Don't get me started on the lazy a$$ed post office. I just get my satisfaction that one of the burbs here gets the checks sent FedEx because the post office keeps losing the employees' checks. Whose paychecks are they? Why, the post office of course! There is SOME justice in the world.

Any legal way to avoid the postal orifice and I'll do it.

It's not just the US Postal Service. Canada Post also works in a mysterious way its wonders to perform. My aunt mailed a Christmas card in Halifax to me here in St. John's last December, postmarked Dec. 8th. I got it Dec 29th. But at least I got it.

I sent out the Christmas cards with my grandkids pictures in them. When I got to the PO I found out it would cost me 21 more cents each. They were just slightly oversize.. GRRRR.... Good thing I got the cards on clearance...

My brother in law works for the post office and works overtime a lot. He make $50 an hour when he does this.

Well according to the latest news..The post office is planning on closing more than 3200 offices. Lest see how much complaining we will do when our local office closes.

The extra postage for square envelopes has existed since at least the late 80s. The post office in our town is notoriously awful. I don't mail anything from there, I drive to the next town over or I mail it from work (another town over). I don't care if they close our office. I'd rather they expand the hours at the one in the next town. They open at 8:30 which is very inconvenient.

When I lived in Boston it was clear the postal workers who delivered to my neighborhood didn't work very hard. They could get the entire route done in about 2 hours, but they stretched it out to a full day. He was always sitting on a stoop reading the paper.

If you look at it from their point of view they are no longer the Pony Express, stuff is automated. And no, I don't nor have I ever worked for the post office. But I consider it amazing that for a few cents I can have something delivered across the country usually in two days. I used to have several pen pals growing up and it was always special to get something in mail. There is somethng personal lacking in e-mail and e-mail "forwards" just don't count.

they need to close more like 5000 atleast. i drive only 8 miles to work and in my route i can stop at my choice of atleast 5 post offices, waste to an extreme. myself i think the post office is still a good deal, you can't beat getting a nice card, postcard, note or letter in the mail for less than $1.00. even priority mail is still reasonable. BUT i do think the post office has very serious issues and needs to be overhauled completely. ~ liz

We only have one small post office.....the staff is great and it is a lot cheaper to sent stuff to Japan via USPS than UPS.

Our Post Office has the machine where I can weigh and put postage on the packages I have to mail every week. I can do this 24 - 7 as our PO doesn't lock it's doors. Yes, I have to use my ATM/credit card, but I am in and out in literaly minutes.

Gosh, no complaints about our PO or mailpersons!

Donna (^_^)

I usually have good experiences with our Post Office. A month ago I mailed a package to son for his birthday California to NYC. Took 11 days. That was toooo long.

I can't say that I have ever had a problem with the post office. And I would hate to see any post office shut down as that would obviously mean even more people without work.

I LOVE to get REAL letters through the mail. I send little notes and cards and things out often because I know how excited I get when something gets sent to me, so I just assume that others enjoy it as well. :)

I rarely go there but I had to mail a couple gifts this past weekend and ended up rushing to get there before they closed at 1pm on Saturday. I work during the week so Saturday is really the only time I can use the actual post office. I managed to get there two minutes before closing time according to their big digital clock. The worker was complaining to a customer in front of me that he'd already put his stuff away because they close at 1pm and griping as he pulled it back out.

He b@%#ched and moaned all the while he waited on that person and one in front of me. When I got to him he informed me I wasn't ready since I hadn't completed a customs form. I suggested he handle the domestic package while I filled out the form. After he processed my packages he actually asked me if I needed any stamps or anything else. Frankly I could have used a few stamps and might have bought some but I didn't want to spend another minute dealing with this guy. All I could think was that I can see why the postal service is in the red and I hope to gawd none of the people that work for me treat our customers like that. I can't believe people treat customers that way because they might have to work five minutes past closing time.

yep I was charged extra too.We have the worst services I think anyone could have.Does no good to complain.I get where I hate to deal with them.,Everone gets everone's mail.We have went and talked to the post master no good.When you are expecting a check and you have to search it down.It will be misplaced in some's else's box and it will have the right address.We sometimes get honest people and they will call and let us know they have it.Or sometimes Greg has to make a call and tell the ones that mailed him the check he never received it.They will resend it or greg will go pick it up.Now see why I hate our services.Since greg runs a lawn care business we have this to deal with.We are waiting on one now we are worry about.Greg can not get a hold of the person to see if they have mailed it.Most likely it has been misplaced.Hopeful noone will try to cash it.But I do wish our services would get better.Sorry I am venting so much but this is a bad topic for me.YOu can see why.

