Does anyone else think "Forever Stamps" are kind of like a giant tax break?

[Snoutport]

Nobody else seems to hate the Forever Stamp but I do. They do nothing but benefit the rich and our HORRIBLE for the public. I see them as super bad in two ways:

1. They are a giant tax-ish sort of cut for the rich. Forever Stamps only really help if you have the money to stockpile a big supply of them. All of these rich people and giant corporations that socked away 20 years of stamps will benefit greatly...the little guy who didn't will have to pay the full current price. The generations that weren't born yet will have to pay the full current price. But rich stamp hoarders get to pay 42 cents for the rest of their lives.

2. They will be the death of the postal system as we know it. No business can survive if it sells its future service at today's prices. What if McDonald's sold coupons for hamburgers 20 years ago at their then current prices? You could walk into Mcdonald's today and buy a burger with a coupon that cost 29 cents. Or a gallon of gas at 78 cents? Rich people would have bought up gazillions of coupons and would still be buying 78 cent gas. Just like Forever Stamps.

Look at it this way: In 20 years let's say the actual cost of mailing a letter is $1.00. Mr. Vanderbilt bought a lifetime's supply of Forever stamps so he mails his letter for 41 cents. Billy Squidbert is 20 and was not born yet during the Forever Stamp boon...so he has to buy a stamp. Now, it should only cost him $1.00 but there is a problem. Mr Vanderbilt only paid 41 cents so the postal service is now in the red...so, they have to tack that additional needed money onto Billy Squidbert's letter. So Billy has to buy a stamp for $1.59 to cover the loss from the Forever Stamp. That's if the Postal Service still has the original 41 cents paid for the Forever Stamp...if not, then Billy will have to pay $2.00 to mail his letter to cover the cost of mailing the two letters.

How does this make sense? How can anyone think a Forever Stamp is a good idea? Somewhere down the line the postal service will be put down. I think one of the main reasons will be outstanding debt owed to stamps sold under the Bush administration...BUT, I'll bet, somewhere in all the Forever Stamp hoopla and paperwork is a clause:

I'd bet a whole book of Forever Stamps that there is a clause that if the postal service dies you can cash in your stamps with the federal government...maybe even with a handling fee. Big companies will somehow get a kickback for the stamps they hoarded and John Q Public will have to mail their letters with UPS or Fed Ex who now charge an arm and a leg for service since the US Postal Service is gone.

Not only that but if a corporations buys ONE MILLION DOLLARS in stamps...they can sell them 5 years for now for the new current price. Some day that million dollars will be two million and then three million dollars. The Forever Stamp is nothing but a way to benefit, on the BIG scale, rich people. Sure, it helps us little guys while we have them but the true advantage is to bulk buyers...and that's how they have gotten away with it. Those corporations probably even write off the postage costs so they will just make lots more money while the public picks up the cost. (if they sold a million worth of 39 cent Forever Stamps right now they would make 6 cents on every stamp. Not a bad investment, eh? 15% return on your money with no work except being rich enough to buy a lot of stamps)

Stupid Forever stamps. They are kind of ugly too.

[MineralMan]

1. I see them as insignificant in every way.

I use so few postage stamps these days, that my 100 Forever stamps will last just about as long as the name indicates.

[Snoutport]

6. I still like sending cards and letters.

as the old days but when I want to cheer up a friend.

The greeting card industry is still quite healthy. People like to mark the important events in their lives with invitations, cards, thank yous.

[Occulus]

40. You need to see my posts #27 and #28.

I am a USPS employee, and you are spreading a LOT of disinformation.

[MineralMan]

41. I send that stuff, too.

How many old Forever stamps do you have laying around? Seriously. I buy the stamps I need for the short term, plus 100 or so at Christmas time. I don't stockpile postage stamps. They're too small a portion of my budget to have any serious impact on me. Your claim is pretty much ridiculous.

Corporations don't use stamps. They haven't for decades. Individuals use stamps. Some very small businesses use stamps. Everyone else just meters their mail, and takes advantage of bulk discounts.

Find another topic - one that makes some sense. That's my advice.

[Snoutport]

8. 8.8 BILLION stamps sold in 2010-"mostly" Forever stamps. Not very Insignificant

If you ask me.

[GKirk]

11. How does that compare

to other years?

