Comments on: Forever Stamps http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/03/forever-stamps/ Personal finance that makes cents. Common sense advice on topics from high interest savings accounts, frugality, cd rates, money market accounts, mortgage rates, how to get out of debt, money management and more. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 13:56:47 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Matthew Brundage http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/03/forever-stamps/#comment-173344 Matthew Brundage Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:00:09 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/03/forever-stamps/#comment-173344 Historically, the price of a first class stamp has increased slower than the rate of inflation. So hording decades worth would be akin to investing in an illiquid retirement account with a 2.5% annual return. So your best bet is to buy just enough to cover the next price interval. Any more, and your money is better invested elsewhere. Historically, the price of a first class stamp has increased slower than the rate of inflation. So hording decades worth would be akin to investing in an illiquid retirement account with a 2.5% annual return.

So your best bet is to buy just enough to cover the next price interval. Any more, and your money is better invested elsewhere.

]]> By: Bill Canaday http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/03/forever-stamps/#comment-80113 Bill Canaday Tue, 27 Feb 2007 08:32:46 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/03/forever-stamps/#comment-80113 Bad money. Once invested in stamps, all risk of loss is yours and all interest accrued on the money belongs to the post office. Until they actually deliver the service, you are loaning them your money with ZERO idea of what your future return might be. Moreover THEY control future prices and would not make this offer if there was any likelihood that it was to your advantage instead of theirs. Oh, BTW ... with automated payments and the use of e-mail becoming the norm, chances are good that you might never even get face value from those stamps. Bad money.

Once invested in stamps, all risk of loss is yours and all interest accrued on the money belongs to the post office. Until they actually deliver the service, you are loaning them your money with ZERO idea of what your future return might be. Moreover THEY control future prices and would not make this offer if there was any likelihood that it was to your advantage instead of theirs.

Oh, BTW … with automated payments and the use of e-mail becoming the norm, chances are good that you might never even get face value from those stamps.

]]> By: cribcage http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/03/forever-stamps/#comment-15 cribcage Fri, 05 May 2006 17:36:10 +0000 http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/05/03/forever-stamps/#comment-15 Or you could just buy a couple extra books and put them in a drawer for 20 years. Resist the temptation to cash them in for those few pennies when they raise the prices in 2009 and 2012, and you'll have a helpful stash when stamps cost $2.68 in 2025. When people ask when to start saving for retirement, I always say that today's dollar has two advantages over tomorrow's. The first and most obvious is interest accrued; but the second is that it's easier to push a mop for minimum wage when you're 28 than it will be when you're 72. Both apply here. Not having to buy stamps may be a small thing, but it will help when you're navigating retirement. Or you could just buy a couple extra books and put them in a drawer for 20 years. Resist the temptation to cash them in for those few pennies when they raise the prices in 2009 and 2012, and you’ll have a helpful stash when stamps cost $2.68 in 2025.

When people ask when to start saving for retirement, I always say that today’s dollar has two advantages over tomorrow’s. The first and most obvious is interest accrued; but the second is that it’s easier to push a mop for minimum wage when you’re 28 than it will be when you’re 72. Both apply here. Not having to buy stamps may be a small thing, but it will help when you’re navigating retirement.

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