Stamps are going up again!

[Denim Deb]

We have forever stamps, though I think you have to request them from most PO's. We just throw an envelope in the mail box without a stamp. When the change in the box gets a little low, we throw a pocketful of change in there. We're awful!

Every time hubby has something to mail, he gives it to me. And, then if I forget, he yells at me. Honestly, I don't see why it's my responsibility. I don't ask him to mail stuff for me. I don't know why he can't just put it in the box w/the price of a stamp. It's what we always used to do and what I normally do when I have something to mail.

 

[Mattemma]

I think I use maybe 2 stamps a month,but a few pennies more on everythnig sure adds up.

Visa and Mastercard use will result in possible surcharges to the consumer starting 1-27 too. It was just a matter of time before the swipe fee was passed on to us.

I always make sure I check all the junk mail,because it is just a matter of time before my banks get rid of their free banking and start charging me too!

My local PO only gives out the forever stamps.That whole add a penny stamp was so silly. I love it when they have the animal or flower stamps.Usually I have to get flag or bell stamps.

 

[so lucky]

Just to show how old I am--I remember when I was little, we used to tape a nickel to the letter, for the mail carrier to use for postage. I have never tried to buy stamps from our present rural mail carrier. May have to try it one of these days! Slogging into town just to buy stamps is wasteful; my DH does it often enough. :/

 

[Bettacreek]

George always put change in the bo, I had always done the stamp thing. When I first noticed change in the mailbox, I had honestly thought that the inmates found some change in the yard and put it there, lol. Change in the box works SO much better, and although it's $0.02 more per envelope every year, in the long run, it saves money. I can't tell you how many times whole sheets of stamps were turned into window art by the boys! Not to mention how many I've lost on my own!

I very, very rarely ever go to the post office. I do everything from home. Saves me the hassle, gas money AND I save money by printing labels online. All of my first class mail goes through the paypal site. They require delivery confirmation, but I always use DC anyways, and it's only $0.19 through paypal instead of $0.75 or $0.85 or whatever it is now through the postal site or at the office. Even if payments are not made through paypal, you can still use it via paypal.com/shipnow

 

[~gd]

The forever stamps are the break that the USPS gives to the small user. If you can estimate your use in advance and can afford to give them a lump sum you can save a little money. Frankly when they announced the postal increase in 2007 [to $.42] effective later in the year, I took a long hard look at postal rates and found they had risen about 300% over the last 30 years! So I took $205 and bought 500 stamps before the rates went up again. [Remember 2007 was the start of the current rescission there were falling rates everywhere. Where else could I have made 10% a year? The rate increase has been 12% over the last 6 years but that is better than what I would have earned if I had left the money in the bank.
1963 to 1968 are the only years that so luckys nickel trick would have worked. Today on rural routes they have orange envelopes to order stamps through the mail many carriers carry common items [like a book of stamps] but often dont have change. Other posters please note that forever stamps are the common stamp that will be issued without a request; the ones with values printed on them are used for overseas mail if the other country insists

 

[FarmerChick]

forever stamps. got a bunch of them. hardly ever use a stamp. online bill pay etc. heck I hardly use checks.

 

[Destinysma]

Hi there-

For what it's worth- ALL commemorative stamps now sold at post offices are FOREVER stamps. Best thing we ever came up with.

Also...Rural Carriers are still meant to be "post office on wheels" and can sell stamps, money orders etc. Most have probably never sold a money order, and may have to bring it out the next day, but it IS a possiblity, and for many it beats the cost of gas to trudge into town.

Destinysma

 

[Destinysma]

There is a new Global Forever stamp for overseas letters.