Those sheets of blank mailing labels you can run through your printer can be used for more than just sending cards and paying bills.

Stock up on blank mailing labels when they’re on sale and you’ll be ready for all kinds of situations. 

Creative Uses for Blank Mailing Labels

Return address labels.  Okay, I know this is not a creative use for blank mailing labels.  But it is the most common use and a good reason to have them on hand.   Most labels come with templates that make creating the labels with your computer a cinch.

Personalized envelope seals.  Adding an envelope seal isn’t a frugal thing to do, but it is a way to add a special message on the outside of your mailings.  You can hand write your message on the labels or create it on your computer.

Contest entries.  This is one of my favorite ways to use blank return address labels.  Simply use your computer to create labels that have your name, address, phone number and e-mail address.  Then bring the labels with you when you go to fairs or trade shows. You can easily enter to win prizes without having to write all the same information at each booth over and over again.

Label your belongings.  Write your name on blank mailing labels or use your computer to print personalized labels for your books, CDs, movies, and more. I also use them to label food containers for the fridge or boxes of off-season clothing for the family.

Use labels as gift tags.  If you don’t have time to make your gift tags or you don’t have a card on hand, you can use blank mailing labels to do the job.  Just write who the gift is to and who it’s from on a blank label and slap it on the present.  I do this all the time on boys’ gifts because they aren’t usually very concerned about gift tags or cards.

Label files.  Blank mailing labels make it quick to label your file folders (or re-label old folders!).

Label photos.  Whenever I have new portraits taken of the family, I use my computer to create labels for the back of the photos. The labels  identify who is in the picture, when and where it was taken, and how old the person is in the photo (if the photo is of the kids).

Identify cups at parties.  If you’re using plastic drink cups, you won’t be able to use your fancy drink markers.  Have guests write their names on blank labels and they can stick them on their cups.  No more wondering where you set your drink down!  You can also use the labels to create cups with special messages for your guests.

Name tags.  Got a big gathering of people who don’t know each other?  No name tags? No problem.  Have guests write their names on the blank mailing labels and stick them on their shirts.

These are just some of the many creative uses for blank mailing labels. Look for deals at your favorite office supply stores, discount stores and even dollar stores, and you’ll be ready for all kinds of labeling projects.

What types of projects do you use blank mailing labels for?

Check out our other cheap tricks to help you save time and money and be sure to share your own cheap trick with us.  You just might see it end up in a future Cheap Trick post!

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