The forever stamp is almost here. The U.S. Postal Service has approved a stamp that would be “valid for the first-ounce First-Class Mail letter postage regardless of the actual rate on the date of use.” It’s sold at the current first-class rate, but you can use it whenever, and it will always be good for the first-class one-ounce rate. So if you buy it now for 41 cents and use it ten years from now when the rate is, say, 60 cents, it will still work.
Hmmm. Best I can tell, at my house we use about 140 stamps a year, including Christmas cards. So 40 years’ worth would be 40 x 140 x $0.41, or $2,296. So I’ll just place an order for 280 books of 20 forever stamps, and I’ll be done buying postage for the rest of my life, right? And if I’ve got a whole bunch left when it looks like I’m going to die soon, then I’ll sell them at a profit!
If I believed the “forever stamp” would be that, that’s exactly what I’d do. But I don’t. I’m skeptical and think the post office could easily renege; plus, I doubt its ability to remain in business in its current form long-term (and if it goes kaput, what happens to my “forever stamps”?). I also doubt its ability to meet demand, particularly right when it goes on sale and right before the next rate increase. Lots of good thoughts here.
I might consider buying five years’ worth, though.
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No!!! If the USPS says it, it has to be true!!! Even though I use maybe one stamp every month to three months, it’s an investment in the future.
Step 1: Buy $10,000 worth of forever stamps.
Step 2: Profit!
Man, I wish I could get away with using so few stamps. I have too many bills that have no online pay option.
This “forever stamp” thing just won’t fly, one way or another. There are too many ways to game it.
Buying forever stamps is just like playing the stock market. How risk-loving are you?
Not exactly, Hedy. Concerning investment dollars, I have waaaaaaaay more confidence in the average money-grubbing capitalist than I do in any federal bureaucracy. 🙂
i guess the forever stamp is a good deal for me…
since for the last 10 years or so most of my mail has had 2 stamps on it because I never seem to have the current value of stamp and the only easy way to guarentee delivery is to over pay. so, I have been paying double for the small amount of mail i send.