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Okay I have had this idea for a while and while it doesn't seem to be forming any better, it also doesn't seem to be getting any worse.
Old-fashioned stamp-on-an-envelope mail is becoming extinct. I for one think this is sad, because still, nothing is as exciting as getting a letter in the mail. Except
for getting a package in the mail, maybe. But buying stamps is kind of getting expensive, and really isn't that convenient. Hence my idea.
One goes into their postal service and can now sign up for something like a miling club. They pay for a specific amount of letters and an accumulated weight of packages they can send throughout the year. As you get the urge to mail a letter they can simply pull out an envelope, slide their paper in, and stick it in the mailbox. If you want to send a package same thing applies, just box it up (packages still have to be packed correctly, if they aren't the package is returned to sender and weight is still subtracted) and stick it in your mailbox. All these transactions are kept track of by the barcode on your mailing labels and an invoice detailing each is sent at the end of the month, allowing the consumer to request more letters for the next months. All in all this may not actually cost less out of pocket for each person, but it means not having to go to the post office to mail packages (under a certain weight) and therefore pay for the gas, and take the time.
I do realize that many postal services have a prepaid service, but most require you to buy a few thousand envelopes at a time.
Go here, enter details
https://ecap21.usps...ts/loginNewUser.jsp
...and I believe you will find you are able to do everything you want to do, without *ever* leaving the comfort of your own home, let alone going to the post office, up to and including bar code tracking. [DrCurry, Dec 14 2005]
[link]
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One/you/they - I'm having a leetle trouble following the grammar there. |
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But we already pay for mail by the number and weight of letters we send, and you don't even have to go to the post office every time you mail a letter: how is this in any way a change, let alone an improvement?! |
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Btw, while the US Postal Service offerings differ slightly from the "on account" approach at the root of your idea (in that it requires payment by credit card), FedEx follows it exactly, with a monthly invoicing system, if you have an account. |
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So, Polly/Jenny/wootever, I believe even snail mail has gone and passed this idea by. Slow and steady wins the race or something. |
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I wonder if anyone's ever done the math on a nickel and dime tax. Round to nearest, send it to government towards deficit or ssomething |
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I think a pay-as-you go would be much better. Some months I mail very few things, but some months (such as November and December), I mail lots of things.) The postal company could give you a bunch of labels with your barcode on them, and then scan them as you mail them. They would then send you a bill at the end of the month. That way you wouldn't have to worry about figuring out how much something like a postal tube would cost to ship. you just stick the label on it, and wait for the bill. 'Twould be very convenient. |
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Actually I like yours better [Weirdo] much simpler. |
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[MikeOx-] that's the whole point, e-mail sucks. It's not nearly as exciting as getting a real letter from someone. You probably won't catch me doing a backflip every time a get a letter (unless it's from Shakira or someone of equal atractiveness) but I think people should write more letters to loved ones as opposed to fowarding chain e-mail's and jokes. |
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//nothing is as exciting as getting a letter in the mail// You really ought to get out more. |
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