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I sent a parcel to from Brexit Britain to my friend and colleague Laura Hilliger in Germany. The “2-3 day” DHL service cost as much as the contents and took from 18th December to 14th January to arrive. I could have just ordered something from Amazon.de for her with free postage and it would have arrived next day.

This article takes things a step further: why send letters and postcards to friends and family when you can order actual products from Amazon to be delivered along with a gift note?

As of 2025, a stamp for a letter costs $0.78 in the United States. Amazon Prime sells items for less than that… with free shipping! Why send a postcard when you can send actual stuff?

I found all items under $0.78 with free Prime shipping — screws, cans, pasta, whatever. Add a free gift note. It arrives in 1 or 2 days. Done.

You’re not only saving money. It’s about sending something real. Your friend gets a random can of tomato sauce with your birthday note attached. They laugh. They remember you. They might even use it!

Source: Riley Walz