[slackmaster]

22. Link to quarterly USPS statistics...

http://www.usps.com/financials/qsr/welcome.htm

Looks like 8+ billion single-piece letters per year would not be unusual.

If a person needs stamps and Forever stamps are available, the ONLY logical reason to buy something other than a Forever stamp would be because you like the appearance of a particular fixed-price design.

[MineralMan]

And most of those will be used before the next rate hike.

That's how the mail gets delivered.

Lots of people sending lots of mail. Few people hold Forever stamps as an investment. Most stamps are used within months of their purchase.

[msongs]

2. USPS is the worlds biggest handler of useless trash and garbage that rides at low rates. let the

trash rates triple of go up by ten. All we do here is take the "mail" directly to the recycling bin on the way to the door.

[ozone_man]

42. It's terrible, isn't it?

Why do we have to subsidize the junk mail industry? If it doubles the cost of the stamp, so be it.

[Occulus]

59. You- as a customer- subsidize the mailing industry.

The government does NOT.

Get rid of junk mail and you'll be paying north of a dollar per letter IF you have a postal system at all.

People here really have no idea of what they're talking about regarding the USPS.

[ozone_man]

99. We as customers should not have to subsidize mail industry.

Let them pay for it themselves. If stamp cost doubles, so be it.

[LynneSin]

3. I think the Forever Stamp is a great idea and it's more towards people like me

No, I can't stockpile a lifetime supply of stamps.

Hell I rarely buy stamps but in the past, a book of stamps would sit around for so long in my house that they were usually a few postal increases behind. I can't tell you how many times I would mail a regular letter out with 2 postage stamps (and thus way extra postage) because I couldn't be bothered to buy the extra penny stamps needed to meet the current postal costs.

See, I'm your typical modern american who does everything online. I pay my bills online, buy stuff online and very rarely need postage except for birthdays. And those few birthday cards I send out usually get the double stamps if I have any laying around.

So for me, a book of 'forever stamps' would be great because it would last me for years and I would never have to worry about postage increases. So if I'm making a few pennies off the government with this endeavor then so be it.

[Snoutport]

7. yup... helps the current generation and squeezes the future generation. sound familiar?

sounds just like a republican ideal of how government should work.

(not calling you that...just mentioning how good a sales job they did on this one)

[LynneSin]

23. OMG because the whole fricking dollar I might make off the govt puts me up there with Goldman-Sach

Seriously?

You have got to be kidding.

This is a creation based on the fact that Americans are not using the postal system.

Really, everything going on in this world and this is what you're complaining about?

Ugh

[Occulus]

28. USPS DOES NOT TAKE A DIME OF TAXPAYER MONEY

IT IS A SELF-SUPPORTING QUASI-GOVERNMENT ENTITY

:argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh: :argh:

[Phentex]

30. Most people do not know this...

it is a common mistake online.

[Occulus]

33. Yes, I know...

BELIEVE me, I know...... all too damned well.......

[Phentex]

39. Posted before I saw your detailed answer below...

it cannot be stated enough! Thank you!

Guess what I have stockpiled? Muppet Stamps! I loved those and the rate went up almost immediately. I was more upset about having to find a stamp to match than I was about the price increase. :)

Then I realized I didn't want to use all of my Muppet stamps so I have saved them.

I also loved the Muppet stationery packs/postcards they sold. Only very special people get those from me.

[boppers]

92. I got some bad news for you...

'The Post Office is supposed to pay for itself, but in recent years has been covering its losses by borrowing from the Treasury. But now, GAO notes, the Post Office "is nearing its $15 billion borrowing limit with the U.S. Treasury and has unfunded pension and retiree health obligations and other liabilities of about $90 billion."'

http://washingtonexaminer.com/politics/will-obama-create-post-office-health-care

[csziggy]

35. I've got a collection of stamps left over after previous increases

Let's see:
eight 17 cent stamps with Rachel Carson
five 32 cent stamps for the Centennial Olympic Games
one 39 cent stamp with Lady Liberty and a flag
one that says 'The "H" Rate make-up stamp" with no clue how much it is worth but with a cute rooster weather vane
A couple of pages of one cent stamps with American Kestels
A couple of one cent stamps with a Tiffany lamp
A page of Forever stamps with Liberty Bells

I guess I need to use all those various denominations up the next time I send a large envelop by USPS. But the Rachel Carson stamps have no glue left on them - they are the only ones that were no self adhesive.

