How do you pay for life?

[Allison Leonard Rappaport]

This is a legit question for the community.

Either I work and don't have time or energy to make art, or I don't work and don't have money for postage.  I have 3 issues of my zine on my computer that I can't afford to print or mail.  I'm in school right now, so not working.

Do you all have jobs?  What kind of jobs?  Or are you professional artists?  Postage and art supplies costs you money too, so where are you getting it?

[Rebekka Schmidt]

soo good question. I work part time in order to have time and energy for creating. Concerning postage I invested in a postage scale. So I know how much I can fill into the envelope in order to stay in the postage range. Sometimes I cut artworks smaller to make them lighter if there are 2-3g too much. I also got slower with sending art and assemble what fits for the postage. So there are times for sending and times for creating :)

for copies we have good possibilities in the public library. it's way more cheaper to print and copy there than at the post office, coffee shops or internet cafès.  also arranged to live near my job so I neither need a car nor public transport and have more time.

[Ilya Semenenko-Basin]

This is an interesting and complex question. For me, the main costs are 1) postage (i.e. buying stamps) and 2) German collage glue. Everything else is inexpensive.

[Hélène LAGACHE]

Allison, that’s a very interesting question. I’m retired, so my income has gone down. But since I live in the city center, I no longer need a car, so a lot of savings.
I use free materials like Patricia and Katerina. I will add newspapers, catologue of museums, theaters etc of my city, offered by these institutions, and often graphically beautiful. The shops, especially on holiday, offer beautiful catalogues. The problem is the price of stamps. Currently 1.80 euros and up to 3.60 euros. It increases every year. But the French Post publishes with artists "beautiful stamps" that I like to use.
I am not at all professional, but a lover of art and exchanges. Making Mail Art is fun and allows you to get in touch with people from all over the world.

[Katerina Nikoltsou (MomKat)]

Hello from Greece "kiss5tigers"?

Like, Patricia, I use whatever "mail art omens" that can be found for free: junk mail, ad flyers, cardboard packaging, and papers of all kinds from souvlaki wrappings to bread bags :-) And I discovered some very cheap light weight air mail envelopes, plus always make a few envelopes from old magazine pages. As a retired art instructor on a simple pension, I have to economize now that Greek postage doubled for 20 gram letter-size on August1st! 'Twas 1 euro to the USA and now is 2.50 euro for 2nd class...sooooo, will be making and sending mail art in batches , only 4 times a year from now on and not each month. But mai art is alive 'n kickin' no matter what the cost!

[PATRICIA LANDON]

Welcome, seems like I've been here forever, I started just writing letters/postcards on other sites, as you know. I use every free item available; junk mail, free newspapers,magazines,thrift store finds, recycle incoming mail. Ask friends and family for donations for recyclable items. I often went to art stores to see what I could find for free; you'd be surprised if you look and ask, tell them what you are doing, and they mostly can help. I have one friend who always sent me an accumulation of paper items from time to time. After school starts Walmart always discounts their glue sticks...stock up. As far as stamps go, I  use/make regulation size postcards as much as possible. U.S.A. postal stamps are available below face value at Walmart, EBAY and other sites. I have a small army of stamp fairies. (friends and family) who send me forever stamps on occasions. Let everyone know what you are looking for specifically, I am happy to send you some of what I have:)

[Kiki]

Hello from Japan,

I have a job, a light duty job that does not pay much, actually, but I can get most of my art supplies like flat erasers, all kinds of paper including pretty Origami paper and even a set of stamp-carving tools like chisels / gravers and a design knife at our Japanese 100 yen shops that are like 1 dollar shops. Stationeries in Japan are relatively inexpensive and good quality, fortunately. Postage to send a flat mail less than 25 grams is around one US dollar. And I do not get to send my mail art too much every month, so I can afford it all in all.

[Allison Leonard Rappaport]

Hi, Patricia!

Yes!  Kiss5Tigers is me!

[PATRICIA LANDON]

Is this kiss 5 tigers?