to pay 5.40 for Europe or 6.30 for the world instead of 6.00 and 7.30.

It's indeed very expensive in Belgium !! It's a shame really...
Especially the IRC are expensive and the postage.

@ Seb89: what do you mean with buying 'in bulk'?

i forgot about priority mail, its true! once i made experiment, i have a friend who lives in hawaii and usually i send priority mail, but once i send non priority which was much cheaper, and it took the same time to deliver as priority.

You can use smaller envelopes, but in Belgium the standard size is actually small, so if you have to put all that in a standard size envelope. It will be thicker and heavier than and that is considered as 'oversized' , so you have to pay the same amount :). I've tried once using, I ripped my envelope. I could'nt fit in. Of course you can use smaller envelopes than A4, but it doesn't make a difference when it comes to the price.

Also I think the reason why the stamps are so expensive is because it is priority mail (it's the only option). I looked on the USPS website and you have to pay around $10 for an international priority mail, so actually it is actually "cheap'. Correct me if I'm wrong :)!

i always bend my sae, i see no point use bigger envelopes just to fit sae.

You can use smaller envelopes, but you will have to send smaller photos. I can't use smaller envelopes, because I will have problems with the SAE/SASE, etc.

Have you used HQ-photos? Using a photokiosk is really expensive, sometimes it is just better order them via Kruidvat, Hema, Colruyt,... online or just in the shop :), but you will have to wait 2 or 3 days.

Yes, if you buy them in bulk, you will save some money. I've sent a PM about this in Dutch ;).

Try using smaller envelopes, as this will cut down on postage costs too.

[quote="seb89"]It seems right to me :)!

If I want to sent a letter using IRCs (without photos, envelopes) to a country in Europe I pay €7, to the USA it would cost me €7.50. That's why it's better to buy American, English, French,... stamps. IRCs in Belgium are very expensive and because you send large envelopes (is it A4?), you have to pay the oversized rate (Europe €3.00/World: €3.45). Buying Belgian stamps in bulk saves also some money.

Have you used a photokiosk for your photos, because that is also pretty expensive!

Groetjes![/quote]
Yes, I used a photokiosk from Kodak... I know! And it isn't even that good quality. I did use A4 envelopes, for the letter and the SAE. And yeah, for one IRC you have to pay €2, that's really expensive! I didn't know you could buy American, English, French ... stamps in Belgium? And yeah, I had to pay €3 for UK, and €3.45 for Australia, and USA. But for 10 Europe stamps you have to buy €9, if you buy 10 in one time. That does saves some money. Thanks for the tips!

Sorry voor het Engels, maar het leek me onbeleefd Nederlands te praten in een Engels forum ;p Groetjes!

It seems right to me :)!

If I want to sent a letter using IRCs (without photos, envelopes) to a country in Europe I pay €7, to the USA it would cost me €7.50. That's why it's better to buy American, English, French,... stamps. IRCs in Belgium are very expensive and because you send large envelopes (is it A4?), you have to pay the oversized rate (Europe €3.00/World: €3.45). Buying Belgian stamps in bulk saves also some money.

Have you used a photokiosk for your photos, because that is also pretty expensive!

Groetjes!

[quote="reachforanydream"][quote="jeannie"]wow its not normal, i think something must be wrong, do you have cheque to see the prices you paid?[/quote]
Yes, let's see; I had to pay 2,55 dollar for one IRC, I bought 7 IRC's so that's 17,85 dollar. I had to pay 4,39 dollar for 20 envelopes. I printed the photos by Kodak, it were 12 photos for 5,10 dollar. And I paid for 13 stamps for abroad 26,76 dollar. That's about 54 dollar. So €42.[/quote]

thats alot of money :? i guess its because your country have euro currency :? lets compare, i pay about 1 euro for one stamp abroad and usually its enough if letter is not very heavy.
Lets see how you could save money, if you pay 2.55 for one IRC, then maybe it would be cheaper to send money with your request, lets say 2 dollars, or euros, im sure celebs are traveling and can use euros as well.
Find the place to print photos cheaper, i print my photos online. Also find the place where to buy envelopes cheaper, for example in my post office envelopes are twice more expensive than buy somewhere else. So i found small paper shop where its much cheaper :)