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Purchase for eternity
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First-class postage is going up to 42 cents on May 12th, so since I was at the post office mailing a package anyway, I decided to buy the “Forever” stamp.
The question was how many to buy. No one would have imagined, in olden days, devoting much deliberative energy to such a purchase. But everything’s about fuel prices now, and so my daily musings to
Not to exaggerate the current national financial stresses, but I felt the compunction to “lock in” at 41 cents for a few years, with the same urgency that made me jump on 5% interest rates for refinancing my home a while back, or the steely acumen of a hedge fund holder who sells short.
On the other hand, Christ could return any day now. I don’t want to be stuck holding all these stamps if He comes back this year, and I could have spent the money better. That would make me like the guy who up and died with an embarrassment of riches in his bloated wheat barns (Luke
I confess I really did factor all these considerations in the moments before I plunked down my credit card and asked for fifteen sheets of the stuff. Which told me two things about myself, one bad and one good — first, that I’ve been affected on a deep level by the current global financial paroxysms; and second, that the imminent return of Christ has become an operational, and not just formal, part of my psyche.
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Soul searching
I know that all the financial experts tell you to only pay monthly on gym memberships…. but that yearly deal saves so much money…
Yeah. I’m thinking of joining. I think I’ll test drive it first though. The local hospital has a VERY nice gym.
If I purchased 1000 forever stamps, my total savings would be $10.00 on $410.00. I think I would rather spend that $10.00 on 3 lattes.
At the second coming of Jesus the only purchase that is going to have any value is the purchase he made with His blood that has redeemed us. Everything else (stamps included) will be counted as nothing.
Funny Andree, but a lot of us seem to be thinking about Christ’s return these days. Is it because we have become so fearful from the barrage of negative news or the fact that with the age of the internet, we can no longer live in our secure American bubble? In other words, turning a blind eye to the events that have been plaguing the rest of the world while we have lived in properity (at least, through my lifetime) is no longer acceptable; whether a Christian or a Secularist. Maybe Jesus can return and fix it all so we don’t have to.
Then again, perhaps we yearn for Christ’s return so that we don’t have to make these hard choices; whether buying stamps or wondering how much we really should be doing to solve things like world food crises or escalating energy prices. Again, can’t Jesus just come back and get this over with?
From our myopic little lives, whether He returns tomorrow or a thousand years from now is really immaterial; simply because we can do nothing with regard to the event itself. However, we can do something about recognizing who our neighbor is and understanding that we in fact, we are our brother’s (and sister’s) keeper. If we have been exposed to trouble in Egypt and Haiti and Bangledesh, then they have become our neighbor. And yes, they deserve our time, our talents and our possessions. It’s simply of matter of where they are on our priority list.
Sound reasonable or foolish?
AS always, Andrée writes beautifully. To the extent that I’m tempted to spend money on a subscription to World, it would be largely for her writing.
But, I can ill-afford the subscriptions we already have.
I have two minor quibbles with the content, however. The first is theological. You write “…the imminent return of Christ has become an operational, and not just formal, part of my psyche.”
For practical purposes of planning one’s life, I think the more apt reference is the one made to Luke 12:20. Although Christ could return any day, we don’t know when that will be with any degree of certainty. But, we do know, we all will die, 100%, and with a high degree of probability that it will be before reaching 100. AND, that we “can’t take it with us.” Given the history of such predictions, I would be willing to bet our individual deaths are much more imminent than His second coming, and that is the basis around which I plan my long-term decisions.
The second quibble is financial. Grandma points out that for a $410.00 investment, one saves $10.00 This is a 2.44% return on one’s money, if you use those stamps within a year. It is far less than that annualized, if like me, you pay most of your bills on-line, and send few cards and letters. Other than Christmas and birthday cards, we barely use stamps - I doubt that I have used 1000 of them within the past 5 - perhaps 10 - years.
Actually, the largest convenience of the Forever stamp for light mailers like me, is that I don’t know how much first class postage is, and I have an assortment of unused stamps of various amounts. When I need to send “snail-mail”, I ususally wind up having to go to the post office, and get a handful of one- or two-cent stamps.
I like the idea of saving a penny per stamp.
I like the idea of using a variety of first-class stamps.
