Much more aesthetically pleasing than the US vending machine version:
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I donāt mind using postage labels, because postage labels are rare in our local post office. Even if there is a shortage of stamps, the staff will try to paste stamps of sufficient value.ļ¼more than one stampļ¼
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I use both. I can buy the older gummed stamps for a discount.
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Iāve never seen one of these. I always order my stamps from USPS or eBay.
Couldnāt agree more about the āmagicā and how postal systems work differently in other countries. I remember, one of the things that surprised me was how many countries have to do a mix of stamps to send a card, since in my country generally just one works. Using more than one with different costs is no longer frequent here at least not since I started and from my perspective ofc
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I do agree with that yes, theyāre far more aesthetically pleasing. Mine looked similar to those but at the end of the day itās just how I could send the postcard and Iām still happy to share with people.
Yeah these come out of the automated vending machines at the Post Office locations.
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I think the labels make cards look like commercial mail, rather than personal correspondence. I refuse to use them.
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I use the labels for paying bills so it has a negative association in my mind.
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Since I joined the site, now I feel that using regular stamps for commercial envelopes is a waste.
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I think there are also a lot of us who could use one stamp but choose not to. Here in Australia, I certainly could buy a single stamp of the right rate to send a postcard and it would probably be the easiest to get, to be honest, but I really enjoy choosing a combination of lower-denomination stamps for people. It often feels like an extra chance to connect when I can choose stamps to match their various interests or when I receive a card where someone has clearly done the same (which I donāt expect, but I certainly enjoy)!
Edit: To answer the original question, I think itās okay to send a postage label if thatās all youāve got. I wouldnāt be very excited to receive one (just as, if Iām completely honest, Iām not at all excited to receive yet another USPS Global Forever stamp) but I think itās the combination of all the little things that makes a great card, so if the message was still thoughtful I would enjoy it regardless.
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I would prefer a āclassicā stamp.
In Germany, one has several options for mailing: classic stamps, self-made-stamps (self designed, valid as official stamp, but more expensive), a sort of QR code sticker (as in commercial mailing almost always) and a hand written number code.
When I send a card, I check if I have enough stamps at home for correct postage. I would never send out a card with QR-code or some hand written code on it.
But I can fully understand everyone who chooses a āQR labelā when having difficulties getting stamps, maybe when living in very remote area, or when a general shortage of stamps is hampering his efforts.
I also prefer handwritten cards, but always send out with printed address and ID on a sticker due to my bad handwriting, but this is another question 
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I see I see Iād buy more than one stamp to do that too but it gets too expensive for me right now to do so
The first cards I ever sent out had the postage labels. It didnāt look very nice and one of the recipients said she was disappointed I hadnāt used real stamps. From then on I always keep stamps on hand to use however if you donāt have any and there are none available at the post office I personally would prefer to get the card with a label then not at all. But then again while I love the look of the stamps Iām not a collector, I just want the card and to read whatās been written.
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What do you mean ānot available at the Post Officeā? Two regular first class stamps and either two 10ās or a 24Ā¢ additional ounce stamp should be available.
Iāve run into situations where all Iāve had on hand are the labels, either from a good-intentioned relative giving me some labels to use, or the first time when I didnāt realize the machines didnāt have stamps 
sure theyāre not pretty or ideal but thereās nothing that says they canāt be used and I donāt really think people have the right to complain about how someone pays for postage. But then again, humans will always find something to complain about 
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This is currently my dilemma because the post office I regularly go to ran out of low-value definitive stamps (as far as I know, they stopped producing the current series of definitives and theyāre waiting for it to run out before they release a new series of stamps in March). I typically use 1 commemorative stamp and 1-3 definitive stamps, but since the post office no longer has definitives, I will have to use a combination of 1 commemorative stamp and metered postage.
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Those are actually lovely. Ours are boring and basic.
Unwritten rules are non-existing rules. There are other ways to exchange postal stamps.
I donāt collect stamps, and while I admire some beautiful motiv on a stamp, I am just as thrilled to receive a card with a digital code, label or a stamp that I have already dozen of times.
Likewise, I enjoy reading a card, learn something new or get a tip for a book, an author - but I am also thrilled to get a āhappy postcrossingā as the only text.
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I do not collect stamps either.
Just, a postacard without a stamps, to me, is missing a fundamental part.
But to say that an āunwritten ruleā does not exist, is like denying that customs exist.
Think and say what you wantā¦ but the majority of postcards we send is with stamps and postal marks.
It is what it is. 
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