Believe me, I'm no fan of letter bombs, but I'm still peeved at the Post Office for introducing its "no-packages-over-a-pound-shall-be-deposited-in-the-mailbox-any-longer" rule. First of all, statistically, you're probably more likely to be stalked by Claudia Schiffer than be a victim of the next Ted Kaczynski. Second, the one-pound rule only encourages postal-explosives psychopaths to design smaller, lighter bombs. In the meantime, millions of people have to queue up inside ugly buildings staffed by sullen, overworked clerks, just to mail their gifts and eBay auction junk.
Long lines are for Commies, not freedom-loving Americans! Thanks to the always-innovated Internet, there's a better way. It's called e-postage and it allows you to print postage right on your desktop. I'm so impressed with it, I'm convinced the Postmaster General will figure out a way to stop it -- it's just too darn easy and low-stress. The Post Office still has its nose out of joint over email, and now this!
Here's how e-postage works: you sign up with one of several e-postage providers (E-Stamp, ) and they send you a starter kit with the software, and in some cases, the hardware, you need to get started.
Estamp works with your existing printer and the company charges a 10% "convenience fee" when you buy postage. There's also a $50 startup fee. If you want a scale that interfaces with your computer, it'll cost you an additional $100. Their cute little label printer sells for $200.
Stamps charges 10% on the postage you use. Like Estamp, you use your own printer. If you use less than $20 postage in a month, they'll charge you $2. The maximum monthly fee is $20.
I've sent over a dozen packages all over the country using e-postage without a hitch. E-postage, alas, doesn't work for foreign countries, so if you have a loved one in France, be prepared to continue to spend time at the bricks-and-mortar Post Office. Just pray that a disgruntled former employee doesn't decide to visit the old job on the day you're forced to wait in line.
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