I used to have to check the postal service website to find the current mail rate, then dig through this pile of odds and ends and stick enough on to send my bills out. Now that I only have one or two bills per month to pay by had written checks, it got to be a nuisance. And sometimes with the old stamps the glue was more gone than I realized, they'd come off and I'd get the bill back with insufficient postage stamped on the envelope.

I LOVE the Forever stamps. Now I just stick on a Forever stamp and don't have to worry about what the current rate is.

Of course, that could be part of the reason for adopting them. Back when you had to hunt for the right denomination of stamp, it was an ongoing irritant after every rate increase when you had to make sure you had the right amount to mail. With Forever stamps the increases are pretty much invisible and nearly no hassle. People will no longer have that reminder after the increase that it happened.

[Occulus]

37. That's the "why" behind Snout's gleeful post #8

I've a feeling Snoutport isn't very curious.

[Snoutport]

54. nothing gleeful...not at all.

I don't think it does anyone any good though but the people able to put away lots of stamps. Stamps that have increased over 15% in value in five years. that is 14% more than the S&P. with no fees and they are government backed.

I mean, seriously, wouldn't you jump to have your savings making 15% over a couple of years?

[Occulus]

61. "and they are government backed"

NO THEY ARE NOT! That is totally untrue. They are postal "currency", but once purchased a stamp cannot be sold to or exchanged by any bank or government agency.

If you want to resell your stamps, you're certainly free to do so. I don't know what you think you'd accomplish by doing so, but have at!

See my other posts on this thread. You are operating under a bundle of misconceptions and outright falsehoods.

[AlabamaLibrul]

75. The H rate make-up, FWIW, is a 1c. The H rate was 33c, no "I" but then it went to 34c. nt

[csziggy]

80. Thank you

I guess at this point I'll either toss it or throw it into my pile of odd small things. Someday maybe it will be worth millions since no normal person would have saved one of these and they will be really, really rare. :silly:

[slackmaster]

4. I see them as a sure-fire good investment, to the extent of your future postage needs

I bought about $250 worth of them when a first-class stamp cost $.39. I haven't used half of those yet.

All of these rich people and giant corporations that socked away 20 years of stamps will benefit greatly...

I suppose some rich people use first-class stamps for credit cards, but "giant corporations" and even the smallest businesses get much cheaper postage on letters by using meters. Bulk advertising rates are dirt cheap, far less than first class.

[Snoutport]

12. They can sell them at huge profits later on...just like a stock or a bond

A million in stamps now will be worth 2 million someday... why do you think those giant corporations were buying them a million at a time? AS AN INVESTMENT...not for postage.

[GKirk]

18. Seriously?

You've heard of someone buying a million stamps? Who?

[slackmaster]

19. I've never heard of anyone doing that.

...why do you think those giant corporations were buying them a million at a time? AS AN INVESTMENT...not for postage.

Did you post evidence somewhere that corporations are buying them a million at a time? I'll look back...

...No, I didn't see any verifiable source for that claim.

[Snoutport]

36. good article...i'm still hunting for the article about the sales of stamps.

http://libertymaven.com/2010/12/31/forever-stamps-tell-us-much/11110/#more-11110

[Snoutport]

49. stamps have gone up 29% in ten years...the S&P just 1 %

According to this article: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2650205/posts

Over the past 10 years stamps are up 29%, while the S&P 500 is up a measly .1%. With labor and other costs continuing to mount inside the Post Office, there can be little doubt that many price hikes are coming. Minimum investment in forever stamps is just 44 cents, with no brokerage fees. Plus as an added bonus, if you use the stamps yourself, you pay no income tax on your capital gains.

[Occulus]

52. NOW you're linking to FREE REPUBLIC as a reference?

:wtf:

[Occulus]

50. The author of that article is lying in several ways there...

He conveniently fails to mention, for example, that the current postal financial woes are due largely to the requirement made by Congress that the USPS pre-fund its retiree health benefits, a requirement not shared by any other government agency.

He also repeatedly perpetuates the absolutely untrue myth of the USPS taking taxpayer dollars. It doesn't- period.

The money shot is at the end:

"However, given the track record of government bailouts and the clout of unionized postal workers, chances are very high that the Post Office will always get the bailouts it needs."

Doesn't sound too union-friendly, does he? Who are the sorts that hate, hate, hate unions?

