It’s been over a month since I started my pen pal adventures… I started with one friend and now I have well over 20. Some of us are just postcard buddies. Others write long lengthy letters about everything we can think of. It’s nice having an active mind. Writing is awesome. It’s like a long lost friend that I recently ran into again. It’s natural. It’s that old familiar feeling that wakes my soul… even if it is just letters for now. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting a Pen Pal if you don’t already have one!
A few tips before you get started… I know what you’re thinking “it’s just a pen and paper right”… yes and no. When I first started I just purchased some note cards from the dollar store and a few stamps. A couple of dollars and BAM… I had five new friends across the country. However, as time went on I added a new Pal from Canada. I had no idea about international shipping. It’s a little more pricy but it’s still pretty amazing. If you’re just starting out I’d start with just one or two new pals. The desire to add more is understandable because we thrive on instant gratification and it takes a while to get mail. You keep writing more people until you end up like me and have 20 or more pals! Shipping a letter isn’t so bad. But shipping 20 can be pricy after a while. A US stamp from USPS is 47 cents. You can purchase them at the post office and pick from the stamps they have in stock or you can order them online from USPS.com. They also sell international stamps online and they run $1.50 per letter. The kicker about ordering them online… you have to pay an extra $1.20 to get them shipped. Prices are always changing so be cautions and aware.
You will also notice that other than letters there are card exchanges, Post card swaps, pocket letters, flip books, stationary swaps and goodie boxes. I swore I was just going to write letters. . . but now that I’m getting into it I really enjoy the creative aspects. YIKES. To keep the cost down I have been doing a lot of research. I want to share some of my favorite links with you. These have helped me keep my costs down and still remain creative.
Post Cards: I usually buy from Walgreens or CVS but if you wand to create your own and have a smart phone I recommend Postagram. It’s about 99 cents to send one in the US and that’s including postage. There are other apps but it’s my favorite.
Stationary: I get a lot of my stationary from dollar stores or I make it myself! See my Pinterest for more ideas! Or if you want some really fun pre-made stationary you can check out some of these stores… they will rock your socks off!
If you are looking for WASHI TAPE and STICKERS: I recommend either your local dollar store Oriental Trading. You can order online and get a bundle of it for a low cost.
If you are doing pocket letters… Amazon.com and e-bay have the best rates for the baseball card sleeves. Etsy.com has some pre-made ones if you don’t prefer to make them yourself (what’s the fun in that). However, here are a couple fun shops if you do want to purchase them: Pandamonium and A Little Lemon Stand. If you want to get a little more creative and add some fun things you can also try these shops:
- Pretty Paper Musings
- Em’s Crafty Goodness
- Julie Cremoux
- Maritime Craft
- Sweetly Scrapped Art
- Simply Me
Oh and then there are pens…These can get pricy too. You can start out with anything really. But here are some favorites you can check out if you ever decided to get addicted to pens… I’m partial to the Jet Stream. There are millions out there but here are a few that are tried and true.
You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars but you certainly can. You can find fun stationary at thrift stores or e-bay if you search enough. You can also make your own envelopes out of magazines, old books, scrapbook paper, or even paper bags. I search the thriftiest ways to be an awesome pen pal. The awesome part… I can use the same supplies for my pen pals as I use for my Bullet Journal.
What are some of your favorite Pen Pal supplies???
