I usually use the whole PBS mailing thing and just pay them the extra 40 some cents. But yesterday I tried it differently because I had two that were Media Mail and I figured since I had to go in to the post office anyway I would have them weigh it and pay the postage there.  Folks on these forums have mentioned that the PBS shipping is often wrong (is this really true and what happens do you get things returned alot?) so I wanted to also see if the PBS estimates were close (they were).

When I printed the wrapper I did however use the PBS delivery confirmation (.19 cents I think).  Well I just looked at my receipt and noticed the clerk charged me an additional .19 cents on each one.     Thats not correct is it?  

I belive you dont pay PBS the 19cents you are paying 19cent to the post office for the delivery confirmation

(normally its 75cents (or was)

Yes, it's correct. You pay PBS 27 cents to generate the DC barcode and to pay for a Guaranteed Credit. You pay the Post Office 19 cents to scan the barcode at delivery.

Yup, it is correct. You pay PBS a fee of .27 and then you also need to pay an additional .19 for the electronic DC postage. 

The .19 is included in the postage costs you pay PBS when you use the  full PBS postage.

OK now I understand.  Thanks a lot for clarifying that for me.  Do most of you use the full PBS service or do you use stamps or a combo of the services?

I use PBS postage only when I am going to mail something over 13oz quickly and don't want to risk the PO being closed and the APC being out of small labels. I use PBS-DC only for the majority of the books I mail. I use all other methods of paying postage -> stamps, APC postage, and go to the counter. Usually I mail everything at the PO no matter how I pay for postage since I drive by it all the time. If I am mailing only single small books, I will often apply stamps. If I am mailing over 13oz I go in and if the counter is not busy I will go in, if there's a line I go to the APC.

I don't use the DC on every book because it just doesn't make sense financially. I figured out one time that if I"d used it on every book then I would have spend close to $100 just on the DC alone fee and $200 on the postage printing fee.  Way more than the cost of a lost book or credit.  I do use the PBS DC for game books because it's required and multiple book orders. If I have a larger book to mail and don't feel like going to the post office then I'll use the printed postage. I did today because I jsut had one tradesize book to mail and didn't want to go to the PO just for that. So paying the postage fee made sense because I could just stick it in my mail box.  If it was a smaller book I would have just used stamps. 

I would rather help support PBS by donating credits and paying for a boxing membership (I have it on hold right now).

I sent a package last week that wasn't books, so I couldn't use media mail.  Normally I use Paypal, but this time I didn't.  I took it to the PO.  They charged me 80 cents for confirmation.  They said they can't match the Paypal discount (18 cents).  I mailed it parcel post (it weighed 9 lbs.), and it cost $8.55 plus 80 cents.  It was part of a game I was playing and DC# was required, otherwise, I wouldn't have used confirmation.

They charged me 80 cents for confirmation.They said they can't match the Paypal discount (18 cents). 

This is true Marti, the 18 cents (now 19 cents after the May rate change) is only for electronic DC, it cannot be purchased at a retail USPS store.