JDoors Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 When did they change the law so the P.O. can raise rates yearly? They no longer have to "apply" for a rate increase, they can automatically raise them up to the prevailing rate of inflation, every year, apparently every March from this point on. I didn't hear about it until just recently. Seems to me you should stock up on "forever stamps," buying as many as you might need for the next few years, so you won't have to pay the now obligatory yearly increases. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dan72 Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 worst thing about it is they are going to raise it by only a penny I still got 39 c stamps and had to get a bunch of 2 c stamps and now i have to buy some 1 c stamps or use 2 2c stamps on the envolope Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Honda_Boy Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 hmmmm, I haven't used a stamp in years Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 (edited) A little trick we use to do when we were kids: (when mail was the only available option)You write a letter to a friend. On the envelope you put YOUR name in the "send to" area. Then you put your friends name in the "return address" area.Don't put a stamp on it. Just drop it in the mailbox.Of course the post office would assume that your friend forgot to put a stamp on it, and send it "back" to him. Worked every time. Edited February 21, 2008 by irregularjoe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
blim Posted February 21, 2008 Report Share Posted February 21, 2008 Joe, I love it! In fact, just last week I sent something to the kids and forgot to stamp it--yup, it was returned. But I didn't know if it was just because I live in a postage stamp town.What I don't understand is the 1cent price increase--seems designing and printing up new stamps and destroying unsold stamps would cost more than the rate increase.Liz Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 (edited) . Edited February 22, 2008 by irregularjoe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 "What I don't understand is the 1cent price increase--seems designing and printing up new stamps and destroying unsold stamps would cost more than the rate increase.?Isn't that what the government specializes in? Kind of reminds me of the $649.00 "solid impact percussion tool". ....(aka the 4 dollar hammer) Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted February 22, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 (edited) Joe, I love it! In fact, just last week I sent something to the kids and forgot to stamp it--yup, it was returned. But I didn't know if it was just because I live in a postage stamp town.What I don't understand is the 1cent price increase--seems designing and printing up new stamps and destroying unsold stamps would cost more than the rate increase.Liz Regarding "tricking" the PO to deliver mail, first, it may be considered mail fraud, a felony, second, if they suspect mail fraud they WILL open the mail to determine the correct addressee. If they can determine it was mailed by YOU, you're busted for mail fraud. To save ~40 cents? The one cent increase is the amount they're now allowed to charge annually (inflation), and with "forever" stamps it doesn't cost anything extra to print up new stamps (they'll just charge the new amount for whatever they have on hand). Regarding not using stamps at all, I just signed on to my bank's site and "Online banking is temporarily unavailable." MY computer has to be working, my ISP has to be working, their ISP has to be working AND their computers have to be working. That's a long chain of potential problems. Or I can stick a stamp on an envelope and it'll get there. For now, at least, that's the better choice for me.----- Edited February 22, 2008 by JDoors Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bubba Bob Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 (edited) Or I can stick a stamp on an envelope and it'll get there. For now, at least, that's the better choice for me.Id say the federal mail service is a bigger "chain of problems" Also, the "Forever Stamp" will actually cost MORE to the consumer if purchased as an "investment" for later use. Here's why:http://www.slate.com/id/2166475While the USPS may not have to "Apply" to raise rates, they cannot raise it more than inflation. Edited February 23, 2008 by Bubba Bob Quote Link to post Share on other sites
bozodog Posted February 22, 2008 Report Share Posted February 22, 2008 I think getting a greeting card to "granny" 2000 miles across the US for 41 cents, in as little as 3 days, is a good deal. Or... you can pay 10 bucks for a big envelope and get it there over night with UPS, FedEx or DHL. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted February 23, 2008 Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 (edited) Joe, I love it! In fact, just last week I sent something to the kids and forgot to stamp it--yup, it was returned. But I didn't know if it was just because I live in a postage stamp town.What I don't understand is the 1cent price increase--seems designing and printing up new stamps and destroying unsold stamps would cost more than the rate increase.Liz Regarding "tricking" the PO to deliver mail, first, it may be considered mail fraud, a felony, second, if they suspect mail fraud they WILL open the mail to determine the correct addressee. If they can determine it was mailed by YOU, you're busted for mail fraud. To save ~40 cents? The one cent increase is the amount they're now allowed to charge annually (inflation), and with "forever" stamps it doesn't cost anything extra to print up new stamps (they'll just charge the new amount for whatever they have on hand). Regarding not using stamps at all, I just signed on to my bank's site and "Online banking is temporarily unavailable." MY computer has to be working, my ISP has to be working, their ISP has to be working AND their computers have to be working. That's a long chain of potential problems. Or I can stick a stamp on an envelope and it'll get there. For now, at least, that's the better choice for me.