| Confusion
Dogs Postal Rate Hike |
| Brace yourselves, everybody. Postage rates are about to
increase again. |
| The U.S. Postal Service is increasing postage rates on May
14, and while there are a couple of enhancements to the rate
system, it will continue to be more confusing than ever to
figure out. |
| The cost of mailing a first class letter will increase from
39 cents to 41, but we will be able to buy the new "Forever"
stamp that will protect us from having to rush out for 2-cent
stamps every time there's another price increase. |
| The confusing part of the new postage rates is the change
to consider the shape of a package as well as the weight in
determining how much is needed to mail it. Up until now, mailing
has been pretty simple. |
| You put your package on a scale, and then paid the postage
for that rate. If it was a large, flat envelope that didn't
weigh much, it wouldn't cost much. If it weighed a lot, you
paid a lot. |
| Now, even after reviewing the 52-page magazine the Postal
Service sent to me outlining the changes, I'm still not sure
what the cost of mailing a regular, business-size envelope
will be. |
| Luckily, that's why we invented computers. I'm not sure
how the postage meter in my office is going to know the dimensions
of the package I'm mailing, but I'll wait and see what kind
of a system the Postal Service has dreamed up to make this
new process all work. |
| But until we all get used to the new system, now's a good
time to stock up on those 2-cent stamps, which we will need
to make up the difference from the old 39-cent first class
stamp. |
