You guys know that you get the discounted rate on the USPS site, right? Just create an account and mail through them. I mail all my stuff through them and it is between 4 and 4.50 since the rates increased.
@peaceandlove I used to fight with my postage workers as well. One would charge me this; the next would double it for no apparent reason- it's obvious the USPS training program could use some consistency.
Now, if I send PWE, I buy the non-machinable stamps from the website (1.22 each if memory serves correctly) and write non-machineable on the envelope so they can't complain. And a lot of the EBay sellers are going to those rigid cardboard envelopes and going with the non-machinable rate if its under an ounce or two. I've had as many as 12 cards shipped in those for just over a dollar. I think that's the wave we are all going to be riding soon- you can send roughly 30 cards in three of those for less then or as much as one 3 ounce bubble mailer.