[Chan790]

85. I need to make no guesses about that...

Peter Schiff is fairly well-known to me. He was a GOP primary candidate in the last election cycle for the US Senate seat currently held by my (and all of Connecticut's) friend, Dick Blumenthal. Schiff got spanked by Linda McMahon in the primary after vowing to outspend her.

He's a loon; he also advises people to hoard gold for when society collapses & Yuan for when the Chinese take over. He's somewhere between the utopian objectivism of Ayn Rand, the cloying weaseling of Glenn Beck and the crackpottery of every fatalist conspiracy theorist you've ever heard of. The fact that the man has made a fortune continues to boggle me as every thing I hear come out of his mouth is crazier than the last shit to come out of his mouth. To learn that he thinks people should hoard postage stamps as investment vehicles doesn't surprise me.

[tammywammy]

25. I highly doubt any corporation is buying stamps a million at a time

Companies, even smaller ones, have a stamp machine. You can run regular first class mail through, but it will also weight and appropriately stamp as well.




Or they have a postage permit.

[Chan790]

82. Actually...

and this is the fun part of this...it's illegal to resell a stamp for use (basically there is an exception for collectable items) for anything above face value or original purchase price. Both the seller and the buyer risk absurd (for what we are actually talking about here) amounts of prison time as it would be prosecuted as "theft of government services" to knowingly engage in the sale of postage stamps for the purposes as you suggest.

That million dollars in Forever stamps in 40 years will be worth one million dollars. Exactly (because there are way way way too many of them for them to ever accrue any real collectable value in the near-future)...or less. The guy buying postage stamps as investment vehicles is a moron.

[jberryhill]

96. They'll be sold on the huge black market in postage stamps

People who use more Internet based services will inexplicably sneak out late at night to gather in shady postage stamp parlors....

[raging_moderate]

93. "Newman, you magnificent Bastard!"

Sounds like a Kramer and Newman escapade from Seinfeld.

[Lucky Luciano]

102. Haha! Spot on!! A Newman and Kramer escapade! LOL!!!

Like their soda can deposit arbitrage by crossing state lines!

[michreject]

5. If number 2 happens

and it is the death of the post office, won't their lifetime supply be worthless?

Forget it. I missed the clause.

[Phentex]

10. I've never seen a clause when buying stamps...

have you?

[Snoutport]

21. no..i've never looked...but there must be a clause somewhere

that guarantees the value of the stamp or else nobody would buy a million bucks worth... coorporations aren't stupid. Just greedy.

[Phentex]

47. Corporations don't do this and clauses aren't necessary...

do you really think they'd CARE if anyone lost money?

You are reaching here.

[GKirk]

9. I haven't heard of anyone buying

20 years worth of stamps, have you?

I really don't see any large corporation hoarding stamps. Most of their mail is sent out metered or
with a postage permit.

[slackmaster]

14. I think I bought about 10 years' worth, and haven't regretted it

Close to 640 of them, in 2006 when the first-class rate was $.39.

I use them on the rare occasions I need to mail a bill payment, and for Christmas cards when I feel like sending them.

I've also given some to a friend who is serving a long term in state prison.

[LynneSin]

26. OMG someone call a special senate investigation into your scam....

:sarcasm:

[Phentex]

15. Well, there's a new item for QVC!...

The Forever Stamp Storage System for wealthy people. :)

[pintobean]

13. Is this an attempt at humor?

The stamp speculators are going to manipulate the market. :rofl:

[phleshdef]

16. Boy, you must REALLY hate email then.

And you know that big companies have been able to make bulk postal deals for years anyway.

[cbdo2007]

17. What is a "stamp"?

I don't have that term in my vernacular.

[Phentex]

48. it's similar to a cassette tape...

:)

[Snoutport]

56. it is this little square that sold 8.8 billion last year

[JNelson6563]

20. Large corporations use postage permits

and for some reason I find it hard to imagine the wealthy are worried about saving a few pennies on postage. Your opinion is misinformed.

Julie

[LynneSin]

24. tell me about it

:eyes:

[jillan]

44. They use sites like Stamps.com. And postal expenses are a business write-off.

They are not the ones buying the Forever stamps.

[Occulus]

27. You're operating under a severe misconception of how the postal bulk rates work

The vast majority of huge mailings are permit mail. This means they buy a permit to mail in bulk- usually on the order of thousands to tens of thousands of pieces.

