Gas prices, stamp prices, dirty glasses...

I want to talk about buying stuff today.

Gas

Every time the price of gas goes up, I kick myself (figuratively) for not filling up the tank the day before. =P It's a never-ending cycle though. Apparently, the only way to avoid the self-kicking sensation is to live in South Carolina, where a gallon of gas is about $2.26. Without leaving the state of California, I could get gas for $2.95 in Whittier (44 minutes from here). If I wanted to save a penny, the cheapest gas today is $2.94 in Folsom (in the Sacramento area), a mere 5 hour and 55 minute drive from here.

I, on the other hand, paid $3.13 today for gas because I had an eighth of a tank left, that was the only station in the area not totally out of my way, and I had to go drop off a spare key for the other car to my husband. (His key broke!) There was one station cheaper that I passed on the way home, but all the other stations were even more expensive.

Postage Stamps

When we got married in October of 2005, my husband bought 100 stamps in a roll (or maybe there were two rolls, I don't recall) for our wedding announcements that were mailed within the US. After that, there were some left over that I've been using for what little we mail.

All was well, we don't mail much so they were in a manila folder in my file cabinet for when we needed them. Then, the price of stamps went up! For the few stamps that were left, I decided that I'd rather put two stamps on each letter I mail (once a month for rent and some odd random letters/forms) than drive to the post office.

Instead of a 37 cent stamp and a 2 cent stamp, I put on two 37 cent stamps. Yup, I waste 35 cents every single month! You know why? Not only was it not worth my time to drive down there to save 35 cents per month, not only was it not worth my tiny fraction of my $3.13 gallon of gas to get there, and not only does the post office in fact charge for parking in the amount of 25 cents (remember, I'd be saving 35, before gas and time)... No no, it wasn't that. The price of stamps is going up again! (3 cents if the USPS gets their way, 2 cents if the Postal Regulatory Commission gets their way.)

I haven't even used the whole roll, and there will have been two rate increases. In a year and a half!

I would rather the rate go up 10 cents and stay there for 3 years than go up by 2 cents, then 3, then 2, then 3... I don't like 2 cent stamps, never will. And what about those people who bought 2 cent stamps the last time rates went up and now they'll need 2 cent stamps AND 3 cent stamps! Or 5 cent stamps, or 2s and 1s... WHY???

Speaking of which, they're coming out with a "Forever Stamp." It'll be sold at whatever the going rate is, and be good even if the rate goes up. If the rate goes up, the purchase price of the Forever Stamp will go up, but it'll be the same physical stamp, and still valid for the next increase.

I, for one, am going to stock up on Forever Stamps the minute they come out. There will be no 2/3/5/1 cent stamps in our home!

/rant

Eyeglass cleaning solution

Finally, I would just like to point out that there has not been any eyeglass cleaning solution since I've purchased my glasses at any of the following places: Ralphs in NoHo, my pharmacy in NoHo, Target in Burbank, Target in Baldwin Park, Target optical in Burbank, Walmart in Duarte... The lady at the pharmacy told me that they were having a hard time finding it to stock it. I think it's just a conspiracy to get us all to wear contacts, there's plenty of contact lens solution everywhere. Luckily, I had some eyeglass cleaning stuff from a long time ago, but I'm out now, and my glasses are dirty, and it irritates me.


But my new mp3 player, and the fact that we paid off both of our credit cards this month, make me feel a little better.