Is It Time To Get Rid of the USPS? (retired, world, work)
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It's probably time to make USPS less of a high-priced federal bureaucracy and more of a 'non-subsidized, pay its own way' organization. Since FedEx, UPS, DHL are more expensive than the USPS, I'm not sure how much 'slack' they will absorb. In either case, digital communications have certainly shifted the communications paradigm away from pony express days. There doesn't seem to be much evidence that the USPS has shifted with it.
The USPS does not receive taxpayer money but it is "subsidized" by having some monopolistic perks that FedEx, UPS, and DHL do not have (ie. mailbox delivery). On the other hand, the USPS is required to provide Saturday delivery and home delivery even if doing so is not profitable.
Like Social Security, USPS is an off-budget agency. It receives no tax dollars at all in support of its general operations, relying instead on sales of postage and other products. Congress has ordered USPS to provide free mail service to blind persons. An annual payment to offset those costs is supposed to be made. USPS will otherwise deliver to every residential and business address in the nation. No other service does that.
This ^.
All should realize that the USPS is a business that enjoys some monopolistic benefits but is highly regulated by politicians. Politicians don't regulate it with the idea that profit should matter all that much. The Postmaster General is limited in what can and cannot be done to make (more) of a profit.
Many elderly grew up in or around the depression. Their parents lived through the depression and as a result didn't trust banks. I used to have family like that, but I only recently figured out why they were so anti-bank and paid for everything with an USPS Postal Money Order. They wouldn't set foot in a bank if you paid them.
Many older folks just don't grasp debit cards and what they're for. They don't understand online banking either. Nothing wrong with them not being able to handle these things. They didn't grow up with these technologies. It's very intimidating for many of them.
He wasn't old enough to have lived in the recession, he was an Ike presidency boomer. Part of the issue is he would have identity fraud cases pop up. He really wants to kill the guy who has caused several companies to come after him because the cell phone company that this scum-bag (and I'm cleaning up what my father has said) had the bill from, got sold two or three times so each time the new company would see this old unpaid bill without the more of identity fraud and seek for it to be paid.
The USPS does not receive taxpayer money but it is "subsidized" by having some monopolistic perks that FedEx, UPS, and DHL do not have (ie. mailbox delivery). On the other hand, the USPS is required to provide Saturday delivery and home delivery even if doing so is not profitable.
I would not really agree that Saturday delivery isn't profitable. Amazon make billion a year with sales. Many people want that item now whether they have Amazon Prime or not. Two of my latest three packages have or are coming on a Saturday. Why you ask, because I happened to order these items late Wednesday/early Thursday. Now one of these items I would need tomorrow since it is a charging cable for my father's external battery so he can have it for work.
I'm a happy Amazon Prime customer even though my buying habits are cyclic. In the long run I would probably be better off simply paying for 2 day shipping but it's nice to just not hassle it. They've always been on time.
It's interesting to note Amazon uses a variety of shipping methods including bulk shipping a container to a delivery area and then the middle man mails the products via USPS for end user delivery.
I was under the impression that the USPS was losing money and subsidized by the government. Perhaps I'm wrong.
Not everyone can afford a computer and the service required to run one, let alone the outrageous fees charged when something goes wrong and technical help is needed.
How about my bills are due and I can't pay them because I don't have an extra $120 to pay a technician to fix my computer?
And, not everything can be paid with Autopay, my garbage company doesn't offer it and neither does my house/car insurance.
Everyone's circumstances aren't just like yours.
You don't even need a computer for auto-pay. You could use a smartphone, or you could use a tablet. You could probably even call up the billers and have them arrange it for you. It's highly unlikely that you can't get auto-pay. If your insurance can't debit your premiums from your account, then you should change insurance providers. Because they must be the most backward insurance company in the country. I have been auto-paying my premiums with various companies for almost 20 years.
As for not being able to pay your bills, that is a separate issue, that you should address. Either by increasing your income, or decreasing your expenses.
Have you considered that if the letter carrier wasn't there for the last mile that UPS or FedEx would hold your package until they had a big enough load to justify economically the dispatch of a truck down your street?
No, the UPS and FedEx trucks come by multiple times everyday, and I live in a small town. Example: I see FedEx Ground truck, the FedEx Express truck, FedEx Freight truck and whatever others they have. The UPSP only comes one time a day. FedEx and UPS still have to come to town and drop the package off at the Post office. It just adds an extra day to my delivery. The USPS is 100% useless to me.
You don't even need a computer for auto-pay. You could use a smartphone, or you could use a tablet. You could probably even call up the billers and have them arrange it for you. It's highly unlikely that you can't get auto-pay. If your insurance can't debit your premiums from your account, then you should change insurance providers. Because they must be the most backward insurance company in the country. I have been auto-paying my premiums with various companies for almost 20 years.
As for not being able to pay your bills, that is a separate issue, that you should address. Either by increasing your income, or decreasing your expenses.
LOL If a person can't afford a computer or have internet access where they live, what makes you think they can afford a smartphone or a tablet?
LOL If a person can't afford a computer or have internet access where they live, what makes you think they can afford a smartphone or a tablet?
It would be good, if you could read the entire post. That's why I said "You could probably even call up the billers and have them arrange it for you." If you can't even use or afford a phone, then maybe you should have somebody to help you with that type of common modern technology. Because in that case, you probably need auto-pay more than anyone.
It would be good, if you could read the entire post. That's why I said "You could probably even call up the billers and have them arrange it for you." If you can't even use or afford a phone, then maybe you should have somebody to help you with that type of common modern technology. Because in that case, you probably need auto-pay more than anyone.
I did read your post. I just didn't comment on all of it. I was addressing your initial comment to the post you quoted.
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