They don't pay $.42 for each mailing. Typically they pay much less- around $.20- because of the number of mailings they're sending. Additionally, many of the bulk mailings are on card stock, which have their own rates due to size and ease of processing.

I'm quickly coming to the point of saying that if you don't actually work for USPS or regularly do business with them beyond the casual mailing of letters or bill payments, you really shouldn't comment on the USPS at all. Every single time anyone ever posts anything about USPS on this site, they post incorrect, erroneous, misunderstood, or downright wrong information (such as your OP, which is basically false end-to-end). I've seen it happen again and again, and it's always blindingly obvious that the poster doesn't know WTF they're talking about!

I've worked for the USPS for... God, fifteen years now. I've never been a window clerk or bulk mail acceptance clerk, so I don't know a lot of pricing specifics, but I do know the public has very little idea of how bulk rates work in the USPS. It's very, very complex, entirely based on what you're sending and how you're sending it, whether you want a permit, a metered cancellation, or an actual stamp, etc., and etc.

I do know enough to say with 100% certainty that the pricing is nowhere near as simple as your OP makes it out to be.

[ohheckyeah]

83. When I worked at a museum

we mailed out newsletters every quarter. The newsletter had the bulk mail 'stamp' printed on the newsletter. We sorted them by zip code and filled out a form of how many were local, how many to other zip codes. We took that form to the post office along with the newsletters and the price was calculated according to number of newsletters that were local and number that went out of state.

[FormerDittoHead]

29. The "play" is to buy and sell them quick to get 1,000% return on your money.

Tie your money up for 20 years just to do a little better than track inflation?

Here's the play:

Buy them the day before the rate goes up 10% (say 39 to 43 cents)

Sell them the day after.

You've achieved a annualized return of one thousand percent. (10% X 360/3 days)

[Jackpine Radical]

31. This is silly.

First, most billionaires who want to do lots of mailing have automated systems that do the work for them. The savings of automation surely more than make up for a few cents per stamp savings.

Second, the price of stamps increases roughly as a function of inflation. If you took your stamp money & invested it in some relatively secure, humdrum company, you'd be ahead of the game in the long run (assuming we avoid total collapse, in which case there will probably be no mail service…)

When I was a kid, a first-class stamp cost 3 cents. That was maybe 60 years ago. The stamp now costs 44 cents. It has increased in price by a factor of 15 (actually, 14.666666666…).

If I had bought 100 3-cent Forever stamps in 1951, my $3 would have turned into $44 now.

If I had invested this money in something that paid 6% interest over the long haul, my money would have doubled every 12 years (Rule of 72), netting me $48 today. So, you see, buying those stamps is equivalent to making an investment at about 6%.

Believe me, most billionaires would not be interested.

[eggplant]

32. This is the silliest argument I have heard all week.

Do you have any evidence that "the rich" are hoarding forever stamps?

Aren't you simply whining that you can't afford to hoard them?

Or that investing in a business today will somehow cause that same business to fail in the future?

Wow. Time to loosen the tinfoil.

[Blues Heron]

34. I have a couple of sheets of Noguchi stamps that have doubled in value

Cha Ching!!!

[jillan]

38. Unlike other government depts, the postal service is on it's own. This is something they did for us

The Corporation uses online sites like stamps.com. They don't care how much postage costs - it is a tax write-off.

And I like the liberty bell.

[Phentex]

45. I can't believe you don't want the

Ronald Reagan forever stamp!


:evilgrin:

[HopeHoops]

43. All 1st class (initial postage) stamps are going to be Forever Stamps now - I see them as convenient

Perhaps your argument is correct, but it is nice to know I can just slap one on an envelope, drop it in the box, and not think, "SHIT, I forgot to add the bump-up stamp!!!"

And don't worry about the "ugly". The Liberty Bell isn't the prettiest stamp ever made, but every initial postage 1st class stamp will soon be Forever Stamps. It just makes sense. I've still got a shitload of Eisenhower 1c stamps that I never used. I like that I can buy a book of 20 now and not worry about the rate changing.

[haele]

55. The last batch of "forever" stamps I got had evergreens on it, pretty nice looking.

I keep one pack of 20 at the office and one pack of 20 in my purse. I send off the rent check, bills going to monthly installment payments to places I don't want to have access to my checking accounts or can't pay from paypal, and of course greeting/holiday/birthday/thank you cards.
Two packs of 20 usually lasts four to six months.
And the only real investment is that I don't have to waste gas always going out for a stamp whenever I send out any of the above communications.

