Community Chat

[chrystaltree]

A non issue for me.  I use less than 10 stamps a year.  I live a modern life and I don't use snail mail much at all.

[beckyb1012]

If a business or a service is still functioning for all who care to indulge then it would be considered part of the "modern life." 

[Tinkrbl44]

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@KatieB wrote:

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@Kachina624 wrote:

I can't believe 78 cents to mail a letter.  Outrageous!  I don't mail anything anymore. 

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I can't believe people are complaining about it.  Where else can you get anything delivered for $.78?  I don't know of a place.

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@KatieB 

LOL ... good point!   

The only thing better than 78 cents is ... you guessed it .... Free Shipping!   LOL

[Tinkrbl44]

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@sabatini wrote:

Sure, we all mail that occasional birthday card, but gone are the days when important things came to us through the mail.

Most of us pay our bills online, and our checks are directly deposited into our accounts.

On a daily basis, hard working mail carriers have been reduced to delivering us junk; catalogues that we don't want and will never order from, coupons for businesses we don't patronize, and ads we'll never read.

There've been rumblings about privatization for years now.

Here's a snippet from The Cato Institute:

From its inception, the USPS was intended to be a public good, not a profit-making entity. Indeed, in 1958, federal law declared it “clearly not a business enterprise conducted for profit.” But non-profits should not be financial black holes, and universal service should not require billions in annual losses, as demonstrated by private providers.

At present, the USPS is a failing monopoly. Title 39 of the US Code hinders private carriers’ ability to compete by requiring weight minimums and USPS approval for packages. Additionally, only USPS may use mailboxes. The USPS also receives substantial financial aid from taxpayers: $120 billion since 2020. Despite this legal and fiscal aid, USPS has run a deficit every year since 2007, accumulating a total loss of $108 billion. And service quality continues to decline—between 2022 and 2024, the percentage of packages delivered on time fell substantially.

A possible response to these financial difficulties is the removal of rules that make the USPS less profitable. The USPS must offer reduced postage rates for certain users, such as non-profits, and its uniform rate requirement means serving remote areas at the same price as cities. Repealing these restrictions would allow USPS to be more competitive.

An even better response is to privatize the USPS. This would eliminate its uniform price and service mandate and allow it to close unprofitable locations. Privatizing would also eliminate restrictions on private carriers’ activity, enhancing their efficiency.

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Ultimately, the case for privatization is one of efficiency, competition, and fiscal responsibility. By privatizing the USPS, the US could foster a competitive, market-driven postal industry that better serves consumers and taxpayers alike.

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@sabatini 

Funny, but I mentioned that to our mail carrier a while back. 

He said the catalogs, grocery flyers, and Val Pack coupons are what keeps the postage rates down ... otherwise it would cost us $5 to mail a letter! 

I suddenly had a newfound appreciation for the "junk" mail we get.    

[Tinkrbl44]

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@nascarfan wrote:

I guess I'm one of the few who still mails cards for every holiday.  I think of stamps as added decorations to my envelopes therefore I purchase many themed stamps.

As far as the cost of a stamp, I think it is the best deal in the market.  Think about it, a first class stamp on an envelope will deliver a card anywhere in the U.S. It leaves your area and moves across the country by air and then hand delivered by a USPS carrier.  All for less than a dollar.  Amazing.  I appreciate the service of the USPS!

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@nascarfan 

iTA ... I pay more per stamp, but I send less than half the letters and cards I used to, so I'm still spending the same, if not less.

However, thinking that a roll of 100 stamps will soon cost $78 does sound exorbitant.  lol  

[SloopJohnB]

My take on the postage rate increase is, yes it still is a relative bargain when you think about the 78 cents to buy a stamp.  What else can you get for that price?  Nothing at the Dollar Tree even.  And yes, you can send a letter across the country for that price or even if you are just mailing a card to your next door neighbor.  And when you think about the volume of mail, it is impressive that for the most part anyway, things "don't get lost in the mail.".  

My beef with the USPS is their local service, for the most part.  Some, NOT ALL, employees in my local post office can't crack a smile to save their soul.  If we are lucky, two service windows will be open at the counter.  The employees couldn't move any slower if they tried.  They act like we are putting them out.  

And as far as them having to lug heavy junk mail catalogs, etc, I'm sorry but that IS part of the job.  I believe they knew that when they applied for the position.  At least around here, UPS & FedEx workers can put on a smile.  Real or fake, I will take it.  

The price increase won't affect me much in the bigger picture.  I, too, pay most everything online, but I do send out holiday, birthday & various other greeting cards.  Old fashioned or not, to me there is nothing like getting a personal letter or colored envelope in your mailbox.  Reminds me of when poor Charlie Brown was always checking his mailbox for a Valentine's Day card from the little red haired girl.  

[Sooner]

No, you can't do anything much for 75 cents now.  That's a bargain.  I have nobody left to mail a card to, and like many hardly ever use a stamp.  But 75 cents to have someone trot it to someone's home, that's a deal.