When we had our 25th anniversary party 5 years ago, had a real nasty run in with the local PO. Not only did I take the envelopes to the PO, but partner did and both times we were told "No problem they'll go for .37 (or somewhere around there) size is fine".

Image our surprise when 50 out of 130 invites, showed up with the notation about the size and extra postage required. Our carrier was livid and took them all back and tried to explain to the Postmaster that she knew us and knew darn good and well we weren't the type to send something like these out without checking. Didn't do a bit of good nor did our appearing in person. Since we didn't have the name of the clerk we talked to (how many people note the name of someone waiting on them?) his position was that we were the ones obviously at fault. Never mind that over half of them went through with no problem.

As someone said, then the PO wonders why we use electronic mailing more now.

And we want the government to take over health care?

Amen to that, Ron.

Usually, when you buy a card at the store and it's square, they either mark on the envelope that it will require extra postage or they provide a rectangular envelope for it. I think the reason square costs more is because the machine that reads the address won't feed the envelope thru in the correct direction, if it goes in sideways it's impossible to read and requires human attention.

I sent out square Christmas cards once in the early 90's. One kept coming back postage due, it was for Canada. I assume that all the US recipients got their's postage due, I was mortified! lol

I hope they don't close all our little P.O.s- it's 11 miles to the nearest decent sized one. Some weeks, I mail things every day or two. I would hate to have to drive all that way to mail a $1 envelope.

I have no complaints about our little post office. The staff is friendly and so far I haven't had any problems. Well, a few years ago I received a Christmas card in February that was mailed in December. That turned out to be a good thing because I called the sender to tell her what had happened. We laughed so much about it and it caused her to join my Yaya group and we are in contact by e-mail all the time now. :o)

11 outlets in our city closed this month. These are in drugstores and Little Short Stops. The PO wanted them to expand the size of the outlet at the store owner's expense. Of course, they didn't want to do this, so the PO closed them.

The established areas still have door-to-door delivery and they are cutting that out as well. People are afraid that these posties will be on unemployment, but I'm sure the union can find something for them to do inside, so they still receive their high salary.

works at the post office is an oxymoron.

Why would you have to drive to the post office to mail a letter? Put it in your mailbox or give it to the postal employee. They can lose it as easily as at the office.

I subscribed to an out of town paper a while back and it took an average of 8-10 days to get here. Their excuse? Oh, the NEWSPAPER must not have gotten it to the post office in time! Sure, they waited a week to bring them. Yeah, that's the ticket.

Couple weeks ago I was expecting a certified letter. Heard the postal truck and looked outside, postman sitting in his truck in the street. I opened the door to see if there was a notice or anything or if he would come up or even indicate there was anything. Nope. So I went out and stood on the steps. Nothing. So I started toward the street and he took one look at me and took off. Checked the box and sure enough there was the note to come pick it up at the PO. That did it. They're required to DELIVER it and come to the door so I got in my van and chased his lazy butt down. You never saw a postal work, er employee move that fast! But I caught up to him and pulled in front of him and blocked him. Gave me a strange look. Thought I'd see if he'd pull up next to me but no, he sat there. Postal employees have LOTS of time to waste. So I go over to him and he knew what it was about. Didn't even ask. I got it, shook my head and went home.

I had a go-around with them before about them not attempting to deliver certified stuff. I sat and watched them drive by more than once. Went to the mailbox and there was the slip claiming they tried to deliver and I had to go pick it up after 3pm. The one time I was going out of town and waiting for it and was livid. Delayed my trip by hours. Talked to a supervisor and asked why they don't deliver it and he just said "they're supposed to..." and then it was "you'll have to talk to the carrier". Of course they woudn't give me their name and number.

How would I feel if they closed "my" post office? Probably pop a cork on some champagne. They don't need all the buildings when they're supposed to DELIVER the mail. And if it results in them losing their jobs? Wouldn't bother me in the least. Let them try to get a real job. Like they could. Ha!

Let's see it's only Tuesday. It's supposed to arrive on Saturday or occasionally Friday, but I don't get it until the following week. I won't have my (last) Saturday's flyers until probably tomorrow. But maybe they'll surprise me and get it to me "early", like today. It could happen.

The ironic part is my dad used to just go crazy over the poor service from the post office. He too subscribed to an out of town paper, plus waited for checks, etc and we used to chuckle about it but boy do I understand appreciate and share his feelings now!