Haele

[HopeHoops]

57. I saw those, but I didn't need stamps at the time. They were rather nice.

[Phentex]

46. No. And there are many choices of styles now...

in case you are interested.

[Snoutport]

51. wow...so you all wouldn't see stockpiled postage as a corporate asset?

OK..maybe I am wrong. Though, very few investments pay off 15% in five or six years. I guess the corporations would never ever notice a chance to buy up a liquid asset that pays off 15% every five years.

No, no corporation would ever think that 15% is a good investment on government insured liquid assets.. They'll just stick to the 1% the S&P would go up.

[Occulus]

53. You ARE wrong. Repeatedly so. n/t

[Snoutport]

60. No, I have an opinion I'm entitled to

And I know of NO business person who advocates selling their products at today's prices for people to use 20 years down the road.

No business would survive that model.

Does GM sell you a 2032 corvette at 2012 prices? It does not benefit the company...it only benefits the buyer.

I was once told, personally, by an FBI agent that the easiest way to transport money is in postage stamps. Collectible ones in this case (he said, "with postage stamps you can put half a million dollars in your wallet and walk across a border".

So, I don't want to argue, I was just pointing out some of the things I saw wrong with the system...but how about we meet here in 20 years and we'll see if Forever Stamps were awesome for the postal service or bad.

[Occulus]

63. I don't need 20 years. I'm a postal employee and the forever stamps helped keep my job around.

Answer me this: why would a large corporation spend $.44 per stamp when their postage is actually $.19 per piece?

[mainer]

91. Um, vacation clubs do just that.

You buy a vacation club package at today's prices, and you can use the coupons for the next ten years. Meantime, the travel agency gets to keep your cash and invest it.

What you're doing by buying forever stamps is handing over hard cash to the PO, and they get to use or invest the cash ahead of time. In exchange for the use of your money (which you yourself could have invested for a profit) you get something you may or may not use soon. And if you accidentally lose those stamps, you're out some cash.

[tammywammy]

58. Yes, you're wrong. n/t

[Snoutport]

62. nope

simple fact is, everyone who uses a 39 cent forever stamp for 44 cent postage had a 15% increase in the value of that stamp. the more stamps the more value you incurred.

It is called math. It is this cool thing companies use to figure out to make profits of any kind.

You think Safeway, that sells forever Stamps, didn't buy a bunch before the rate increase? Seriously? They thought it was a bad idea to stock up on stamps when they are 42 cents this week instead of 44 cents next week?

[Occulus]

64. No, they DIDN'T.

Because they were paying LESS than that to begin with.

[Phentex]

65. The same could be said for the food they buy and

they would make a heck of a lot more money buying a "product" at a lower price and selling it for WAY more than two cents more for a year or so.

Your math is off.

Corporations don't buy stamps at a higher price than bulk rate only to sell or use them down the road. They just don't do this.

[Dreamer Tatum]

79. Maybe you should buy some Safeway stock.

Sounds like they've found an ironclad way to boost earnings.

[onenote]

100. Maybe Safeway should simply stop selling food and only sell stamps if its such a good idea

Of course there is this thing called the time value of money that you seem to be unaware of.

[Warren Stupidity]

84. Metered mail.

Only very small businesses use actual stamps.

[CreekDog]

90. yes, stockpiled postage is 38% of GDP

#notintendedtobeafactualstatement.

[Phentex]

66. Another link for you...

this explains the inflation part.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2009/05/11/should-you-invest-in-forever-stamps/

[RetroLounge]

67. unrec for sheer cluelessness

:rofl:

RL

[donheld]

68. Unrecommend - Thanks for reminding me to order more

[Codeine]

69. This has to be a joke.

There's just no way at all you believe this malarkey. None.

[MH1]

70. Disagree. It's probably a huge cost saver for USPS and a convenience for most of us

No more worrying about 'bump up' stamps. Now I don't even have to worry about what the postage rate is. If it's first class just slap a forever stamp on it and I'm done. Since I don't mail much and use to always wonder if I missed a rate change, this is a huge convenience for me.

My convenience also has to save USPS money. Do you really think rich people will hoard these stamps? I'm sure they have access to better investments. Meanwhile USPS doesn't have to print or stock so many of the 1, 2 and 5 cent stamps. And they don't have to deal with as many customers who just need to buy stamps (and oh yeah give me a sheet of 1 centers too please).

