Comments on: Still Use Snail Mail? Prepare for a Price Increase in May http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/ A premier personal finance blog, established 2003. Within, Flexo discusses his own experiences with money, and he and other authors comment on a wide range of personal finance topics. Sat, 26 May 2012 03:47:27 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: thomas http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-136674 thomas Wed, 13 Feb 2008 05:14:31 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/02/11/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/#comment-136674 I love hearing stories about people buying hundreds of dollars worth of forever stamps. I guess they go good in xmas stockings. I love hearing stories about people buying hundreds of dollars worth of forever stamps. I guess they go good in xmas stockings.

]]> By: RacerX http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-136663 RacerX Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:32:30 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/02/11/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/#comment-136663 This is such a vicious circle. Postal rates are going up due to way to much capacity. People continue to do more and more electronically. eBill paying is on the rise and less and less traditional mail is being spent. They try to hit the 3rd class customer (catalogs) with the brunt of the hit, so those costs rise and lead catalog to cut circulation. All of which leads to lower demand which... The hording isn't a good idea because even if you assume an even increase now and forever (2.4%) you could earn a bunch more in a high-yield savings account. Now it could make sense to buy 90-days ahead. That gives you the equivilant of a 10% return. Gosh I need a life :) This is such a vicious circle.

Postal rates are going up due to way to much capacity. People continue to do more and more electronically. eBill paying is on the rise and less and less traditional mail is being spent. They try to hit the 3rd class customer (catalogs) with the brunt of the hit, so those costs rise and lead catalog to cut circulation. All of which leads to lower demand which…

The hording isn’t a good idea because even if you assume an even increase now and forever (2.4%) you could earn a bunch more in a high-yield savings account. Now it could make sense to buy 90-days ahead. That gives you the equivilant of a 10% return.

Gosh I need a life :)

]]> By: PT http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-136636 PT Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:42:16 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/02/11/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/#comment-136636 Flexo, I just saw this too. Seems the post office can't find anymore ways to cut costs, only raise the prices. But I agree, who does this really effect since most have moved towards free bill pay and other forms of communication. I just wish whenever they made these increases the lines would get shorter and the employees would get nicer at the post office. Flexo,

I just saw this too. Seems the post office can’t find anymore ways to cut costs, only raise the prices. But I agree, who does this really effect since most have moved towards free bill pay and other forms of communication. I just wish whenever they made these increases the lines would get shorter and the employees would get nicer at the post office.

]]> By: Adfecto http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-136620 Adfecto Tue, 12 Feb 2008 16:58:24 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/02/11/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/#comment-136620 Other commenters have touched on the topic but: A quick bit of research reveals that the price of postage has not kept pace with inflation over time. Forever stamps are not a valid investment class. Buy TIPS if you are worried about inflation! If you want to drop something in the mail, buy stamps. Other commenters have touched on the topic but:

A quick bit of research reveals that the price of postage has not kept pace with inflation over time. Forever stamps are not a valid investment class. Buy TIPS if you are worried about inflation! If you want to drop something in the mail, buy stamps.

]]> By: KC http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-136570 KC Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:06:23 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/02/11/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/#comment-136570 Forever stamps are also good for autograph collectors. I know people who collect autographed sports cards through the mail. They always send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) with the card they are requesting to be signed. This way if a player or celebrity is slow answering their mail the stamps will still be good. When I used to do this some players would take years to respond - even after a rate increase. Forever stamps are also good for autograph collectors. I know people who collect autographed sports cards through the mail. They always send a SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) with the card they are requesting to be signed. This way if a player or celebrity is slow answering their mail the stamps will still be good. When I used to do this some players would take years to respond – even after a rate increase.

]]> By: Fred http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-136551 Fred Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:37:57 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/02/11/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/#comment-136551 @ Lily: No, it's not smart to hoard Forever stamps. Slate.com has a longer explanation here: www.slate.com/id/2166475/ Poor ROI aside, the Forever stamps work out well for me. I pay all my bills automatically (like the majority of the readers here, I'd imagine), but still end up having to send about...I dunno, six to ten?...pieces of snail mail a year (not counting Christmas cards). So if I have a book of 20 value-denominated stamps, I'd always be scrambling for the penny stamps to paste all over the envelope whenever my next opportunity to use the USPS arises. @ Lily:

No, it’s not smart to hoard Forever stamps. Slate.com has a longer explanation here: http://www.slate.com/id/2166475/

Poor ROI aside, the Forever stamps work out well for me. I pay all my bills automatically (like the majority of the readers here, I’d imagine), but still end up having to send about…I dunno, six to ten?…pieces of snail mail a year (not counting Christmas cards). So if I have a book of 20 value-denominated stamps, I’d always be scrambling for the penny stamps to paste all over the envelope whenever my next opportunity to use the USPS arises.

]]> By: Lily http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-136546 Lily Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:36:04 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/02/11/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/#comment-136546 I dunno if it'd be smart to hoard Forever stamps. To me, it seems like the equivalent of keeping cash under a mattress. Sure, you avoid inflation on stamps. But if you spent $1,000 buying Forever stamps, couldn't you have done better by forgoing the stamps and putting $1,000 into any sort of an account (high yield savings, CDs, or the stock or bond market) that would likely earn a return higher than the inflation rate? Of course, it's probably equally costly (for the nation as a whole) to keep reprinting stamps for the correct denomination (or to manufacture a bunch of 1-cent stamps). I dunno if it’d be smart to hoard Forever stamps. To me, it seems like the equivalent of keeping cash under a mattress. Sure, you avoid inflation on stamps. But if you spent $1,000 buying Forever stamps, couldn’t you have done better by forgoing the stamps and putting $1,000 into any sort of an account (high yield savings, CDs, or the stock or bond market) that would likely earn a return higher than the inflation rate?

Of course, it’s probably equally costly (for the nation as a whole) to keep reprinting stamps for the correct denomination (or to manufacture a bunch of 1-cent stamps).

]]> By: SingleGuyMoney http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/comment-page-1/#comment-136545 SingleGuyMoney Mon, 11 Feb 2008 22:35:50 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2008/02/11/still-use-snail-mail-prepare-for-a-price-increase-in-may/#comment-136545 Just another reason I am glad I use my banks free billpay feature to pay my bills. Just another reason I am glad I use my banks free billpay feature to pay my bills.

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