Save your pennies postal rates are going up again

As a continued user of the post office and its services, I have recently found certain shipping charges and fees to be as ridiculous as property taxes. It seems to me that the United States Post Office is lacking in keeping up with technology of today causing consumers to take their business elsewhere such as FedEx or UPS. Incentives that were once appealing such as overnight delivery, delivery confirmation, and similar benefits have now all become so expensive that the fee outweighs the benefit.

The other day I attempted to mail a legal sized envelope that contained a card worth about $10. I wanted to make sure that once the mail arrived I could verify that the receipient got the letter. That was an extra $2!!! I suppose a simple phone call to verify the mail arrived would've been cheaper but what about sending things to people you dont know? Then of course, you have the flat rate boxes where the big push was that whatever items you could shove in that one little box, no matter how much, would be one simple fee. That was a great marketing ploy when it first came out. However, the price of those 'flat-rate' boxes have increased by nearly 30%. In my area, if you plan on dropping off any packages between the hours of noon and 1p.m. forget it since that's a lock down lunch hour. What if my lunch is at the same time?

Let it be known that I don't blame the postal workers since I'm well aware that this is beyond their control but after reading about how the potential for our USPS to cancel Saturday delivery in order to save on costs, and continue to increase rates and fees for mailings because it's the only way they can operate just doesn't sit well for me.

It's like most businesses when the demand goes down most companies increase price or make cuts to balance the books. Instead of focusing on price increases and job cuts, why can't places stick to what works and market it. The forever stamps are a good thing and make sense, but will their price increase too?

I wish I still had my horse carriage and buggy at times. As the email, Internet, and online bill pay phase have taken over I realize the impact that this has had on the traditional mailings. It still does not explain to me why certain postal fees are fair.

I'd love to hear some feedback from others on how they feel, but I refuse to pay almost $3 to mail an envelope.