Karendee, You are correct that the postal rate goes up on Monday May 11, 2009 and that a regular letter size envelope goes up to $.44. But other information that you posted is not accurate and is confusing to those that do seed trades using bubble envelopes, which is what all seeds should be mailed in and especially confusing to Newbies. First of all, a bubble envelope is considered a large envelope if it meets the following criteria The bubble envelope must be between 1/4 inch and no more than 3/4 inch in thickness, uniform in thickness, which means that LARGE ENVELOPE RATE envelopes can be no more than 3/4" thick, and the uniform contents (seed packets) need to be taped in place to avoid shifting and possibly jamming up the USPS sorting machines, or costing the receiving member Postage Due when they receive it. In otherwords If an envelope is over 1/4" and is less than 3/4" thick, and it is uniformly thick, and the contents are not shifting (taped in place) it should go as a LARGE ENVELOPE RATE. Per your link above, a 1 OZ or less envelope with the above dimensions is 88 cents and each additional OZ is 17 cents. If a bubble envelope does not meet the above requirements, then, and only then, would it go as a Parcel (package as your work calls it) Rate, which $1.22 up to and including 1 OZ. It is then an additional 17 cents for each extra ounce.. For bubble envelopes that are used for mailing seeds the correct information is as follows 1 0z $.88 2 oz $ 1.05 3 oz $ 1.22 4 oz $1.39 5 oz $1.56 6 oz $1.73 7 oz $1.90 8 0z $2.07 9 0z $2.24 10 oz $2.41 11 oz $2.58 12 oz $2.75 13 oz $2.92 parcel rates/package rates are as follows 1 oz $1.22 2 oz 1.39 3 oz 1.56 4 oz 1.73 5 oz 1.90 6 oz 2.07 7 oz 2.24 8 oz 2.41 9 oz 2.58 10 oz 2.75 11 oz 2.92 12 oz 3.09 13 oz 3.26 please see below link from USPS for accurate information on postal rate increases Newbie in nj the USPS has been using the forever stamps for quite a few years now. It is actually cheaper for them to print those for public use since the postal rates keep going up all the time. If they decided to no longer print the forever stamps, they would be stuck with far too many postage stamps with the incorrect price on them and would then have to increase the number of additional postage stamps to add to the old postal stamps to use up the stamps with the old price on it. Fran Here is a link that might be useful: USPS accurate information on postal rate changes from USPS

Sounds like you are doing everything you can. They like to settle in for a couple of years, and yes it is up to each variety to decide how fast they increase. Sorry I don't grow this one though. Since you are getting 2 fans, you might could just go ahead and divide it and give your friend one now. Dot

Hi Sue - Like you, I charge by the hour as a consultant. And yes, I've been a long time at the same rate and have been thinking of an increase. (Thanks for your question - Good timing!) One thing that helped me most was a car repair bill. When I saw the hourly rate I was being charged for the mechanic's time, I felt much better about my proposed new rate. My new rate was in between my mechanic's and my CPA's (also a tax lawyer), so I felt perfectly justified, And in fact, that was the answer I planned to give my clients when they asked about the increase. To my relief, very few of them asked, and those that did, all agreed that my new rates (and rationale) were very reasonable. I did lose a few clients, but those were the most price-sensitive and generally also the least satisfying to work with. If I recall, I announced my rate hike about 30-60 days in advance in a letter to each of my regular clients. So my suggestion? Pick a few 'sandwich professions' and price yourself relative to those. And most importantly, don't apologize. I've seen photos of your work, and you're right about saving people money. A beautiful room is a joy to live with, and one that pays dividends every day.

As a resident of the Great, Benighted North-east ... let me ask ... anyone for conservation of energy? When my power went off - I went to my provincial gov't. rep's office to give him H-E double toothpicks. Due to traffic tie-up arrived 5 min. after closing (I think) but they were open. Couldn't afford to give him too much of a piece of my mind - conservation of mental capacity, don't you know. En route home, directed traffic for a while at substantial intersection in rush hour. Several said, "Thanks" or waved - one said, "Get off the street"! Several civilians in Toronto did likewise, we're told. Visited 87 yr. old uncle living alone after recent death of wife who, despite painful back, hip, leg insists on keeping some beef cattle, got candles out for him, showed him how to use battery radio (that he didn't know he had - I'd stayed with him for a while after his wife died last year). Glad I recently bought batteries for my $1.00-at-garage-sale radio. National broadcaster ran advice about need to turn everything off that we could, to reduce surge when reconnecting, and province-wide phone-in to share ideas. I pulled fuses from water heater connection - haven't replaced them yet, as they say we need severe conservation measures, at present, to avoid rolling blackouts. Shaved in reasonably hot water Sat. morning. Haven't bathed since - imagine I smell by now (but I live alone). Hope I don't suffer blackout right now, or I lose all my writing here. A guy called about 10:30 to cry about 400 lb. of meat that he had (perhaps fresh? which would mean that his window of opportunity to save it would be reduced over if it were frozen). I began calling with suggestions for him, in dark for a while until power returned about 11 - I was without for 7 hours only - plus a short interruption later. Line busy til 4 a.m. I suggested he find a van or pickup, load his freezer, put meat in, take substantial lunch, head for nearest rural area, go door-to-door asking for generator. I was sure he wouldn't go three miles till found farmer willing to fire up generator, freeze his meat. Lunch so he could stick around for repeat every half day or so, as needed, till power returned at his home. Lunch optional - most (traditional) farmers wouldn't see him go hungry. Twice in recent years I took portable generators to areas blacked out due to ice storm - once 500 miles away. I goofed Thursday evening - didn't get on phone to friends seeking generator. When I did, Fr. morning, couldn't locate one. Think I should try to compile database of generators possibly available and persons with major freezer stock - homeowners, small stores, etc. not hard-wired, with 220 volt systems, etc. in preparation for such an eventuality in future. One generator can travel from site to site to serve possibly a couple of dozen freezers - perhaps half an hour each, twice daily or less, depending on outside temp. Invite those of you with time, energy available in your area to do likewise. We've been asked to shut down all unnecessary power consuming systems, e.g. signage, billboards. Local grocery in plaza shut down lights in parking lot. Many non-essential govt offices told to stay closed and asking factories and commerce to try to keep consumption to half of normal usage for about a week. Can't understand how Times Square figures it should be lit as usual. Do they want to be shut down - again? They say that it's to be hotter and more humid during the next few days. Hope you don't suffer Benightedhood too often! joyful guy