Forever Stamps

[Robert Sharp]

I was reading the article in Slate about console shortages (linked to in the numbers thread in the games forum), and I found this article, which is pretty good. I thought I would share it. It tells you not to buy the new forever stamps offered by the post office:

http://www.slate.com/id/2166475?nav=ais

[prolix]

Well, they cost the same as a regular stamp, so there's no reason not to buy them and use them. It's buying them with the intent to hold them as some kind of investment that's silly.

[Leah C]

For those of us that rarely use stamps and buy a book of them rather than waiting in line at the post office to mail every single letter, they're great. I still have 37 cent stamps I need to use and now I have to put a bunch of 2 cent stamps with them. That's annoying. Forever Stamps = awesome.

[bigdruid]

So, someone please explain to me how the government can pass a law forcing postal rates to stay below the rate of inflation?

I mean, that sounds great and everything, but how is that even possible over the long term - isn't the USPS currently self-funding?

[ydejin]

For those of us that rarely use stamps and buy a book of them rather than waiting in line at the post office to mail every single letter, they're great. I still have 37 cent stamps I need to use and now I have to put a bunch of 2 cent stamps with them. That's annoying. Forever Stamps = awesome.

I agree. I've been using Breast Cancer Research Stamps (http://www.usps.com/communications/community/semipostals.htm) since they came out in 1998. I rarely use stamps now that all my bill paying is done online, and generally don't manage to finish a pack of stamps before the next price increase. I've been very happy not to have to worry about getting new stamps as the price increases. I'm more than happy to pay the 10 cent premium and the fact that the extra money goes to a good cause is just icing on the cake.

[Shadarr]

For those of us that rarely use stamps and buy a book of them rather than waiting in line at the post office to mail every single letter, they're great. I still have 37 cent stamps I need to use and now I have to put a bunch of 2 cent stamps with them. That's annoying. Forever Stamps = awesome.
Indeed. It defeats the entire purpose of buying a book of stamps if you then have to go back to the post office to buy a couple more cents to be able to mail a letter. Prior to Canada Post introducing forever stamps I'd just been buying stamps as I needed them, because I never used more than half of a book before postage went up.

[Bill Dungsroman]

I heard the Post Office was gonna print stamps that looked like a clitoris. Problem was, only about 3% of the males in the focus group knew how to lick them properly HAWHAWHAW


...sorry :(

[Lunch of Kong]

...sorry :(

I laughed!

[Machfive]

...sorry :(

I destroyed my keyboard. Bill++

[Jason McCullough]

So, someone please explain to me how the government can pass a law forcing postal rates to stay below the rate of inflation?

I mean, that sounds great and everything, but how is that even possible over the long term - isn't the USPS currently self-funding?

It's a sort-of private organization, that's how (http://usgovinfo.about.com/blpostalservice.htm).

[SlyFrog]

I heard the Post Office was gonna print stamps that looked like a clitoris. Problem was, only about 3% of the males in the focus group knew how to lick them properly HAWHAWHAW


...sorry :(

I lol'd.

[eliandi]

So, someone please explain to me how the government can pass a law forcing postal rates to stay below the rate of inflation?

I mean, that sounds great and everything, but how is that even possible over the long term - isn't the USPS currently self-funding?

Businesses routinely keep total costs below the rate of inflation via productivity and technology gains.

[Glenn]

Clearly, we live in an age of uncertainty . . . political, economic and financial uncertainty is everywhere. That's why we're offering you this free report, Stamps in the Age of Uncertainty, which explains the three fundamental reasons for owning stamp investments now . . . along with stamp market expert Jim Sinclair's "Stamps: Licking your way to Financial Freedom" describing the possibility of a long-term bull market in stamps. Includes market commentary, charts, and details a number of ways to own investment-quality stamps.

[DeepT]

And I was expecting a story about stamps with Duke Nukem on them...

[flyingelvis]

Now we just need Forever Gas for our cars.