Stamp prices to rise by 2 cents

Associated Press ^ | November 2, 2005 | Randolph E. Schmid

[Red Badger]

I agree. The maxi user should pay the maxi price. How mant times have we heard stories about postal carriers burying mail or leaving it in their houses for months and years?.......

[stompk]

"If the post office were to close up shop today, would you be affected? Think about it.............."

well, I still mail my packages through the USPS. UPS and FedEx have some crazy rules regarding guns and "packing materials and quality" that make me avoid them when I can. . .

try to use FedEx to mail a $200 pistol back to a mfg for a repair. it has to be overnight airmailed. $90 !!!
USPS, wrap it in an old fish market newspaper and it's $4 plus insurance.

[Atlas Sneezed]

If it costs less to process mail that is pre-bundled by zip code, why should they pay as much as you do for a single that must be scanned and sorted? If it were privatized, there would be a bulk mail discount.

[Red Badger]

I am surprised that a gun can be mailed at all!............

[Flightdeck]

"Just another bureaucracy that needs to go private."

So, what is the specific deal with the USPS? I thought ten years ago or so, a private family took over. Is it just semi-private now?

[America_Right]

If the post office were to close up shop today, would you be affected? Think about it..............

Oh, yeah. I wouldn't have to clean the junk mail out of my mailbox every day, which makes up the bulk of my garbage.

[Dr. Zzyzx]

My mail is delivered to a cluster box about 150 feet from my house. The mail man/woman drive right up to it and take care of 15 homes in a couple of minutes. People in the next town over have a guy walk up to each door in the neighborhood and deliver it right to the doorstep. Either charge them for for a stamp or give them a cluster box and save millions.

[Born to Conserve]

"Why not 50 cents and leave us alone for 10 years?....."

Are you kidding?! That would wipe out the junk mail industry! Then who would there be to use the USPS?

[Eepsy]

Is it just me, or do they always schedule theese rate increases for right after Christmas? Christmas is the only time I ever buy stamps, and I'm always left with a bunch leftover in the wrong denomination and I have to go out and buy a wad of penny stamps that probably cost more to produce than what they sell them for.

[fatnotlazy]

There is one group that has increased the use of the postal system. Bulk mail only got dinged 1 cent. The 2 cent increase is actually subsidizing the bulk mail users. These guys should be paying 39 cents not 21.4.

***

Bulk mail is used, not only by junk mail purveyors, but also legitimate businesses. I suspect that the problem with a sizeable bulk mail increase is that we the consumers would be paying through the nose for it.

[Who dat?]

Do any of you do that and what service do you use?

I do it, but use whatever the person sending the bill uses. I go to our telephone service website and use their “pay online” tab.

Same with garbage, water, property tax, insurance, credit cards, etc.

I’ve thought about consolidating the bill pay stuff, but never seem to get around to it.

My mom has the best set-up. She has some sort of accounts through Merrill Lynch and they pretty much handle everything. They know all the bills and hold the money until the last possible day then transfer it.

At one time I think they required a $1million minimum account for the Deluxe Hand-holding service, so that may not be an option.

[stompk]

"I am surprised that a gun can be mailed at all!............"

well, you can mail one TO a mfg or dealer, but they can't legally mail it back to you. it has to go to a FFL dealer who will then charge you $20 for the privilege.

as long as you show ID, fill out the forms, pass a background check and pay your fees, it's all legal.
but at least we don't have firearm registration! /sarc

[sine_nomine]

I can hardly find mine when I need one. You are so right.

[JoeGar]

As people rely less and less on 1st class mail, opting instead for e-mail and cell phones, the rates the post office charges go up and up.

If possible, I pay my bills online. However, I refuse to pay my city's utility bill online because they charge you a penalty ("convenience charge") if you pay online. They are almost the only people I pay via the mail anymore.

[Vinnie]

I used to use 5-6 stamps a month to pay bills.
I'm down to 2-3 and could easily do away with those and might.

[reagan_fanatic]

try to use FedEx to mail a $200 pistol back to a mfg for a repair. it has to be overnight airmailed. $90 !!!

True. My company uses FedEx as our primary shipper, but we also send some packages out by Priority Mail. Priority is usually 20-40% cheaper than FedEx and it gets there in the same amount of time.

[Living Free in NH]

If the post office were to close up shop today, would you be affected? Think about it..............

Why does every town have a post office? Think of these places as stores - Does every town have one of every store? Lots of money to be saved just by closing 25% of all post offices. How about mail delivery limited to 3 days a week instead of 6. I can wait an extra day for my junk mail.

[Semper Paratus]

Obscene profits! Tax them!

[cuz_it_aint_their_money]

I too still mail packages through the USPS. (And no, they have nothing to due with firearms.)

The reason, the wife and I routinely send packages out to the kids and grandkids on the west coast (from here in Pennsylvania) and the USPS can get the packages there faster and cheaper than either UPS or FedEx.

[Red Badger]

If its trash day, and the garbage can is by the curb, Junk mail goes form one container straight to another container , never entering the house.........what a waste!.......