Can I use 2 $0.39 stamps on first class mail?

[Qacer]

The US post office increased their rates again. I only have $0.39 and need to mail something today. I was wondering if I can just put two $0.39 on the envelop and mail it.

 

[moshquerade]

yes.

 

[Linflas]

They would love for you to do that.

 

[Qacer]

Ah, alright. Thanks!

 

[jiggahertz]

No, they will not accept free money.

</sarcasm>

 

[Aikouka]

Originally posted by: moshquerade
yes.

What she said. I've done it before when I didn't have the 39 cent stamps or the... I think 3 cent raising stamps?

 

[b0mbrman]

$.39 + $.39 = $.41

So yes.

 

[dullard]

Yes. Or stop at any grocery store/post office/convenience store that is probably a couple blocks from you and buy a 2 cent stamp.

 

[markgm]

Or tape two pennies to the envelope.

 

[AgentJean]

HAHAHA, you should have stocked up on pre-ban "forever" stamps when they were 39 cents.

 

[OpenThirdEye]

Originally posted by: AgentJean
HAHAHA, you should have stocked up on pre-increase "forever" stamps when they were 39 cents.

For-ev-er stamps FTW!

 

[allisolm]

Originally posted by: AgentJean
HAHAHA, you should have stocked up on pre-ban "forever" stamps when they were 39 cents.

Well, that would have been difficult since there wasn't a "forever" stamp available for $.39.

 

[AgentJean]

Originally posted by: allisolm

Originally posted by: AgentJean
HAHAHA, you should have stocked up on pre-ban "forever" stamps when they were 39 cents.

Well, that would have been difficult since there wasn't a "forever" stamp available for $.39.

Yes there were. They may not have been called "forever stamps" but they were first class stamps with no value printed on them.

They are still good

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: AgentJean
They are still good

No, no they are not still good (unless you add a 2 cent stamp to them). They are only worth 39 cents (or less if you got them earlier). If you mail a letter with them, they will ask your recipient to pay the difference. If he/she refuses, they'll return the letter to you.

 

[pontifex]

Originally posted by: OpenThirdEye

Originally posted by: AgentJean
HAHAHA, you should have stocked up on pre-increase "forever" stamps when they were 39 cents.

For-ev-er stamps FTW!

:music: Who wants...to stamp...forever???? :music:

Theres no mail for us
Theres no post office for us
What is this thing that builds our junk mail pile yet slips away
From us

Who wants to stamp forever
Who wants to stamp forever....?

Theres no stamps for us
Its all mailed for us
This world has only one mailman set aside for us

Who wants to stamp forever
Who wants to stamp forever?

Who dares to stamp forever?
When stamps prices must rise

But touch the sticky part of my envelope with your lips
Touch my return address with your fingertips
And we can stamp forever
And we can stamp forever
Forever is our stamp
Who wants to stamp forever
Who wants to stamp forever?
Forever is our stamp

Who waits forever for mail anyway?

 

[crystal]

Just send it with 39c one. Are they going to return your letter because you short 2c which will cost them more??? oh wait, this is the post office.... nvm....

 

[rh71]

Damn the postal service for raising the rates again... I had to buy 4c stamps... yes... that's how soon they raised it, again.

Or I just don't mail stuff as much via USPS.

 

[Kelemvor]

They have had the Forever stamps available for a while now but they were sold at the $.41 price. You could just buy them early if you wanted to. I think the Forever stamps are a great idea. I can't wait to see the rush on them right before the next time they decide to raise rates. You'd be silly to not buy them. It's not like you won't mail another letter sometime in your life...

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
They have had the Forever stamps available for a while now but they were sold at the $.41 price. You could just buy them early if you wanted to. I think the Forever stamps are a great idea. I can't wait to see the rush on them right before the next time they decide to raise rates. You'd be silly to not buy them. It's not like you won't mail another letter sometime in your life...

Because if I had bought a $.37 forever stamp a few years ago (pretend they existed), I'd have a $.41 stamp today, whereas if I'd put that money in a bank/mutual fund instead, I'd definitely have more than $.41

 

[oogabooga]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: Kelemvor
They have had the Forever stamps available for a while now but they were sold at the $.41 price. You could just buy them early if you wanted to. I think the Forever stamps are a great idea. I can't wait to see the rush on them right before the next time they decide to raise rates. You'd be silly to not buy them. It's not like you won't mail another letter sometime in your life...

Because if I had bought a $.37 forever stamp a few years ago (pretend they existed), I'd have a $.41 stamp today, whereas if I'd put that money in a bank/mutual fund instead, I'd definitely have more than $.41

But then again if you bought that roll of forever stamps a few years ago when 1 stamp was good for 1 letter it would still be the case. And the few pennies more you earned from the bank/mutual fund wouldn't negate the cost of gas/time to have to go get more 2 cent stamps.

regardless : my first class stamps are worth only 39 cents? how do they know?

 

[b0mbrman]

Using the history of rate increases taken from here:

http://www.akdart.com/postrate.html

The third column is the equivalent return that you'd get from "speculating" on forever stamps

$0.41 - 2007
$0.39 - 2006 - 5.13%
$0.37 - 2002 - 2.07%
$0.34 - 2001 - 3.17%
$0.33 - 1999 - 2.75%
$0.32 - 1995 - 2.09%
$0.29 - 1991 - 2.19%
$0.25 - 1988 - 2.64%
$0.22 - 1985 - 2.87%
$0.20 - 1981 - 2.80%
$0.18 - 1981 - 3.22%
$0.15 - 1978 - 3.53%
$0.13 - 1975 - 3.65%
$0.10 - 1975 - 4.51%

The average return of all years starting in 1975 is 3.13% with a variance of 0.75%. Would you buy a bond with those stats?

 

[dullard]

Originally posted by: oogabooga
But then again if you bought that roll of forever stamps a few years ago when 1 stamp was good for 1 letter it would still be the case. And the few pennies more you earned from the bank/mutual fund wouldn't negate the cost of gas/time to have to go get more 2 cent stamps.

No need for gas. A few clicks and you are done. Free shipping right to your mailbox.

regardless : my first class stamps are worth only 39 cents? how do they know?

Hmm, maybe because they printed the stamp, only 39 cent stamps have that image (optical readers), and the fact that it has the date on it and they know what you paid for it on that date?

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: oogabooga

But then again if you bought that roll of forever stamps a few years ago when 1 stamp was good for 1 letter it would still be the case. And the few pennies more you earned from the bank/mutual fund wouldn't negate the cost of gas/time to have to go get more 2 cent stamps.

You'll spread that gas money over quite a few stamps, I'm sure, or you'll just order it online. Or if you're like me, you'll wait until you're in the post office/grocery store/etc. for other reasons and just buy them at that time.

As it turns out, I used my last $.39 stamp last week so I'll be getting a book of stamps at the new postage sometime this coming week.

 

[OutHouse]

umm, go down and buy a sheet of 1 cent stamps.

 

[MikeyLSU]

Just send stuff using 39 cent stamps until you run out.

I did that a year after they changed to 39. I sent out 37 cent stamps until I ran out, not one thing was sent back to me