The date of change was January 8, and it was well announced. I saw it in the newspapers, on the web, heard it on the radio, and there were signs in the post office.
Running out of 2 cent stamps under those circumstances is the fault of your local postmaster, not the postal service. Individual offices must order the stamps they need in order to have them in stock. They had sufficient warning.
As for using the old 3 cent upgrade stamps from a couple of increases back, of course you can. But the post office doesn't get anything extra out of it. See, those were paid for years ago, and they long ago spent that money. So they gain nothing, and in fact actually suffer a bit for having to honor them now, though of course they will do so.
You can buy stamps online and have them mailed to you. You can also have stamps delivered by your letter carrier. That service is available everywhere that there is delivery to your mailbox. Living where you do, you surely also have a choice of several postal branches within a fairly short distance. Even here in the boonies, I have four to choose from within the radius between home and work.
Supposedly this increase happened on such short notice for two reasons. The price of fuel skyrocketed so much that they were losing money on transportation for the mail, and Congress doesn't permit them to operate on a deficit and make it up later in the year.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2006-01-30 02:44 am (UTC)Running out of 2 cent stamps under those circumstances is the fault of your local postmaster, not the postal service. Individual offices must order the stamps they need in order to have them in stock. They had sufficient warning.
As for using the old 3 cent upgrade stamps from a couple of increases back, of course you can. But the post office doesn't get anything extra out of it. See, those were paid for years ago, and they long ago spent that money. So they gain nothing, and in fact actually suffer a bit for having to honor them now, though of course they will do so.
You can buy stamps online and have them mailed to you. You can also have stamps delivered by your letter carrier. That service is available everywhere that there is delivery to your mailbox. Living where you do, you surely also have a choice of several postal branches within a fairly short distance. Even here in the boonies, I have four to choose from within the radius between home and work.
Supposedly this increase happened on such short notice for two reasons. The price of fuel skyrocketed so much that they were losing money on transportation for the mail, and Congress doesn't permit them to operate on a deficit and make it up later in the year.