Hard for me to tell from where I sit, but I'm sure it's being done to streamline operations and save money for USPS. And I'm all for it.

[mainer]

71. More like a long-term loan for the USPS

You buy a lot of stamps, you pay up-front. The USPS gets the use of that cash while you hoard those stamps, which you may not use for years.

[CreekDog]

72. .

[CreekDog]

73. Extra points for linking to Free Republic on this DU thread

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=1058053&mesg_id=1058302

:eyes:

[johnaries]

74. .

:spray:

[joe_sixpack]

76. Stocking up on forever stamps isn't as clever as it may seem

When you purchase postage stamps beyond what you need immediately, you're paying out now for a service that will be performed for you at a later date. You are giving the Post Office your money to use free of charge, and you've lost the value of that money until you need a letter mailed. Postage rate increases aren't approved on any predictable cycle, and the percentage increase isn't always that high. So tying up your money in stamps while waiting for the next increase isn't as profitable as putting it to use elsewhere. Consider this; if you were certain that the price of toilet paper was going to rise 2.8 percent in two years, would you bother to stock up on as much as you could right now?

I've worked in the Post Office. Every rate increase since they were introduced, people would line up before the new rates took affect, to purchase large quantities of forever stamps. This hoarding behavior actually brought in a lot of revenue to the USPS, which is why the forever stamp idea was brilliant. The Post Office was getting paid now, for a service they might not have to perform for a couple of years.

[demmiblue]

77. demmiblue was here.

[Dreamer Tatum]

78. Thanks for the hilarious view of your quaint world

...where rich people fleece the government in the form of POSTAGE STAMPS.

So if I'm a billionaire, and I mail, oh, TEN THOUSAND LETTERS A YEAR BY HAND (as we know most billionaires do), and I paid 40 cents for a stamp that should cost 44 cents...why...I've screwed the government out of .04*10000 = $400.

THOSE BASTARDS.

And the thought of corporations who send out mass mailings that require roomsful of people affixing postage stamps to envelopes...oy.

Thanks for the laugh.

[CreekDog]

89. and school lunches are Corn Nuts

oopsy, that was another thread.

but a goody! :rofl:

[MilesColtrane]

81. *facepalm*

[SoCalDem]

86. people still buy stamps?

I think they last time I bought stamps they were 34cents.. I pay everything online & don't need them anymore:)

[Liberal_in_LA]

87. regarding their appearance, post office has some pretty forever stamps now

and regarding them as an investment - just like anything, richer folks will benefit.

[CreekDog]

88. To paraphrase Woody Allen:

"The food here is terrible!"

"And much too inexpensive"

:eyes:

[Duer 157099]

94. Everytime I buy a book of Forever Stamps, I think it will be the last one

I can't count the number of times I've bought those and thought: "Gosh, I doubt I'll ever use all of these, but at least they'll still be at the old rate." And then before you know if, there I am buying another book.

I should have stockpiled them a few years ago when they first came out. Come to think of it, I thought I *did* but somehow I keep using them.

[GKirk]

103. You been expecting the rapture?

:)

[dems_rightnow]

95. A ridiculous thread

Even SMALL corporations use postage machines. Show me correspondence from anyone except an individual that has an actual stamp.

[flvegan]

97. Utter lunacy, this.

[dionysus]

98. are you serious\drunk\both?

[Lucky Luciano]

101. If some rich guy bought a few million forever stamps so he

could save them and only spend $0.41 to mail something 20 years from now then he is stupid for foregoing the investment returns hecould have otherwise achieved over 20 years.


This post is incredibly ridiculous!

[CreekDog]

104. I wonder what the Monday crowd thinks of this?

:D

[LynneSin]

105. Same thing I thought of when I replied over the weekend

You have got to be #)#%*^) kidding me!

[Warren DeMontague]

106. It does seem to defeat the purpose. But drawers full of slightly-under-postage stamps

are a monumental pain in the ass, so I'm pro-forever stamp anyway.

[MedicalAdmin]

107. Balderdash - what next? A post about birth certificates?

Honestly dude/ette, if you factor in inflation, they are not this huge windfall.

Fah - people who don't understand math do get under my skin occasionally. Grrrr. Snort. *hitchs pants up to his armpits and waves his fist as some kids on his lawn*.