41

Today the USPS nudges the first class letter rate to $0.41. for those still corresponding by hand or paying bills the old fashioned way. Some folks (who have famous in their name) still have scores of 01¢ stamps laying about, turning their envelopes into mosaics, but the postal folks have a catchy solution on keeping up with the rate hikes. The first “forever” stamp as been issued, and as I understand it, you will live forever if you cover yourself in enough of them. That, or they will always retain the value of a first class stamp, regardless of the increase over time.

I think that’s a brilliant speculative plan to sell stamps to those who want to lock in the current price, especially since people will certainly over-purchase thinking about saving money. It’s not like locking in a home financing rate where the difference of a percent is thousands of dollars – the stamps will likely yield an aggregate savings of a couple of dollars. Still, a great move to drum up cash for the government.

I would like to further extend the concept to my golden abs, which should forever be kept in their pristine condition.