Ha, my sister works for PO, too. She is a letter carrier and an instructor. She "Tells" me all the reasons for the rules; then gripes about some of them herself.

Cassews, yes, the PO is part of the federal government. My sister told me what they are doing at some post offices is subcontracting out the carriers from a private company. Also at some of the post office processing headquarters, they hire "contract workers" to distribute the mail to the different branches. These are usually the ones who work overnight.

Here's another little tip:

When you mail something in a manila envelope with those metal clasps on the flap, beware! If you use the metal clasp, it's considered a package. If you fold down the flap and tape it close, it's considered a letter!

I think they make rules as they go along. I have never been told this. Usually pay about $.75 for these. The bad thing is there is no one to complain to. I work for the US Government and we can't get away with this stuff. We better be polite and follow the rules or we won't be employed.

Ah, what a cute little bunny picture!

Ah, what a cute little bunny picture!

Try mailing cookies to Afghanistan! Our son said they used SPOONS to eat the ones his Grandmother sent. We really packed ours well and they arrived in fair shape but there was wasted space in the box due to packing. I know there is nothing our PO can do after the boxes leave here but it's a real shame the condition they arrive in.

wow, you should have my UPS guys - they are all so nice! and tracking!! every step of the way, arrival and departure -every time it gets handled

- not like "DC" - it MIGHT get scanned in on arrival, it might just disappear into PO limbo....

Wow they are the greatest here and I can always trace things online with them. Here PO wants you to pay extra to trace things. I always thought Priority packages could be traced, but not unless you pay extra. I wish I never had to use the PO

Plus, the UPS guys all have great legs!

This sure made me smile. When I worked at the Construction company my boss always made fun of their socks and then they would say but you have that gal in jeans that does your estimating (meaning me). The other day I ran into one of them and he said I sure miss teasing you about your man job and I said where are your cute socks. LOL!

I went through the same thing. I was mailing an expensive ticket to my daughter and I couldn't get it insured because it was letter size!

Proof of mailing instead of DC......Just keep your P.O. receipt. Has the zip of where you mailed. I do this....no problem then...

Proof of mailing means nothing if the package is lost. UPS shows me each stop it went to. When you have to pay double to mail something that some dummy said Addressee Unknown to the same address this is BS. This happened to me twice with the last swap I was hostess for. I tried to explain that I was using the same address again and she looked at me like I was stupid. Stating maybe someone else will find them this time. What about the $4.95 Priority Mail tht meant nothing. Yes I am extremely disgusted with the USPO.

I guess I tracked too many packages when I worked in industry. Just because the "brown truck" says they delivered it to an address isn't necessarily so. They will deliver a package to anyplace and say it is delivered as well. I DELIVERED several UPS misdelivered packages on Christmas Eve last year because they were left on my porch and I didn't want to see someone not get their gifts. Every system has issues. I even have had a few delivery people I liked very much. Sadly they were NOT the people working at the place you had to ship from.

FYI: Unless you have the little green triangles around it, the USPS sends it as parcel post anyway. I recently had a first class pkg sit 5 days in Jacksonville distribution center and 4 days here before it was delivered.

My experience today: These are business size envelopes. Envelope #1 had 10 five inch squares in it and just weighed in at .9 of an ounce...barely thin enough and went for $.44. Good. Now the Envelope #2 had 12 five inch squares in it and weighed 1.1 ounces; however it could not go for $.61 because it had a bump in the middle so she sent it parcel post for $1.39. WOW!!! However, today in the mail I received an envelope with 11 squares in it with correspondence (the envelope was about 5X8inches) and the postage on it was $.61. No bulge. The clerk told me to avoid any kind of a bulge! So, guess I will make myself some envelopes from my leftover 8Xll l/2 sheets from the printer and just put a mark through the side I used and fold it so the plain side is outside. There is no way that the post office is going to keep burning me with outrageous prices!!!

Im odd woman out it sounds lilke.. No problems at my PO and I host swaps.. My PO lady helps me save a buck anyway she can..

Sorry you all are having problems..