Postage Stamps Shouldn't Expire
Does anyone remember a time when postage stamps used to cost 25 cents?
I do. I remember it very distinctly because a series of postage stamps came out that had dinosaurs on them. Suddenly, the prospect of having to write all those thank-you notes to relatives after they sent me money and gifts on Christmas and my birthday became really exciting because I got to use one of these dinosaur stamps. Here was my favorite of the group:
I don't still have any of these, but if I did, they wouldn't be good any more. I'd either have to plaster on about 10 additional 2 cent stamps. Or I'd have to use two of them. The cost of postage has almost doubled since then.
But here's the deal: if, instead of buying a 25 cent stamp in 1989, I had put that money into the bank, yada yada...it would be worth more now. You all know about compound interest and the time value of money, so I won't lecture you about it.
But the same goes for the post office. If I didn't use a stamp in 1989, then they haven't incurred most of the expense that the stamp is supposed to be covering, so in theory, they should have invested the money, and so they should have more than 25 cents now. Chances are good the present value of 25 cents in 1989 would more than cover the price of a postage stamp now. So if I buy stamps today, logically, they should never go bad.
Recently, the post office realized this, and they introduced the "Forever" line of stamps. You buy them at the current rate and they're good forever after. I just learned about this a few weeks ago. It's a good idea. In case anyone else missed the meeting, I thought I'd share it with the rest of you.
I do. I remember it very distinctly because a series of postage stamps came out that had dinosaurs on them. Suddenly, the prospect of having to write all those thank-you notes to relatives after they sent me money and gifts on Christmas and my birthday became really exciting because I got to use one of these dinosaur stamps. Here was my favorite of the group:
I don't still have any of these, but if I did, they wouldn't be good any more. I'd either have to plaster on about 10 additional 2 cent stamps. Or I'd have to use two of them. The cost of postage has almost doubled since then.
But here's the deal: if, instead of buying a 25 cent stamp in 1989, I had put that money into the bank, yada yada...it would be worth more now. You all know about compound interest and the time value of money, so I won't lecture you about it.
But the same goes for the post office. If I didn't use a stamp in 1989, then they haven't incurred most of the expense that the stamp is supposed to be covering, so in theory, they should have invested the money, and so they should have more than 25 cents now. Chances are good the present value of 25 cents in 1989 would more than cover the price of a postage stamp now. So if I buy stamps today, logically, they should never go bad.
Recently, the post office realized this, and they introduced the "Forever" line of stamps. You buy them at the current rate and they're good forever after. I just learned about this a few weeks ago. It's a good idea. In case anyone else missed the meeting, I thought I'd share it with the rest of you.