I don't take pot shots at the post office. The other day I mailed something to a friend, just a regular stamp on an ordinary envelope, and she got it the next day. That's way faster and more organized than I'll ever be. The grocery store is only two blocks from me, and I'll improvise around the fact that we're out of bread for days. (Graham crackers only work for certain sandwiches, by the way. Nut butters, yes; bologna, no.) I've got passion and creativity; I let others handle speed and directness.
If anything, that's where the fault (if fault there be) lies. The post office seems to think that I either am or want to be as efficient as they are. When I went in this morning with a copy of the new-weight magazine and asked for help figuring out postage, the lady behind the counter was very disturbed because the only exact solution involved four different kinds of stamp on each envelope.
"That's fine," I said. And it is. True, I'm used to three different stamps per envelope; but it's still four stamps total. Not half a dozen, which was what I thought I might end up with when I heard what the postage per copy is now.
Okay, I just said I wouldn't gripe about the post office, but can I just ask something? This is their system. They came up with it. They're the boss of me. So why, if I'm mailing something of a seemingly normal weight and size, did they decide to baffle their employees and me with a price like $1.73?
$1.73 isn't a multiple of anything. Really. I'm pretty sure 173 is a prime number. Certainly it has nothing to do with 44, which is how many cents a first-class stamp costs these days. Why does the post office have weights and prices that aren't based on what they've decided is their main currency? What's next? Am I going to go to the store and find loaves of bread selling for a farthing apiece -- one per customer, exact change only please?
Let others complain about the rising cost of postage. I live in a city populated by some pretty desperate people, none of whom have ever been hard up enough that they'd be tempted by my generosity if I offered them 44 cents to take a letter to a friend or a check to the electric company. I think what the post office charges is fine, and they're fleet of foot to boot.
I just wish they'd make sense now and then.
Friday, August 14, 2009
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3 comments:
Have you looked into this option?
http://www.usps.com/send/postagepermitimprintsandmeters/howtoapplyforapermittouseapostagemeterforbulkmailings.htm
I don't know how the cost works out, but it sure looks easier!
I pulled up next to my mailbox to check the mail before parking my minivan this evening. As I snagged the pile of various-sized items, my 11-year-old son exclaimed from the 2nd row, "Four stamps!?" I don't know how he was even able to see the envelope from back there, but his comment made me chuckle (I'm laughing with you, not at you).
I swear, he doesn't read this blog, either!
I was going to write to say that my 11 yr ds was impressed with those stamps, having exclaimed, "Four stamps!" when he showed me the mail today...weird that another family had pretty much the same comment! :) My 4 yr ds liked them enough to cut out and add to his "treasures". For your sake, though, I hope you are able to find a more sane method of postage. :)
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