-----LOL. Lighten up buddy. That was 45+ years ago. We were about 7 years old. Stamps were 4 cents if I recall.But if it would make you happy, go ahead and turn me in. I would not be suprised if some federal idiot did try to pursue a felony conviction. Edited February 23, 2008 by irregularjoe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted February 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 23, 2008 LOL. Lighten up buddy. That was 45+ years ago. We were about 7 years old. Stamps were 4 cents if I recall.But if it would make you happy, go ahead and turn me in. I would not be suprised if some federal idiot did try to pursue a felony conviction. Aww, you'd only be charged as a juvenile, hardly worth the effort. I've wondered about the current practice of businesses pre-printing a return address on the envelope, different from the address the envelope is to go to. Would the P.O. send an unstamped letter to the alternate address, even though it's the same company? Or would they go ahead and open the mail to determine the correct return address? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted February 25, 2008 Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 LOL. Lighten up buddy. That was 45+ years ago. We were about 7 years old. Stamps were 4 cents if I recall.But if it would make you happy, go ahead and turn me in. I would not be suprised if some federal idiot did try to pursue a felony conviction. Aww, you'd only be charged as a juvenile, hardly worth the effort. I've wondered about the current practice of businesses pre-printing a return address on the envelope, different from the address the envelope is to go to. Would the P.O. send an unstamped letter to the alternate address, even though it's the same company? Or would they go ahead and open the mail to determine the correct return address?"Or would they go ahead and open the mail to determine the correct return address"In this day and age, they'd probably open it, scan the contents, put the information into a database, take a DNA sample, check the results to search out suspected juvenile mail fraud felons, send the results to a federal grand jury, spend 40 million dollars to determine who defrauded them of 40 cents, reseal the envolope, and then send it on to the adressee.At which point it would get lost in the mail. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted February 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 25, 2008 "Or would they go ahead and open the mail to determine the correct return address"In this day and age, they'd probably open it, scan the contents, put the information into a database, take a DNA sample, check the results to search out suspected juvenile mail fraud felons, send the results to a federal grand jury, spend 40 million dollars to determine who defrauded them of 40 cents, reseal the envolope, and then send it on to the adressee.At which point it would get lost in the mail. A juvenile felon AND a comedian! Sounds like a pitch for the next big TV show: Irregular Joe, lived his life on the hard streets, served his time in juvvy hall where he finds salavation putting on shows as a stand-up comedian! Meet the people in his life, old friends still scratching out a living, new friends and hangers-on ... and ... a new love! Watch flashbacks of his tough years, the discovery of his talent at juvvy hall, the biting satire of his current career, and the trials and tribulations of the life of a comedian, on the CW next fall! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted February 26, 2008 Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 (edited) "Or would they go ahead and open the mail to determine the correct return address"In this day and age, they'd probably open it, scan the contents, put the information into a database, take a DNA sample, check the results to search out suspected juvenile mail fraud felons, send the results to a federal grand jury, spend 40 million dollars to determine who defrauded them of 40 cents, reseal the envolope, and then send it on to the adressee.At which point it would get lost in the mail. A juvenile felon AND a comedian! Sounds like a pitch for the next big TV show: Irregular Joe, lived his life on the hard streets, served his time in juvvy hall where he finds salavation putting on shows as a stand-up comedian! Meet the people in his life, old friends still scratching out a living, new friends and hangers-on ... and ... a new love! Watch flashbacks of his tough years, the discovery of his talent at juvvy hall, the biting satire of his current career, and the trials and tribulations of the life of a comedian, on the CW next fall! ...... touché But PLEASE!!!!.......the CW???? Why not just staple my eyelids open and make me watch Fox News all day? Edited February 26, 2008 by irregularjoe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JDoors Posted February 26, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 26, 2008 I was going to say UPN , thought about it, and for some reason thought The CW would be even funnier. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
irregularjoe Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 I was going to say UPN , thought about it, and for some reason thought The CW would be even funnier. It was. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pete_C Posted February 29, 2008 Report Share Posted February 29, 2008 Well, I have a couple places I still send snail mail to and the OL still has some friends who are not online. Then there are the obligatory birthday, christmas etc cards which some still feel need the personal touch that an ecard lacks (I say bah humbug why send any card ). But I went and bought two books (40) of Forever stamps . That should last a couple years. I did not buy them as an "investment" or money saver, just that I am out of stamps and do not want to buy normal 41 cent stamps only to wind up having to search for the penny or two cent or whatever stamps needed to make up the postage in a month or two or forget I need it and have things sent back insufficient postage .I mailed a Christmas card to old friends in Bedford (Essex?)England this year, only to have it get all the way to Suffolk, (Middlesex)England and get sent back here for "insufficient postage". I tried just adding the extra stamp and again it got sent back. So I repackaged it and put on more than enough only to have it returned because they had moved. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Dan72 Posted March 2, 2008 Report Share Posted March 2, 2008 (edited) Or I can stick a stamp on an envelope and it'll get there. For now, at least, that's the better choice for me.Id say the federal mail service is a bigger "chain of problems" Also, the "Forever Stamp" will actually cost MORE to the consumer if purchased as an "investment" for later use. Here's why:http://www.slate.com/id/2166475While the USPS may not have to "Apply" to raise rates, they cannot raise it more than inflation.the stamp cost the same as a regular stamp , why is it a bad investment ? Edited March 2, 2008 by Dan72 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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