Saving 14 cents
May. 13th, 2009 09:20 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
chris_gerribYeah! I saved 14 cents!
Now, if you’re wondering why I care, well, so am I. But bear with me. First, a little background.
Here in the US, the postage rates went up 2 cents on Monday. So, on Saturday, I made a point to take my bills to the post office, so I could use the old stamps. (Actually, I had the “forever” stamps on my desk when I left, so I could have used them as well, and I only paid 42 cents each for those.) At any rate, I had 7 letters, so that’s 14 cents. I also counted my remaining 42 cent stamps, so I could be sure and order 2 cent stamps. (20 stamps = 40 cents additional postage needed, for those keeping score at home.)
Now, normally, I wouldn’t even notice 14 cents. Like, when I go out to eat – you could short me 14 cents all week and I would neither notice nor care. But postage – I care. And the hell of it is, I don’t know why.
Certain expenditures matter more than others. Postage, or certain grocery items. Green beans are green beans, and I’ll go store brand for a nickel. But I refuse to eat store brand pop tarts, even if they are more than 14 cents cheaper.
My question to myself is “why do I care?” I mean, Kellogg’s Pop Tarts taste better. But postage? Why does it matter? Hell, I could pay more bills online and not pay a dime for postage.
So why do I care? And what things do you sweat the pennies about?
Now, if you’re wondering why I care, well, so am I. But bear with me. First, a little background.
Here in the US, the postage rates went up 2 cents on Monday. So, on Saturday, I made a point to take my bills to the post office, so I could use the old stamps. (Actually, I had the “forever” stamps on my desk when I left, so I could have used them as well, and I only paid 42 cents each for those.) At any rate, I had 7 letters, so that’s 14 cents. I also counted my remaining 42 cent stamps, so I could be sure and order 2 cent stamps. (20 stamps = 40 cents additional postage needed, for those keeping score at home.)
Now, normally, I wouldn’t even notice 14 cents. Like, when I go out to eat – you could short me 14 cents all week and I would neither notice nor care. But postage – I care. And the hell of it is, I don’t know why.
Certain expenditures matter more than others. Postage, or certain grocery items. Green beans are green beans, and I’ll go store brand for a nickel. But I refuse to eat store brand pop tarts, even if they are more than 14 cents cheaper.
My question to myself is “why do I care?” I mean, Kellogg’s Pop Tarts taste better. But postage? Why does it matter? Hell, I could pay more bills online and not pay a dime for postage.
So why do I care? And what things do you sweat the pennies about?
