Thank you for the information! Do you know if they already added new fees and hiked prices for other services? I went to mail a package to my daughter last week. Christmas presents she couldn’t fit in her suitcase. They asked as usual if there is something fragile in there. Usually they just stamp the “fragile”on there. This time they charged a 10 dollar special handling fee. I was going to ask what this is about, but there was a really long line of people. Didn’t want to hold everybody up. Their service really doesn’t match the price in a lot of cases.

Estimate the number of stamps that you will use in a year and a half then purchase the "Forever" ones. They can be used until you run out of them.

I think I may have enough forever stamps to last a lifetime. We had to buy a roll when the dog ate the last one. I only mail one of our property tax bills. If that county ever joins the 21st century that will be the end of snail mail for me. I do have a few luddite older lady friends who still request checks for events. But I only do maybe 3 events of that sort a year, if that.

I stopped buying the rolls and only purchase the smaller books of stamps. Used one last week on a card to a granddaughter. I am too cheap to pay my taxes on the web. $8 something vs a stamp. Since the drop box is close I have started using it instead of the mail.

watchme, my county has free online tax payments too. Can't beat the convenience.

We use very few stamps too, mostly just in years we send cards (not every year). You'd have to be a heavy user for a 4 cents per stamp cost difference to amount to much.

Yes Elmer they finally stepped up to the plate and accept no fee E checks. I was so happy to see that this year. But Alameda County still wants 3 bucks to process an e check. I can understand charging a percentage for credit card to cover fees but E checks?

I suspect that the payment processing company that does the bank account money withdrawals charges a few bucks for each transaction. BUT, the smarter counties (assuming there are some) should quickly realize that the cost of processing an electronically triggered payment is a small fraction of what's otherwise required for the alternative, to receive and open envelopes, enter the relevant data and correct inevitable mistakes, physically safeguard the checks, deposit them and then wait for them to clear before the funds are available.

I knew the price was going up this month, but didn't know the date. Thanks so much for that information. I better get some more Forever stamps before the 21st.

Thanks for the info. Like some others here I pay property taxes by mail... online is a larger fee. Also my lawn mower guy takes checks. And I still send out holiday cards.

I of course lost all of my forever stamps in the flood. I just recently ordered some online. I rarely use stamps these days but I do still mail out birthday cards to the grands.

I think I keep the post office in business. I send out LOTS of cards...birthday, anniversary, get well, thinking of you, sympathy, etc. I take part in card swaps with a group to which I belong and I LOVE making and sending out cards.

We don't use as many stamps at all, as we did in the past. When I was in another business, I'd mail out birthday cards to my clients' kids every month. I went through a lot of stamps and Christmas cards.

Recently we had to mail in originals of forms that we had faxed, to a government office. We bought an individual stamp that cost $1 plus tax. We needed to buy another stamp just a week ago, went to a different store and it was .5c cheaper. So it seems convenience stores, etc are charging what they want. I did question the first store, as I thought tax was included in the stamps, and he assured me that it wasn't that the post office sets the price.

It may not have been a tax because non-postal sellers are allowed a fee above the cost of the stamps. Which is why some vending machines and other sellers charge much more than the cost of stamps.

Thanks for the heads up! I always send cards to all my nieces and nephews for birthdays and all holidays, so I better get a roll of stamps!

"It may not have been a tax because non-postal sellers are allowed a fee"

jasdip lives in Canada, she's talking about a different system in a different country. It may have been as you suggest, maifleur, or something different.

Thank you for setting me straight. I am only aware of where a few posters are located.

A buck each at the post office - or $8.50 for 10.

Or, at least that was the deal a while ago, Jasdip.

ole joyful

I bought some more stamps because the last couple years I'm sending in more rebates. That's about the only time I use stamps these days. Bills paid online.