Hooray for the U.S. Postal Service!

The United States Postal Service was established on July 26, 1775, with Benjamin Franklin being the first Postmaster General.

Throughout my life, I’ve heard jokes about the poor service the USPS provides. Then between 1986 and 1997, more than twenty incidents of workplace rage occurred with dozens of people shot and killed, bringing about the term “going postal.”  These incidents only brought about further negativity toward the USPS.

In more recent years, United Parcel Service and FedEx have grown and expanded their services, competing with the postal service.  During the last couple decades, the Internet and email became commonplace in nearly every home in America, further reducing the need for the USPS. Over the past several years, USPS has contracted with UPS and FedEx for air transportation for US mail.  The price of postage has increased numerous times and will be raised once again in 2013.

“For centuries, our universal mail system has strengthened the bonds of friendship, family, and community. Our system has encouraged civil discourse, disseminated information, and bolstered the national economy — both as the hub of a vital industry and as a trusted courier of the nation’s and world’s business.”

This quote from the USPS website is a brief synopsis of what postal service has done for our country.  Although people complain about lost mail or slow mail service, I find it amazing that they successfully handle and deliver millions of pieces of mail and packages with so few being lost.

Over the years, mail has been delivered by stagecoach, on horseback, on trains, airplanes, boats, cars and trucks, in addition to the thousands of letter carriers that still walk routes delivering mail. 

At one time, mail was hand delivered to the recipient. Over the years mail boxes became the norm, and standards were established for the size of them.  Most people don’t realize it, but it is a Federal offense for anyone other than a letter carrier to place anything in mail boxes.  In fact, mail boxes  belong to the US Postal Service.

Over the last few years to mail packages, I have been creating address labels and paying postage on the USPS website. They now even offer door-to-door pick up of Priority Mail packages.  I use this service frequently for my personal and business packages.  When I sent out all my Christmas packages this year, they were picked up right at my front door. 

The USPS even added a Flat Rate service in a variety of envelope and package sizes. No matter how much it weighs, if it fits inside, you’ll only pay the rate for that size package.  You can pick up the envelopes and boxes at your post office at no charge or order them online to be delivered to you.

I know this seems like a commercial for the post office, but I am simply a fan offering well-deserved praise to the much-maligned USPS.

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit joinxpresshealthcare.com . You can work from home and earn residual income.

To learn how to Save Money on Your Health and Dental Costs AND Save on Hearing, Vision, Prescriptions, Roadside Assistance, Lifelock™ and much more, please visit  ibourl.net/XpressSavings (NOT insurance) 

Do You Miss Snail Mail?

Until the last few years, my mail box was full of envelopes six days a week.  Around the holidays, it sometimes nearly overflowed with the addition of Christmas cards.

Now don’t laugh at us, but both my husband and I looked forward to picking up our mail each day.  It was fun to see what surprises we would find.  Of course, more often than not, until about five years ago, it was mostly bills. 

Now I rarely receive bills by mail since everything is either directly debited or I pay online.  From now until Christmas thoughj, we will have more mail than usual and enjoy receiving – and sending – holiday greetings.

When we pick up our mail these days, it is more advertisements than anything else.  Unless we’re expecting a package, there are rarely surprises in the mail. 

Fortunately, I also rarely receive credit card “approvals” anymore.  With the advent of Identity Theft Protection, we have been removed from virtually all the credit card mailing lists. 

There are far more features included with ID Theft Protection, and for that I am grateful.  ID Theft is such a huge and ever-growing crime, that tens of thousands of people are victimized every year.  Many people believe that if they have no credit cards, they cannot become victims of ID theft. They are very wrong!  Thieves these days have gone so far as to steal people’s health insurance records and receive medical treatment under their victims’ name!

A thief can contact your utility companies and change your address.  They then receive service at a different address under YOUR name!  Many utility companies have tightened their security making it more difficult for this to happen, but it is far from foolproof.

Thieves can also apply for credit cards in your name and destroy your credit.  Do not believe that they cannot do so because they need your social security number.  We have all provided our SSN in so many places that most thieves know exactly how to access your number.

Back to receiving mail… If you are still receiving bills and pay checks through the mail, you are at greater risk of being victimized.  Mail boxes are the quickest and easiest way for thieves to steal your identity.  The flimsy locks on some mail boxes are no challenge to them. 

You can protect your identity with a variety of ID Theft Protection programs, the best of which is LifeLock™.  You have probably seen the LifeLock™ TV commercials.  My company, Xpress Healthcare offers LifeLock™ for $19.95 per month PER FAMILY!  Their WalletLock™ feature assists you in the event your wallet is lost or stolen. They even have a $1 million service guarantee that if one of their members is victimized because of failure of their service, they will help you fix it at their expense up to $1 million!

Here’s some great news! When you join LifeLock™ through Xpress Healthcare, you will also receive Roadside Assistance for all family vehicles and all family members, Pet Care discounts and Legal Service savings.  Pretty great for less than $20 a month!  For details, please visit http://ibourl.net/EverydaySavings.

Now, it is time to go check my mail to see if more Christmas cards have arrived!

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To learn about Julie Klein and the Xpress Healthcare Business Opportunity, please visit http://joinxpresshealthcare.com

To learn how to Reduce Your Health and Dental Costs AND save on Hearing, Vision, Roadside Assistance and much more, please visit http://ibourl.net/XpressSavings   (NOT insurance)