First Class mail rate going back to 49¢

[jbb]

I read that USPS First Class mail rate is going back to 49¢ in January....from its current 47¢. http://www.piworld.com/article/posta...rvices-prices/ Of course if you use Forever Stamps it doesn't matter but I don't.

[FredRydr]

That increase takes effect January 22nd. The USPS's own website parses the specifics across many webpages, but here is a third-party's concise breakdown: http://www.pitneybowes.com/us/postal...ange-info.html

Nice pile, jbb! I like using the old fractional stamps; it makes a nice surprise for the addressees.

Fred

[jbb]

Fred, I sent you a letter on Dec. 21st, inspired by YOUR holiday postcard. It may or may not make it through the mail. Let me know if you receive it.

As for the pile of stamps, ebay has lots of under-face-value, unused stamps to be found. It's so much fun to use them!!!

[FredRydr]

It arrived several days ago. My pen and brain are cogitating the reply.

Fred

[Chrissy]

That increase takes effect January 22nd. The USPS's own website parses the specifics across many webpages, but here is a third-party's concise breakdown: http://www.pitneybowes.com/us/postal...ange-info.html

Nice pile, jbb! I like using the old fractional stamps; it makes a nice surprise for the addressees.

Fred

I have some old fractional stamps that have arrived here on your postcards. And your postcards as well as your stamps are always a nice surprise.

[FredRydr]

Here's how I deal with all the vintage stamps I acquire at (or close to) face value, waiting for their long-delayed trips through the mail.

IMG_6369.jpg

Old three-cent commemoratives are my favorite, and I have far too many of those. Sometimes I find them in sheets. By the way, I am not a stamp collector. I've always wondered if the USPS carries a gigantic reserve on its books for services obligated to perform in the event these unused stamps start flowing through the mails.

Fred

[jbb]

Here's what some of my envelopes end up looking like:

[Chrissy]

Those are wonderful.

When I receive cards from Fred I always find that the ones below the top row don't get franked, so maybe those should be the rarer ones for collectors?