Letters

Just take it to the Post Office and tell them you’d like to send it to the United States. They’ll weigh it, check the size and charge you the correct amount based on this. Then they’ll put the stamp on for you!

A letter with a few pages in a regular envelope is £1.45 (10-20g). A wad of papers (5 sheets and above) is £2.25 (20-100g). Just be careful with multiple pages though, as the thickness (mostly air) can take it over the width limit... then you have to pay a lot more.

I send a few sheets of papers and 10 photos and it comes to 50-60g, so even though it seems thick and very heavy it's still only £2.25 for the weightier feeling letters.

You can get a small set of electric scales off eBay for a few quid, they help with any weight queries you may have. I buy sheets of stamps online from Royal Mail. 25x £1.45 stamps for regular letters, and 25x £1 stamps to go with 25x £1.25 stamps (for the £2.25 postage) for the thicker and heavier items.

Make sure your FULL name and address is in the top left corner, no abbreviations i.e. A Smith etc. Also, make sure you write USA on the bottom of your inmate's address. You don't need to write "airmail" or have a blue airmail sticker on the envelope.