I don’t believe there is hope for the United States Postal Service, an oxymoron of a name if there ever was one. And this is not just me, as the Chicago Sun-Times has reported on the lack of service, delivery and accountability this past weekend. I will spare you my own mail debacle stories, for now at least.
About the only smart thing the post office has come up with is so-called "forever stamps" where once you buy the stamp, you can use it whenever, and it will be valid at the current rate at that time. So if you buy a 39-cent stamp the day before the rate increase and use it a week later, you do not need to add additional postage. After witnessing the insanity at Chicago’s Loop post office on the day of the last stamp price increase last year – where they literally ran out of two-cent stamps – I am actually surprised that the same organization came up with this idea.
This article from spudart.org on the historic stamp price increases has a cool stamp design they should consider for the first forever stamp!
Business •
Diversions •
(4)
Comments •
Permalink
Comments
How much is this forever stamp going to cost? So the forever stamp only makes up for the increase in cost from the previous stamp? So if the forever stamp goes on sale for, say, two cents, then when stamps go up from 39 to 42, then the forever stamp would be a deal.
I had thought the forever stamp would work where it would be the only stamp you slap on a package. So you lock in at say… 50 cents. Then fifty years later if it costs $20 to mail something you can still just stick a fifty cent stampon the package. OF course, you had to hang onto that stamp for fifty years (hence the profit by the government, they had your investment for that long).
Comment by
spudart
on 03/13/07 at 10:32 PM
Our mail came at 9:48PM last night. Yes, that is a P.M.
Comment by
Jeff Kenny
on 03/14/07 at 12:39 AM
Yikes! Interestingly, mail came at my building before noon, and I imagine it had something to do with the postmaster general being in town.
Comment by
Mike Maddaloni
on 03/14/07 at 09:30 AM
The forever stamps will be sold at the current price. That would mean there would be a run on them the days leading up to the rate change. In the long run banks would probably give a better return on your money than the post office. :)
mp/m
Comment by
Mike Maddaloni
on 03/14/07 at 09:34 AM
Post a Comment
Note: Comment moderation is active, and your comment will be viewable once it is reviewed.
