Oh my god - I freakin HATE those vegetable stamps. H A T E.

I haven't even used up all my 37 cent stamps yet!

What is the evil rationale for not ever making even valued stamps, like making the new stamp 0.40?

It's what keeps me from;
a. buying cool stamps
b. buying any stamp in bulk

I buy whatever will get me through the month, which is usually the least amount I can buy at a time. And I'm STILL going to have stamps that don't cut it leftover.

They're also introducing the 'forever stamps', so that won't be a problem any more. They're first class stamps that will work even if rates go up.

Fuck! Not only did I adore "Crops of the Americas," I have to mail wedding invites on May 5. So I can use old stamps on the outside, but have to find new stamps to put on the enclosed RSVP cards, which aren't due until June 13? They'll look crappy if I have to use multiple one-centers. Dammit.

Why "forever" stamps? They call 'em "permanent" stamps here, which sounds official and reliable. "Forever" makes me think of pixie dust and wishing for fairies--

Oh.

@3: It has to do with their budget rules. They aren't allowed to over/undercharge the consumer. Instead they have to make the price match exactly what is needed. Or something...

I read an article the last time it went up and the whole thing sounded like red tape from the government.

Mirror-- I have heard from “they” (and we all know how reliable that type of information is) that the USPS is not allowed to make a profit on stamps. Therefore, they charge exactly how much it costs them to ship letters, resulting in odd numbers for stamp price.

As for figuring out how much it costs the USPS to ship one letter, I'll let someone else do that.

i love the crops stamps.

Here in Canada they've just introduced "Permanent" stamps.

I quit buying stamps about 3-4 years go after one-too many times getting burned buying stamps and having the rate go up after buying them, then having to buy FUCKING ONE CENT STAMPS. I started just buying a single stamp every time i needed to mail something.

Now that there are permanent stamps I buy stamps again. yay.

But the "Forever" 41 cent stamps - same price, but you can use them forever.

that's it!

it's going to be online bill pay exclusively for me after my current batch of vegetable stamps run out.

I remember back when stamps were 25 cents - I think- and gas was one dollar a gallon. Am I old?

...and the first nintendo just came out.

On the bright side, it gives me a chance to use up all the two cent stamps I have left over from the last rate increase.

I only need stamps when I mail in my absentee ballot. Everything else I pay by phone, computer, or by hand.

I do what Ken does. It actually saves me hassle because of the rate increases and for instances where I need additional postage. Might as well get it at the PO.

I haven't even used up all my 37 cent stamps yet!

Ditto that! I just counted, and I've still got 28 remaining.

People still use stamps? Between online bill pay and email, I haven't used an actual stamp in... well, I don't remember. It's been years. Now, when I'm overseas and sending back postcards, I buy stamps but that's not USPS and it hardly counts.

But here in Seattle? I'm certain I've used less than ten stamps so far this century. I think I can handle buying a new one at whatever price it is whenever I next need one.

All you who don't pen hand-written love notes or send birthday cards to your nieces or valentines to your grandma should start immediately.