Christmas stamps in April?
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
April 27, 2016 9:50am CST
While at the Post Office today I queued to buy stamps from the counter rather than use the printed equivalents that the machines issue. This proved to be quite amusing.
When I told the assistant that I wanted £4.75 in stamps rather than a printout, she called the supervisor to assist her.
Between them they flicked through the ledger containing stamps looking for appropriate amounts, which prompted the supervisor to ask me if I wanted a Christmas stamp. To be honest I would not have recognised it as a Christmas issue.
The stamp was valued at £2.25, but they could not find any other appropriate large amounts, so she decided to give me two of those. This is where it became ridiculous, because they used a calculator to multiply £2.25 by 2 and then to subtract the resultant £4.50 from £4.75.
24 people like this
24 responses
@Orson_Kart (6933)
• United Kingdom
27 Apr 16
Was it last Christmas stamps or next Christmas stamps? If it was next Christmas, then I would have bought a few, as they are bound to go up in price before then,
4 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
27 Apr 16
@Orson_Kart The value printed on the stamps will not have changed, but I needed extra postage compared to Christmas.
@Orson_Kart (6933)
• United Kingdom
27 Apr 16
@Asylum So making that assumption, if they were last year's, you have paid over the odds for out of date stamps.
2 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
27 Apr 16
We have something simple now. One price stamps for first class mail that do not change if the price of stamps go up. they call them Forever Stamps. That's what I use for everything except parcels. Those I take to my local UPS store, because there is never a line. At the post office, lines can take forever, just like the stamps.
3 people like this
@ElizabethWallace (12074)
• United States
27 Apr 16
@Asylum Ah, for things like that, I go to UPS. The post offices here are way too understaffed to do anything but make us crazy.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
27 Apr 16
The postal service managed to screw us on Forever stamps. They were a good deal for years if you stocked up and had them on hand when postage price increased. But the priced dropped 2 cents so I have all these overpaid Forever stamps. Quibbling I know.
2 people like this
@quantum2020 (12041)
• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico
27 Apr 16
At least you got your stamps! The calculation must have been better done mentally. Faster!
2 people like this
@quantum2020 (12041)
• Ciudad De Mexico, Mexico
27 Apr 16
@Asylum That is true! The brain can be faster that machines when used efffectively!
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (472433)
• Switzerland
28 Apr 16
@Asylum I remember that years ago in California someone in a bank has to use a calculator when I asked to give me the change of $100 in 20 dollars bills.
Your Pegasus is great, where he is flying. I suppose you have a vacation destination in your mind.
Your Pegasus is great, where he is flying. I suppose you have a vacation destination in your mind.1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (83560)
• United States
27 Apr 16
We are lucky enough to be able to buy stamps at our local supermarkets instead of having to go to the post office
2 people like this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
28 Apr 16
amazing the differences of math nowadays compared to when i was in school
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
28 Apr 16
@Rosekitty Before I retired I would often be appalled if someone in the office asked a simple question such as 3 X 54 because people would immediately grab a calculator.
1 person likes this
@Rosekitty (19368)
• San Marcos, Texas
28 Apr 16
@Asylum i agree..no one uses their mind much anymore..they allow computers to do that for them..
1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
27 Apr 16
Quite Understandable. It merely reflects that they do not have too many takers, today. And that is why the Assistant called her Supervisor and later they used the calculator for such simple daily Arithmetic.
Handing you the Christmas Stamps also suggests that the Printed Stamps stocks are low as many are option in for Emails, E-Cards and even the Printed equivalents.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (44998)
• Preston, England
27 Apr 16
crazy that they needed a calculator - be fun for whoever recieves the post if they look at the stamps
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
27 Apr 16
@arthurchappell That was the whole reason for me asking for postage stamps.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
28 Apr 16
lol welcome to the word that can't do simple addition and subtraction in their head!!
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
29 Apr 16
@BelleStarr Basically they have made people lazy. Given a choice between making the effort to learn or choosing an easy alternative, the easy way usually wins.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61101)
• United States
29 Apr 16
@Asylum Computers and adding machines have taken away people's ability to think independently I swear!!
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
30 Apr 16
I generally use stamps I make myself at zazzle, but they are more expensive than the ones from the USPS. I buy from the P.O. now and then. They sell "forever" stamps, which can be used without additional postage when the prices go up.
I am also amused when the cashier (anywhere) can't do simple math or can't make change without a computer. I understand that sometimes the computer they use in place of the old-time cash register demands they jump through all those hoops. Yes, technology makes life soooo much simpler. Nope.
Oh and yes, I have Christmas stamps left over and have been thinking of using them, just to use them up. 
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
30 Apr 16
@blitzfrick Despite being accepted as postage payment, these will not really qualify as true stamps any more than a franking machine print would.
1 person likes this
@blitzfrick (2890)
• United States
30 Apr 16
@Asylum I have an online store at zazzle where I design all sorts of things, including stamps, valid for sending mail. All production work is done by zazzle. New designs must be approved by the USPS, usually takes about 24hrs for approval if all is well.
1 person likes this
with the "early" stamp and with the calculator.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
28 Apr 16
That's pretty sad they couldn't easily figure out the amounts. But offering you a Christmas stamp in April....really? Do you resemble Kris Kringle?
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
28 Apr 16
@Jeanniemaries Yes, I would find it acceptable if there were several odd figures involved.
@Jeanniemaries (8237)
• United States
28 Apr 16
@Asylum I agree! I pennies were involved perhaps you could understand the confusion, but such nice round numbers boggle the mind.
1 person likes this
@garymarsh6 (23411)
• United Kingdom
30 Apr 16
How rediculous that they can not add up one subtract such a small amount!
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (20176)
• United States
28 Apr 16
There is such a thing as Christmas in July, so you are just early. lol
1 person likes this
@creativeintelligene (133)
•
28 Apr 16
Have they gone nuts!....They must be some dodos or something. otherwise why would they use calculator to multiply 2.25x2 and the simple substraction too!. These idiots have stopped using their brains and become too much dependant on technology.
1 person likes this
