So, the Post Office has announced that it will no longer deliver on Saturdays. Will you miss it? How will affect you? We will get to that. But first, the sarcasm.
First of all, I don’t hate the USPS. I can only report on what I experience day to day. I actually like my carrier a lot. She’s super-nice, and we even exchange Christmas gifts. No, it’s my local branch that I wish they would demolish and turn into a shabby little mini mart that sells cigarettes, scratch offs and night crawlers – basically, ANY other kind of establishment that would treat me like a customer and not a sworn enemy.
The service at my branch has driven me into the arms of the UPS store, where I pay more for actual service. Or, to the tax preparation place that is an authorized USPS dealer, where the people are super dumb but super friendly. Anything to avoid that den of slack called The Post Office.
So anyway, how does this affect you (and by YOU I mean ME)? That is spelled out in this USNews.com article that outlines some of the changes we can expect. For example:
- Medicines by mail: Are considered Priority Mail, and will still arrive on Saturday.
- Social Security/Welfare/Veterans/etc.: Today, most benefits come by direct deposit to your bank account, or EBT. If yours DON’T, you have until March 1 to make that happen! (visit godirect.org)
- Bill-payers: You may have some cause for concern. Generally, the credit card companies give you 21 days before you are late. You might lose some days because of this. You might want to switch to electronic pay!
- PO Box holders: No change. You see, while the carriers lose a day of pay, the hard(ly) working folks that work in (my) branch will still be cramming your PO Box with bills and junk mail. So…yay?
These changes are expected to save the USPS $2 billion each year. Ironically, the solution for some of the inconveniences seems to be “going electronic,” which is likely going to cost them even more business. I suspect this isn’t the last time we will be addressing this issue.
So, read the original article, and have a great weekend! Tomorrow, give your Saturday mail a hug, and appreciate the time you have left together!
I would almost prefer if they stopped delivering mail altogether and make everyone physically go to the post office to get their mail. That would save a lot of money and stop people from being lazy! Plus your mail could be picked up the second it’s sorted, rather than waiting until 2pm our whenever your mail arrives.
I work as a Letter Carrier for 15 years now….everything but carriers losing a day of pay is true. We already only work 5 days a week people. We just have sunday off and a day during the week that rotates… all at a salary of 55000 a year…and thats top pay…..no cost of livings….thousands of jobs will be lost however….we will not need subs to do our routes while we have our scheduled day off….so those people will either be excessed to other offices or let go altogether….why are we as Americans rejoicing about people losing their jobs? Why does everyone treat us as if we are stealing from your pocketbooks? 47cents is a great bargain to send something all the way across the country….and don’t you realize that UPS and FEDEX charge you a surcharge and then BRING PACKAGES TO OUR FACILITIES and we deliver them? Next time look at the package…it’s called UPS innovations and Smartpost….The post office is still contributing to 75 years worth of pensions for people who aren’t even born yet…if they stop this…we can get out of debt. I walk for 6 HOURS per day….I deliver on foot to over 400 homes each working day. All while carrying at least 40 pounds in my carrier bag at a time for 15 minutes a piece. They are cramming all of the mail to be delivered in a few days..Physically…we are suffering and all the public can do is degrade us. Shame of those that join in……
good to get another perspective. i hope people aren’t generalizing too much. we really should speak only from our own experiences, as I tried to do (LOVE my carrier, HATE my local office, no real opinion on the USPS at large.) thanks christine!
You are right. Everyone blaming the carrier. Why is the post office still contributing to 75 years worth of pension for people who aren’t even born yet. Stop this practice and save money, do not blame the carrier.
I myself pay my bills on line. I am using only 1 6th of the stamps I used before. The money to pay postal employees has to come from somewhere. Use less stamps, less income for the post office. I do not care if I get mail on Saturday or not. Most carriers are excellent people. My mail carrier is a great person, We talk all of the time. He is a person just trying to make a living just like everyone else. Everyone stop blaming the carrier!!!
I think stopping Saturday mail is not a good thing. I am concerned about all those who will lose their jobs as well as the increased demands on those carriers that are on the job. You think you wait long in service lines now, just wait, it’s only going to get worse. We will end up having to deal with overworked, cranky postal employees. One can only physically and mentally do so much work in the time allotted. The stress of being overworked consistently will come out somewhere, somehow. Does the postal service really believe this is going to save money? Also forcing the carriers to pack another days mail into their schedules is asking too much! How will this effect the health of these carriers as well as inside postal workers? I just bet they will find it necessary to visit their physicians more often due to pain and other physical problems. More money spent, not saved!! What about stress related health issues? I believe that in the long run, the postal service will end up spending much more money dealing with these ongoing issues. Just my thoughts on the lose of Saturday delivery service. Del.
I am really going to miss Saturday delivery. Since I was a child I looked forward to seeing the mailman on Saturdays, it’s just something I always looked forward to, I guess you could say it’s in my blood. If it was me I would like to see the mail run 7 days a week as I enjoy receiving it, even junk mail at times. I asked the mail lady the other day how she herself was taking this change and she appeared happy looking forward to having weekends off in the last 22 years. Other mail workers I am sure look forward weekly to the additional money in their check for weekend work. Si it has its ups for some and down for others. I myself will be saddened and really going to miss it!
That’s nice to hear Larry….according to the Postal Service surveys….70 percent of the country does not care for saturday mail….strange….love your thoughts however just one tweek….we DO NOT get paid extra for saturdays….our work week begins on a saturday…then we have off sunday…and a day during the week. which makes our paycheck five day pay…UNLESS…they need you to fill someones spot that is on vacation or sick…then you get standard overtime…The public seems to think we get 6 days but really we do not….We’ll miss delivering your mail too….