US Postal office will raise it's 1st class rates by a lousy penny. So much for that roll of "Forever" stamps that I bought last year.

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080211/postage_rates.html?.v=6

You can mail a letter 80 years from now and you can still use just 1 2006 forever stamp to mail it.

Visit the Basement

Got to have more money to pay those overpaid postal workers.I worked at the post office briefly in 1973 and the starting pay to stuff mail into proper boxes was $12000.00 a year. One could train a chimp to do that.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.
"Why shouldn't the American people take half my money from me? I took it all from them." - Edward Filene

Hey let's not be moaning here We up here pay 52 cents for internal mail and the $ is close to par these days.

We now find we can talk to our UK family and friends for 75 minutes using Skype to a telephone for the same price as sending a Christmas card - and the card has yet to be purchased.

Enjoy your bargain

I haven't used the postal service in forever. I either pay it online, or drop it in the bank deposit box on the way to work. I didn't even send cards this Xmas. But that was because my wife broke her writing wrist, and I never even thought about Christmas Cards. Rats.

Me too. I don't even have to go to the bank anymore. I love my computer!

Visit the Basement

The forever stamp means that you can use it forever.


The 41 cent stamp you bought last year is now worth 42 cents.



After the price change, forever stamps now will cost 42 cents.

Visit the Basement

And at the same time service will go down accordingly. When it takes a week for a letter to go from Charlotte to Greensboro, a distance of 95 miles, I don't think we are getting our money's worth.

See people always say that, but I find the USPS to be extremely fast.

Visit the Basement

I agree, I find most first class mail reaches an address anywhere in the US in about three days. Nearly all mail other than short distance travels by air these days.

Those of you old enough to remember "Air Mail" and the premium we paid to use it, will realize that even at todays cost mail is a bargain. In my youth a first class stamp cost 3 cents. Factoring in inflation, that 3 cent stamp would cost at least 60 cents today, and that old 3 cent letter traveled by truck or train. What a bargain, from your house, hand delivered to any other address in America, for 41 cents!

If that one cent increase is a problem for anyone I suggest they stock up on forever stsmps now. You can buy a million of them At 41 cents each and you and your children and grandchildren can use them them forever without paying a cent more. The adhesive may dry out, but glue is cheap.

Oh, and those over paid postal workers deliver more mail in the month of December than the rest of the worlds postal services deliver in a year, without having to hire additional temporary staff.

Shelly

You're reading the article wrong and misunderstanding what a forever stamp is.


The forever stamp is used just as how Shelly and I have said.


In 50 years from now, it still will only cost 41 cents to mail a letter, if you have a forever stamp purchased at 41 cents.



The cost of the forever stamp is being raised to 42 cents. That means if you buy a 42 cent stamp and mail a letter in 50 years, it will only cost you 42 cents.


No additional postage needed.


You're buying tomorrow's postage at today's prices. That's an unbelievable bargain.

Visit the Basement

You can protect yourself from future rate hikes by buying a few hundred to a few thousand of the "Forever" stamps right now at $.41 each. However, one must obviously weigh the short term costs.

I'll buy a few sheets or a couple of rolls during the next couple of months. That will be enough to get me down the road for a couple of years.

Depends on your usage, I could buy a roll of 100 for a mere $41 now and it would literally last me my lifetime. I just might do that.


Crap, except those Christmas cards.

Visit the Basement

They started using "perpetual" stamps in Sweden about 20 years ago. They were only available at Christmas, and sold at a discount. They had no monetary value printed on them, only marked Christmas. They lasted forever, but could only be used during a window surrounding Christmas.

Then about ten years ago, they shifted to perpetual stamps for letters (under 20g). These stamps only say Letter (no monetary value on these either), and never go out of date.

Considering how rarely one uses regular mail nowadays, it is convenient to know that the stamp you bought 5 years ago will still do the trick!

The cost of first class letters in the UK starts at 34p which is about 66c. http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400029&mediaId=50800722

What is a "forever" stamp? I bought some .41 stamps at Christmas time and still have 16 left. I also just discovered that I still have 4 of the .39 stamps.

Les

Here's some USPS info to go along with all the other "Forever" explanations here:

http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007/sr07_011.htm

Visit the Basement

Thanks ablib. I find this extremely irritating. I bought .41 cent stamps and when the price increase comes up the stamps are no longer usable without additional postage, but the .41 cent forever stamp is. Seems like every time postage increases I'm stuck with a bunch of stamps. I'm not too concerned with the increase since I seldom have use for a stamp but I think buying a stamp is, in effect entering into an agreement with the post office. I gave them .41 cents and in return they agreed to deliver a one ounce envelope to an address of my choosing. I was not informed of any time limitations for using the stamp when I purchased them. Any lawyers here want to take on a breach of contract suit?

Les

There is no time limitation on using your 41 cent stamps.Your letter will still be accepted with no additional postage needed.

LilJoe

Is that something new? I seem to recall in the past that you had to add stamps to cover the increase.

Les

The Forever Stamps are forever. Your 39 c stamps need additional postage.
The Forever Stamps in May will cost 42 cents.

Read
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007/sr07_011.htm

LilJoe

@#$%!! Does NOBODY understand this issue? Forever stamps are good FOREVER!!. If you bought forever stamps you can use them, well, for EVER!! Jeez!! And price hikes will have NO effect on the "forever" stamps that you have already purchased. OK, in a month or so, the "forever" stamps that you buy (THEN) will cost a penny more, but THEY will still be usable ... duh .. FOREVER. Get OVER it people!

*********
Desktop: Lenovo/Windows 10; Intel Core i5; 16Gb RAM; Firefox 51; Avira Free; Netgear 700 Router

Jeepers. Who put a burr under your saddle? Feeling a little cranky today are we?

Les

READ post 21 again before you blow a gasket.

Ed W.

"IN GOD WE still TRUST - ALL OTHERS, WE used to MONITOR"

Hee hee! Ok, a more measured response to Ed W and Les: So I'm not about to blow a gasket, but so many otherwise good folks are getting bent all out of shape over the issue of the "forever" stamps. It just isn't all that hard to understand, and THAT'S what I don't understand. Sigh. OK, I'm off my high horse now. I think I need a drink. Thanks for your well-considered replies.

*********
Desktop: Lenovo/Windows 10; Intel Core i5; 16Gb RAM; Firefox 51; Avira Free; Netgear 700 Router

Visit the Basement

Which stamps did you buy? If you bought regular 41 cent stamps then you will need to add one cent postage to it. If you bought the 41 cent forever stamp then no further postage is needed no matter how many times prices go up. The did sell two different types of stamps. Many people continued to buy the pretty 41 cent stamps and ignored the plain generic forever stamp.

Ed W.

"IN GOD WE still TRUST - ALL OTHERS, WE used to MONITOR"

My stamps are the purple heart stamps and not the forever stamps. When I bought these I didn't even know about forever stamps.

Les

That's what I thought you were referring to Les. The Post Office continues to make all the different series stamps and they will now be changed more than ever before. I just order the forever stamps from the Post Office online and they deliver them free to my mailbox. You better order some one cent stamps, but not more than you will use before next January's stamp increase comes around.

Ed W.

"IN GOD WE still TRUST - ALL OTHERS, WE used to MONITOR"

From here on out everyone should buy forever stamps. Never again do you have to buy 1 or 2 cent stamps because your postage isn't enough due to a rate hike.

Visit the Basement

The forever stamps have no denomination printed on them. Mine have a beige background with an American flag.

Shelly