I saw a news blurb that announced that on January 27, 2013 the price to mail a one ounce card or letter will rise to 46 cents. Any price increase anywhere for anything is going to bring complaints, but I’d like to share an opposing opinion. I think they should have started charging 50 cents a number of years ago.
Gas is about $4 and if I get about 25 miles a gallon, it’s 16 cents to move one mile. So, a round trip of anything over a mile and a half each way and I just burned over 50 cents in gas. My supermarket is nearly 5 miles away, so even without counting the value of my time, it’s $1.60 to go there and back. On the other hand, if I need to send a birthday card to my family in NY, just under 200 miles away, for 45 cents, it’s there in 2 days, max.
With on line bill payment, I send fewer items by mail, greeting cards, thank you notes, and a very small number of checks that go to people I don’t pay on line. Even if that stamp went up to a dollar, I’d not have the same annual postal bill I had ten years ago. Congress has forced rules regarding future health care funding onto the Post Office and they now have a higher burden than non-quasi-government companies. This is really a shame, and gives the appearance that our congress folk are looking to do away with the traditional post office and let private carriers take over. I hope that doesn’t happen. I like my postman and in all my years, have had a few pieces of mail that didn’t quite get through 100%. Compared to my driving 33 years and being in 6 accidents, I think the post office record of getting to the destination on time puts my own reputation to shame. If you are a postman (or woman) or have one in the family, please accept my complements, my respect, my sincere gratitude.
Aside from the great service I get, I collected stamps as a youngster, and remember buying the stamps pictured above. There was an excitement that’s tough to describe, to see the new stamp designs each year, designs that included simple thinks like flowers and animals, as well as the stamps that commemorates historical events. It would be the end of a era to have that come to a stop.
Joe,
I too love USPS. I often buy and sell bulky items, and USPS is consistently the cheapest option.
But what do you see as USPS’ future?
-Christian L. @ Smart Military Money
I don’t want to appear a conspiracy theory promoter, but my fear is that by putting a funding requirement for health or pension that’s so over the top, they may be forced to completely privatize. I’ve read multiple article that discuss that the Postal Service is being forced to fund healthcare for projected workers who aren’t even employees yet.