The US Forever Stamp

By drodriguez Sep 14, 2008

We’ve been buying stamps forever, well since 1847 when they were introduced and immediately embraced with sales hovering around 3,700,000 for the 5¢ (for distances under 300 miles) and about 865,000 for the 10¢ variety which went the, uh, distance.

Today we pay by weight and time delivery, not distance, and now, the purchase of postage is comparable to a stock market gamble with more reliable returns. With the introduction of the Forever Stamp on May 14th, snail-mail users can hedge their bets against future postal rates by stocking up on Forever Stamps for months, years or forever.

This is how it works. On sale since April 12th, but only valid since Monday, the Forever Stamp price is 41¢, coinciding with the most recent hike in price of a first-class postage stamp from 39¢. If, when the price trickles up again by a cent or two, the Forever Stamp will spare you the cost increase ? and the frustration of hunting down those 2¢ stamps. So ten years from now, when a stamp costs a buck, if you stock piled Forever Stamps today, you’ll save 59¢ on every holiday card you send out. The price of the Forever stamp increases each time the cost of a first class stamp goes up; but the premise stays the same.
Do you care? According to an independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail. It’s income doesn’t come from taxes and its expenses fluctuate: if the price of gas goes up just one cent, the annual nut for USPS goes up $8 million. Maybe we should keep our own future expenses down by stocking up on the Forever Stamp ? today.

Do you plan to buy the forever stamp? Are there other products you'd like to see with a "forever" version?

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Comments

by lindawall | Colulmbia, TN

May 23, 2007

The concept of the forever stamp is great. The post office should be doing this with all stamps. It will cut down on printing expense for them. However it will be a while I'm sure before stamps go up again. So the best time to buy them will be right before they go up again. Buying them now and using them now is of no savings to us.

by malycious | TUSTIN, CA

May 23, 2007

I think it's a great idea... i just hope this stamp is actually valid for the rest of my life.... I rarely use stamps though since online is so much easier... i still have a sheet of 37cent stamps left that will probably last me the rest of the year...

by Tina1968 | Chestertown, NY

May 22, 2007

I like the idea and have some already. Why can't the gas companies do something for us too!

by ladygtn | Gordonsville, TN

May 22, 2007

I think this is a great idea its about time the postal service cuts us a break !!

by mccop5196 | HOLLY, MI

May 22, 2007

I think it is a wonderful idea and I give them a thumbs up as long as they will "always" offer them. Forever means forever, so they should always be available forever.

by CarlysMommy | Tallahassee, FL

May 22, 2007

I plan on buying a roll of 100 of the Forever Stamps. I pay all of my bills online and I hardly ever send anything in the mail - mainly cards - so they should last me a long, long time.

by timeflys | willingboro, NJ

May 22, 2007

I'm stocking upu--every penny counts!

by mike561 | west palm beach, FL

May 22, 2007

im buying the forever stamp. Im going to put them away for the next 10 years and see if it was actually worth it lol

by iizjen | Branaon West, MO

May 22, 2007

I still like to send and recieve letters via snail mail, so I will probley stock up on the forever stamp. As everything seems to keep going up it's great to save where you can even for something as little as future stamps!!

by shelly524673 | allegan, MI

May 22, 2007

i think this is a good idea!!! i didnt even know stamps were going up how i missed that is the mystery , anyway im going to stock up today

by pigletandpooh | orrtanna, PA

May 22, 2007

I do some bills on-line,but I will buy the forever stamp.It is such a worry to buy stamps when they go up in price. This way I dont have to worry.