I plan to buy two or three sheets of locked-in-for-time-but-not-eternity stamps.
And I plan to keep buying conmemoratives (or is there no con in there?) when they suit my fancy.
These are primarily for business purposes.
Grandma, I’m glad you raised the issue. And I’m glad you pointed out the percentage angle. To increase the yield, buy now and hoard them till another price hike or two go by.
Now go do the right thing.
And folks wonder why email and fax transmissions are only getting more popular.
And just think, with govt provided health care it will be delivered by folks as fast as the post office and with as much compassion as the IRS.
I agree - go electronic. I use probably one stamp a month.
I do much of our bill paying and communication online and on the phone. But, let’s not forget that handwritten note to friends and family. I recieved a hand written thank you yesterday and found it to be refreshing. DH used to write letters to our children when they were in college along with their little bits of money we were able to send them. They looked forward to the letter as much as the money. The letter was worth more than the money most times.
I find that letters sent to family members provides a written history of our lives. Let’s not give up the USPS too soon.
Buying forever stamps is one of the worst investments possible at 2.4% return. I bought $4 worth when they first came out and it turned out to be 10 lifetimes worth of stamps. I’m saving them as a collectors item. Who uses stamps now a days anyway? Pay your bills online and write folks using email. You will save 41 cents every time you do so.
Take the money you will spend on stamps and invest it where you will get an average of 10.5% return.
The sooner we get rid of stamps, postage and mail carriers the better. It is huge waste of time and money - much worse than if it were privatized to begin with. It is also a prime example of another boondoggle of socialism that failed years ago - just like all socialist schemes to poverty. But, even private mail would die since it is being killed faster by technology than you whackos can subsidize it.
On top of all that 99.9% of what I get in the mail today is junk mail and they are killing trees by the millions to send you stuff that is 99% wasteful. No conservationist, steward of the earth or Christian should be allowing this to happen. It is obscene and sinful.
So skip buying stamps for all the of the good reasons not do so and do not listen to those who would tell you otherwise for all the wrong reasons.
It’s not so difficult that you can figure this out for yourself.
Ah, but I like getting a personal letter in the mail written on a card with a genuine signature.
So, I bought the stamps. I just wish they were prettier.
Providing writers like Andree with a forum is my primary reason for having World Magazine as the only publication for which I pay a subscription fee.
I hear you, Andree; thanks for the encouragement to live in anticipation of Christ’s return!
I was enjoying this little conversation until Llama jumped in and called us “you whackos” Was that necessary? Our average days probably contain enough of the ugly without that. Agreed?
I agree with you Doreen. To say stuff like that is to claim that you’re above everyone else somehow, that you never do anything wrong. I live in S. Cal. and just going out for a little bit is a rough experience! It’s kind-of like survival of the fittest, but in great weather. Anyway, postage up AGAIN? Oi. The last price rise wasn’t that long ago, it seems, and I have some of those stamps left. As for using stamps, my friends and relatives (and myself, too) like getting hand written letters on quality paper, with photos or other images; it’s fun as well as meaningful.
The forever stamp is a good thing. It was designed so we don’t have to buy “1s” to subsidize the envelope because we bought a few too many “41s”. So it is a convenience and nothing more.
Llama, I think you put a lot of unnecessary energy into your post and your ridiculous anger is disturbing. Have you been spending too much time in the DHB (Doghouse Basement)? Is Mrs. Llama being a problem, again? To display this amount of anger over someone elses decision to buy a postage stamp shows some real potential for help. Is there anyone present who could offer some helpful counsel to our loyal friend?
My advice would be to get the mail, put the junk mail in the shredder, put the checks in the bank, read the magazines, and chill out!
I’m not going to quit buying stamps. But to buy a huge quantity of the Forever stamps seems silly to me. I like the variety that’s available. They even make a “Happy Birthday” stamp.
I buy and send a fair amount of cards for various occasions.
Mitcon, I really don’t think Llama is overrun with anger - that’s just his tough guy act.
VS,
Point well taken!
Llama, put on a shirt with sleeves and take a breath! Let that belly over the buckle. It really is alot more comfortable!
So, Llama = Larry the Cable Guy?
Thought provoking word picture, Karen.