I wonder if the car manufacturers modeled themselves after the post office?

Picture yourself without postal service - not good.

Cynic - you'd better be careful - you'll have the FBI knocking on your door.

When we lived in town, our mail sometimes arrived. We had our mail in the driveway with tire marks on it; delivered next door; packages delivered a block away; and the reason given by the postal deliverer was "I'm just human". Don't think so, Donna! When we complained to the postmaster, he asked what we wanted done. When we said either train the person to deliver the mail correctly or move her where she couldn't screw up deliveries, he said he couldn't do that.
Now thank heavens we live in the country and Bobbie or Mary delivers our mail--no problem, and if I forget to fetch the mail, the deliverer pulls into the drive to see if everything is okay.
Some post offices offer service, like our current one. Others are just there for a paycheck and the customer be darned, like our previous one.

I pay almost all my bills online, that's 44 cents each time I do it. I think postage is a bargain if you're mailing a card. Of course I mail all my Christmas cards. But when I mail packages, I always use UPS or Fedex. I don't even like visiting the Post Office. I bought two books of Forvever Stamps just before the rates went up in May, that should last a good long time.

For the most part I don't have any complaints about the post office and the regular guy who delivers the mail to our Apt. house, is very thoughtful. once in a while I'll order something from a catalog and if the item is too large for our mail box, he will climb the stairs, ring our doorbell, and deliver the item and the rest of that days mail. There are still some good mail carriers out there. Dottie

As I understand, those odd shapes cards don't run through the regular machines, so they either have to have a special machine or a person to do it. That costs them more.

Most of the cards have a notation that says extra postage is necessary. I got stuck with a few of those one year, and now I check whenever I buy Christmas cards, to avoid the extra postage ones.

I sell things on Etsy. They have to be weighed to be mailed and because the envelope is thicker than a piece of paper, I have to pay odd fees. And it's cheaper at one local (8.5 miles away) P.O than it is at the other (4.5 miles). And sometimes, if I'm mailing the same thing on 2 different days, it can be 40 or 50 cents difference, for no reason that I am aware of. So I can't just slap stamps on it and stick it in the box, I have to physically take it to a PO. So if they close both of those PO's, I'll have to drive further, maybe 3-4 times a week. I'll be ticked, too. Maybe I'll only mail things twice a week if that happens, but I hate making my customers wait.

Flamingo, funny you should mention that something would cost you more at one P.O. than another. My husband sells on ebay and one of the items he sells weighs exactly the same every single time. We have two post offices in our town. When he goes to the P.O. downtown, the fee to mail that package is the correct amount. But when he goes to the other P.O. they charge him more. That just makes no sense at all. But there is no arguing with them, and they pretty much call him a liar, won't believe that the other P.O. charges a different amount.

If I mail the package from work, it's at the lower amount, too.

A couple of years ago, DH was waiting for a CD for his computer to arrive. It was coming certified. After a reasonable amount of time without receiving the CD, he called the company and a representative told him it had shipped weeks before. DH got the tracking numbers and went to the P.O. to ask about it. He was told that he had already received it. Yes, I know he's getting a bit old and forgetful, but he was sure he had not received it. He asked the carrier about it and the carrier was actually offended. Carrier said that if the green return card ended up back at the P.O. that DH had to have received it. Not. DH canvassed the neighborhood and eventually tracked it down himself. It had been delivered to the wrong address. A teenager in the house decided that it was meant for him (whole 'nother story about neighbors - don't get me started), but he gave it up when he was told that it didn't really belong to him.

This makes me think that certified may just be a waste of money, because they really can't do much in the way of tracking. When I mail from work using certified (alone), I go online to check delivery status, and the best they can do is tell you what day and what city it was delivered. I guess you actually have to pay the extra to request a return receipt to make sure someone signs for it.

By the way, DH went to the P.O. and told them that he had done their tracking job for them and that the carrier had delivered to the wrong address. For months the carrier shot daggers at DH every time he saw him.

I agree with Neesie and Liz and others who still think a stamp is a bargain.

The last day that postage went up I mailed the papers for my DD's acceptance of a $4000. college scholarship. I accidentally used a 42 cent stamp instead of the 44 cent one. Oops!! I called the PO and asked what would happen. They said it would depend... it might come back to me as postage due, they might just deliver it or they might deliver it with postage due from the receipient. It took about a week to go the 250 miles to the college, but they got it! I would have been so upset had that missing 2 cent stamp cost my DD her scholarship. It got there just a week before the deadline.