MARC'S TECHNOLOGY BLOG - FOREVER STAMPS?
THIS WEEK'S NOT-SO-TECH BLOG, FROM MARC!
Forever Postage Stamps? Granted, buying stamps isn’t the most technological of topics. The debate over Flag Stamps vs. Butterfly Stamps Ian’t exactly “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC”. But as I was standing in line today at the post office I was reminded of the new Forever Stamps. You know the ones I mean? You buy Forever Stamps today and the postal rate on them is locked in forever. No matter how high the postal rates climb, you’re fine. No need to ever buy 2 cents stamps again!
I asked the woman behind the counter if they had been selling a lot of them. “Oh, yes,” she claimed, “folks come in here and buy boxes full of them.” Really, I wondered? Boxes full of them? They MUST be a good idea, I’m sure people wouldn’t plunk down the thousand or so dollars it would take buy a whole box of stamps!! They must know something I don’t.
Admittedly, I’m a skeptic. In the best sense of the word. I don’t disbelieve what I’m told as much as I am going to write it all down and confirm it on my own later and then come back and have you tell me all of it again to see if you, me, and the you from a couple of days ago agree. My dating life is hell. HELL! I was skeptical about the value of the forever stamp so I did some digging.
Turns out, the Forever Stamp will save you some time, but it won’t save you a whole lot of money.
Consider this: In 1976 a first class stamp would cost you 13 cents. Over the next 20 years the cost of a first class stamp leapfrogged to 39 cents, until it was increased to 41 cents last month. Those increases over 20 years average out to approximately a 3.3% yearly increase. So investing in Forever Stamps today will, if the trends continue, net you a 3.3% savings over 20 years. If you factor in the Consumer Price Index over the past 20 years, stamps are actually getting cheaper! In fact, as a matter of law, they must. The Postal Accountability and Enhancement Act requires postal rates must stay below a inflation-based ceiling. So that means speculating in the Forever Stamp market will never, ever be a wise investment.
If you were taking advice from me I’d suggest you take your 1,000 dollars, buy a postal meter, and put the remaining 970 dollars in a savings account. Your return will be greater and you’ll never have to make another trip to the post office. Because saving trips to the post office to buy two-cent and whatever cent new rate stamps is the most relevant advantage of Forever Stamps.
GOT A TECH, OR NON-TECH IDEA TO SHARE? Please write and let me know!
YOUR DEAN'S TEAM TECH EDITOR,
MARC MILBAUER
