{"id":4275,"date":"2019-08-09T08:00:40","date_gmt":"2019-08-09T07:00:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/?p=4275"},"modified":"2021-11-25T09:27:31","modified_gmt":"2021-11-25T09:27:31","slug":"used-postage-stamps","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thepencompany.live\/blog\/writing\/letter-writing\/used-postage-stamps\/","title":{"rendered":"What to do with used postage stamps"},"content":{"rendered":"

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If you write, send and receive letters, you\u2019ll no doubt come across a fair number of postage stamps. Even if you don\u2019t have pen pals, you\u2019ll receive stamps \u2014 on envelopes containing Christmas cards, birthday cards, and more.<\/p>\n

What do you usually do with your postage stamps? Many people simply bin them without giving it a second thought. However, there are actually many options available for disposing of your stamps. This blog post explains everything you need to know \u2014 explore your choices below, starting off with recycling.<\/p>\n

Recycle your postage stamps<\/h2>\n

Postage stamps are recyclable and you don\u2019t even need to remove them from the envelope they\u2019re on \u2014 just throw the whole envelope in the recycling bin and you\u2019re done!<\/p>\n

However, this is arguably not the best way to dispose of your stamps. Below I\u2019ll outline some other options, for those of you who feel inclined to do more with them.<\/p>\n

Collect postage stamps<\/h2>\n

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If you have an interest in stamps, why no become a stamp collector? It can be great fun to learn about the stamps issued by various countries over the years.<\/p>\n

This hobby began in 1840, as soon as the first postage stamp was issued, and continues to this day.<\/p>\n

Of course, nowadays there are thousands of stamps to collect from all over the world.<\/p>\n

Donate your postage stamps to charity<\/h2>\n

Many charities accept donations of used stamps.<\/p>\n

These need to be trimmed with a 1cm border usually, and you can either drop them off in one of the charity\u2019s shops or post them to the charity in an envelope. Some charities provide pre-paid envelopes for your stamps and some expect you to pay the postage yourself.<\/p>\n

Below is a list of some of the UK-based charities that take stamp donations. Click through to their sites to learn about exactly how each stamp donation system works.<\/p>\n

If you have a favourite charity that you like to support, get in touch with them and see if they take stamps, too.<\/p>\n