Stamp Collecting can be a fairly inexpensive hobby to start. You can initiate a collection even if you are on a budget. Here are ten easy and inexpensive ideas to get started.

Ask your friends to select commemorative stamps to put on the correspondence they send you. The difference between regular stamps and commemorative ones is that the latter are larger and they are used to honor famous events, places and people. Because only a small amount of these stamps are issued, they are sought by collectors. If they know you are a collector, your friends will likely go to the post office to buy commemorative stamps to put on your mail.

When you send away for offers that require postage or self-addressed, stamped envelopes, use commemorative stamps. You will receive back the stamp whenever the envelope is sent back to you.

Ask your neighbors, friends, and relatives to save their used stamps for you. The majority of your friends and family will be happy to be of service if they know you are a collector.

If you know anyone who receives mail from other countries, ask them if you can have those stamps. Scope for people that can help you find unusual stamps.

Ask friends and family to save the envelopes from their office mail for you. Many businesses get a lot of foreign mail and regularly throw away stamps that have interest and value to a collector.

Inquire with your parents to see if they have any old letters with stamps. Do not attempt to peel off the stamp. Doing so can damage the stamp and ruin it as a collectable piece. Always tear off the envelope corner so that there is paper all around the stamp, and make sure that all of the perforations are undamaged.

If you are able to network with other stamp collectors, you can ask them if they are willing to sell or give away some of their duplicates. Many collectors have thousands of duplicates and they are often willing to help get new philatelists get started by giving them stamps or by selling them packets of stamps much more cheaply than can be purchased in stores or by mail.

Be aware that stamp companies sometimes give away free stamps. Free stamps are often offered along with “approvals,” an assortment of other stamps that you must either buy or return. And it is a good way to purchase stamps. Note, however, that you usually have to pay the return postage if you return the approval stamps.

Check out stamp clubs in your area. Clubs sometimes give away stamps as a prize, or they offer special deals on stamps for sale. Some stamp clubs even sponsor Junior clubs and schools.

Also, you can consider starting a stamp club if one is not already open in your area. Getting four or five people with the same interests together, discussing and exchanging stamps, is a way to start.

Just a few free stamps, an album, and a few stamp hinges, are all you need to become a stamp collector.

So, what are you waiting for? Start collecting stamps today!

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