posted on May 12, 2007 10:17:04 AM new
Our post office is selling the Forever Stamps already. We use stamps on our personal mail but have put them away until after the rates go up again in how - ever- many years.
posted on May 12, 2007 02:33:26 PM new
This is no different than an annuity where you pay the insurance co so much a month and then many months later,you get a check each month till you die.
The actuarial dept has it all figured out -
they are not going to lose money on you.
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Lets all stop whining !
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posted on May 12, 2007 07:36:52 PM new
In 1981, postage cost 18 cents for a first class letter. Adjusted for inflation, that would be worth about 43 cents today. A first class stamp is going up to 41 cents. If you purchased a forever stamp 26 years ago, it would actually be worth less than a first class stamp in 2007.
In 1981, the Down Jones Industrial average was at 963.99 - Today, it is at 13,215. In other words, if you put 18 cents in an index mutual fund, that would be worth $2.46. Your money would have worked more then 6 times the rate of inflation, and that is just an index fund.
posted on May 12, 2007 07:43:38 PM new
Someone from Burma once told me his grandma always have a hunch that something catastrophic will soon happen,either a political one or economic one,and she will start hoarding stamps and small dollar bills,nothing more than 20 dollars.
Stamps are as good as cash,you can pay small bills with stamps.
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Lets all stop whining !
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posted on May 14, 2007 12:08:51 AM new
Hwahwa, if a crisis should happen, anything made of paper won't be worth the price of toilet paper. The only thing that will survive any catastrophe and MIGHT still have some value would be gold, silver food or goods that are hard to get. Grandma would be better off hoarding salt or sugar.
Ask the Confederates who buried their cash how well they faired after The War.
As for the value of stamps, even the PO won't take them for payment. It is kind of like the old trade tokens from the company store. The value is over-rated and only valid as long as the store is open.
posted on May 14, 2007 01:44:26 PM newBest time to buy would be 1 day before the next postage increase.
Except the P.O. is going to limit how many you can buy at any one time. Sure you could go to Post Office to Post Office, but you would use up more gas than you would save.
The best way to do it would be to purchase a roll each time you go to the P.O. and then save them.
Will they go up in value? History says they will, but you would have to have literally millions of them to realize any kind of monetary gain. Investing the same amount into a simply savings plan would net you more.
