Hello all, l became active again after a break and was wondering how everyone prefers to draw addresses. Do you get a new one right away upon receiving the Hurray message? Do you wait to have 5, 10, 20 or some other number to send all at once? Or maybe just draw on a specific day, such as on the weekends. Personally I usually wait until I have at least 5 spots to send before get out all the cards, stamps and pens. Sometimes I save many spots for when traveling or WPD.
7 Likes
Hi 
Honestly, it depends on how I feel, also how much the āhowever number leftā annoys my OCD.
10 Likes
I have a couple of preferences.
Most often I draw an address after 8pm my time (Eastern Canada) so itās into the next dayās date (UTC time) on the website so I feel kind of ahead of the game & the calendar starts counting on the day the card goes in the mail, lol.
I will draw an address on the same day as I get a Hurray message, if itās early enough in the day that I can get the card out in the same dayās mail - cutoff time is early afternoon.
And a variation on the 1st preference, I wait to draw addresses after Fri am until Sun after 8pm again to get ahead of things again.
I generally donāt wait for a certain number of slots to build up, but draw addresses as I can. I saved 3 slots for WPD this year.
4 Likes
I donāt have any preferences at all. I draw an address whenever I feel like writing a card. Sometimes itās one in a few months, sometimes itās a whole bunch in a single day.
Most often I donāt use all of my slots (currently I do as I felt like writing a lot on my last trip).
9 Likes
Stamps are not cheap here.
So due to cost I send 1 card per week or 2 every two weeks.
7 Likes
When I first had only 5 or 6 slots available, I would draw another address right away after receiving a Hurray message, in order to keep the momentum going. Now I have 12 slots available to me, and Iām receiving cards on a regular basis, so I donāt feel like I have to pull an address right away. I can wait a few days because I always have at least 8-10 cards in circulation.
8 Likes
I also donāt have special preferences. I draw addresses whenever I feel like writing some postcards and when I have enough time (I like to take time for every single profile).
All of my slots I use only during December, for the Cards for Literacy campaign with Deutsche Post.
2 Likes
In the beginning of my Postcrossing life I drew a new address as soon as I had read the hurray message. That was literally everywhere, in the middle of the supermarket, in the car or at the middle of the night.
Now I wait a little longer. My plan is to have 5 spots available at all times, in case we go somewhere and I feel the need to use the travelmode.
5 Likes
i draw addresses when i have time to write, and when i want to. usually one or two days a week. i always write more than one card because i have to take out all my card stuff.
i can have 34 cards traveling at the same time but i canāt remember the last time i maxed out. today was a writing day for me and i āonlyā wrote 4 cards. i like taking my time, enjoying the process. not just send a card just because i can.
4 Likes
Iām still a beginner with 5 slots, so I draw as soon as I see I have a slot free. But I appreciate the tips of everyone who suggests waiting until a new UTC day. Good idea!
5 Likes
I write out all my available postcards every Saturday morning. Last week, it was only 4. Sometimes it coukd be 15. I can have up to 21 out at a time right now.
It is the same for me, in general. Although I do admit that sometimes I am longing for the next card slot to be freed up (when I have maxed out the 19 cards I am currently allowed to have travelling) and then I do sometimes draw a new address straight away.
I usually prefer to write 1 to 4 postcards at one time, everything else leaves me a bit tired (I like to get involved with the different profiles, their favourites, choosing the card, choosing the stamps, writing the message etc).
Also, I would like to write (or have a slot left to) a card a day, so I try to never max out completely and sometimes I prefer to write one card a day and to ālimitā myself after that because I know that in this way I will not overload myself with writing postcards. 
3 Likes
I used to do this when I was a beginner too. Check out the tags section under games and activities whenever you want to send a card and donāt have any slots left.
6 Likes
Iāve been postcrossing for under an year, but I still notice my excitement has settled compared to beginning. I remember being absolutely excited to write multiple cards and drew an address immediately one was received. Now I noticed it was not hard for me to save up slots for WPD. I still draw addresses quite soon after itās available, but not immediatelly.
3 Likes
I draw an adress when I feel like it. And so far not more than 1 at a time. So I never used all slots.
I have 10 slots at the moment, and like to keep my travelling cards somewhere between 6 and 10. Iām always very happy when a card has arrived and a slot is available again, but I only draw an address if I feel like it and have the time to engage in the process properly.
Also I always draw addresses only at the time when Iām ready to write the card and sit there surrounded by my stuff ready to get going, never before. And I draw the next address only when I finished the previous postcard. I do this to avoid getting overwhelmed. I noticed in my beginnings that when I drew 4 or 5 addresses at once, that writing the cards started to feel like a chore. I do not want a hobby to put stress on me, so I changed that up and it works really well for me that way- I can stop anytime I donāt feel like it anymore or something comes up.
This week and I guess the following ones are a bit of an exception though. Like i said I only have 10 slots, and it seems my address was given out on WPD a few times even though I was not owed any cards- Iām guessing with even more cards to come. So for the next couple of weeks Iām trying to stay maxed out and write a new card the same day a slot frees up, just to catch up. I do not mind this since I was warned beforehand by reading the forums that this might happen. Nonetheless I am hoping to get in the sent>received range again within October, so I get the chance to receive a few Halloween cards before everybody moves on to the next upcoming event 
3 Likes
I draw one name at a time, only when Iām in the mood. Like some others have said, I like to āsavorā each one. I like to read the profile and then check out their walls to see their favorites and what kind of postcard they send. And, I try to write a personal message, because I know how much I appreciate receiving a message that shows the sender spent a bit of time thinking about what to write. Then, of course, I have to pick out some stamps, and maybe stickers or washi tape, if thereās still space! All this can take some time so usually the most I do in one sitting it maybe 4-5. I can send up to 15 and I donāt stress about having some still available. I guess I could have made this shorter if I just said I value quality over quantity!
I try to spend as much time and care with each postcard I receive.
Last thing, I was very upset that I ended up with about 10 postcards I had sent to Russia right when the USA stopped service there! So, now all I can do is wait for them to slowly reach the 1 year mark and drop off. I donāt use my return address, so Iām sure theyāre gone forever! Stupid post office!
3 Likes
When I started Postcrossing, I used to ask for new adresses as soon as I could.
Now, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I wait for special events to draw 5-6 adresses al together, sometimes I just draw 1, sometimes I keep drawing until I find a profile that really impress me.
2 Likes
I draw all in one go because I cannot go to the post office that often.
1 Like
I draw addresses late at night because I have higher chances of getting USA which itās significantly cheaper for me.
5 Likes