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55 cents for first class mail! I remember when stamps went from 2 to 3 cents... does that mean I'm old?
HaHa
C$.89 for first class now so 55 cents sounds good to me.
Do you recall - how much was your first hamburger at a takeout? I remember 25 years ago eating lake perch and fries at our favourite lakeside restaurant for $4.99 each and now that same dish is $13.99. Still tastes good though.
Could be kind of fun to reminisce prices and what was considered a treat back then.
Teacher Terry
2-8-19, 4:41pm
I buy the forever stamps so I don’t need to add postage when the price goes up.
I buy the forever stamps so I don’t need to add postage when the price goes up.
So do I but eventually that supply runs out:(
Yes, I mostly buy Forever stamps too. However, in cleaning out my desk a few months ago, I found lots of stamps. I had to look up the current postage rate so I could use a few of those stamps today.
The first take out food I remember was my dad taking us to McDonald's. Hamburgers were 25 cents, and fries were 10 cents.
I use so little snail mail....I bought 20 forever stamps about 2y ago.....I still have 10.
I started working at my local drive-in in 1976. burger/fries/drink for $1 with some change back. And I'm only 57!
It always kind of upsets me when postage goes up. I still send enough real mail that the cost does add up. Granted this increase is only going to cost me another $2 per month or something, so it won't break the bank or anything, but if postage continues to go up and up faster than inflation, there is going to come a time when it just isn't worth it anymore, and that makes me sad. Letter writing is becoming such a lost art, and I don't want to change to email, phone, or social media, I want to continue sending and receiving real letters! I wish that they would raise the rate on business/bulk mail but keep it affordable for personal mail.
USPS doesn't really have a choice. They have to stay open and the use continues to drop.
Teacher Terry
2-11-19, 10:47am
I have one work vendor that wants payment by check so I use 1 stamp a month
catherine
2-11-19, 11:31am
I have one work vendor that wants payment by check so I use 1 stamp a month
That's about what I do, too.
My DIL is a wonderfully thoughtful person who, even though she's a Millennial, she hand-writes thank-you notes, and every time she and my son go away, even if just a little weekend jaunt, she sends us postcards. (Who sends postcards anymore?) So the rise in postage is likely to impact her a little. I wish I could be more like her, but I'm guilty of simply relying on email and using snail mail as little as possible.
A friend of mine posted a picture of a Christmas card she sent to a friend. The front of the envelope was totally covered (with the exception of the space for the address and return address) with old stamps! It was enough to add up to the required postage ('m guessing .50). Her friend posted later that she received the card!
ToomuchStuff
2-12-19, 2:52pm
A friend of mine posted a picture of a Christmas card she sent to a friend. The front of the envelope was totally covered (with the exception of the space for the address and return address) with old stamps! It was enough to add up to the required postage ('m guessing .50). Her friend posted later that she received the card!
I did that same thing years back, when the stamp machine at the local post office, gave $.01 stamps as change. I believe it was still thirty three cents at the time.
I still use stamps (bills, taxes, insurance, etc), cash, checks, etc.
Teacher Terry
2-12-19, 3:22pm
Curious why mail checks when the bank will do it for free?
ToomuchStuff
2-12-19, 3:26pm
Curious why mail checks when the bank will do it for free?
I have a credit union and to the best of my knowledge, they won't mail checks for free, nor is there anyone there, authorized with POA to sign for me.
Teacher Terry
2-12-19, 3:36pm
Our bank usually sends the money electronically but when they can’t they send a check for free and they don’t need a POA for that.
Teacher Terry
2-12-19, 3:37pm
Nobody signs the check. Your name is printed on the signature line
ToomuchStuff
2-12-19, 3:46pm
Our bank usually sends the money electronically but when they can’t they send a check for free and they don’t need a POA for that.
For that, there is online banking, which I don't do. Between a relatives ransomware experience (I am one of the ones that gets asked to fix the computers), and known security issues (security questions that are VERY easy to answer), man in the middle issues, etc., not worth it.
Nobody signs the check. Your name is printed on the signature line
If they are putting your name on it, then they are required to have that authorization, legally (POA, typically limited).
If not, then you should be consulting a lawyer and things such as the FDIC for bank fraud.
I had to buy checks about a year ago. THe old ones had my NYC address that I hadn't lived at for 14 years so I guess I don't write many checks! The new ones cost almost $.35 apiece. Between that and the postage and the ease of free online bill pay through my credit union I doubt I'll ever mail another check to pay a bill. Perhaps 30 years from now I'll be posting about how I finally used up the checks I bought back in 2017. Assuming that anyone still uses checks by then.
gimmethesimplelife
2-12-19, 9:49pm
I bought a Speedo recently as a present for DH - from Australia, as this one seller in Melbourne had the one that I was looking for that is now no longer easily available. I was amazed at what postage from Australia to the US for something so light, I mean so so so light cost. Over $20 USD. Amazing and not in a good way. Then I think of all the social welfare Australians are worth that human life is not worth in America and I realize the money has to come from somewhere so I don't complain (much LOL). But I will admit I rather doubt it would cost that much in USD to send a Speedo or something of similar weight to Melbourne from the US.......Rob
International postage is a weird thing. Basically the country where something is shipped sets the rate and the country it arrives at delivers it for free. Hence all the super cheap shipping of stuff bought on amazon that comes from China.
Planet money did a podcast about it a while back:
https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/08/01/634737852/episode-857-the-postal-illuminati
But more importantly, you bought a speedo for your sweetie... That's awesome. And adorable. Do we get to see pics? :~)
ToomuchStuff
2-12-19, 11:00pm
I bought a Speedo recently as a present for DH - from Australia, as this one seller in Melbourne had the one that I was looking for that is now no longer easily available. I was amazed at what postage from Australia to the US for something so light, I mean so so so light cost. Over $20 USD. Amazing and not in a good way. Then I think of all the social welfare Australians are worth that human life is not worth in America and I realize the money has to come from somewhere so I don't complain (much LOL). But I will admit I rather doubt it would cost that much in USD to send a Speedo or something of similar weight to Melbourne from the US.......Rob
Sounds like an experiment to find out costs of airfare, customs, etc.
Teacher Terry
2-13-19, 9:30am
I love online banking. So quick and easy.
I love online banking. So quick and easy.
It's definitely simplified my life. Everything but my credit card is automated.
Forever stamps might have been a better investment than my savings account. I guess the logistics are not quite there.
What gets me is that I can buy an electric snow blower off Amazon or online from one of the big box stores and get free shipping. But if I sell my CD player on eBay the postage costs an arm and leg.
I have been banned from wearing speedos for a long time for the safety of the viewing public.
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