Want to painlessly do something to help the small communities where you love to vacation?

In 2011 make a point at stopping at one of the small post offices that serve these rural communities and stock up on Forever Stamps. Get your year's worth or a couple years. The price is the same that you would pay at home and the difference in sales could mean that post office staying open. You will be surprised to see how pleased the post master is to sell a couple of hundred stamps to one person.

(This idea is one that I got from The Kansas Explorers)

What a nice idea! Apparently now, all stamps issued from 2011 on will be marked FOREVER and will be good for first-class postage forever.

I am honestly torn between supporting an institution which a lot of people seem to be SAYING is inefficient, filled with labor issues, etc., etc., and also fostering what may in the long run turn out to better serve small and large communities alike.

Wouldn't a better option be to eat at the local restaurants, shop in their stores, and stay at their hotels? $40 in stamps won't keep those shed post offices open when their staff is earning 25 times what they take in in postage...

How about doing both gary?

my point is simple... its time to close those sheds, stop Saturday delivery, make things more efficient... the postal service is dying.... buying stamps there won't save it...

horses are cute, but eventually the pony express went under... rural post offices and cute vacation huts are totally unnecessary when you compare the overhead to the benefits... it's 2011 tomorrow...

I don't know you Garyt22 but I don't like you.

this sounds like online bullying... i may be unstable and react to your harsh comments... watch what you say to an unknown poster... we are not here to judge each other...

Happy new Year Late...

You can get a letter deleiverd 3,000 miles for 44 cents. How much is Fedex and UPS?

Would you like the USPS to charge those amounts?

Of course, there are many problems with the postal system but compared to many other countries' postal system it is not that bad especially at the price.

I am not sure purchasing a pane of stamps will keep a small post office open, but it is an nice idealistic activity.

Well it's an interesting idea - but who uses all those stamps? We pay all bills electronically and use email or texting - or phone - to stay in touch. If we use 25 stamps a year that's a lot.

We used 100 stamps for our holiday cards.