The increasing cost of postage to mail letters and packages is bringing down our standard of living. To remedy this deplorable situation, some counter control measures can be applied.

For or example, if the stamps on a letter are coated with Elmer's Glue by the sender, the cancellation mark will not destroy the stamp the Elmers drives to form an almost invisible coating that protects the stamps from the cancellation ink. Later, the receiver of the letter can remove the cancellation mark with water and reuse the stamps. Furthermore, ecological saving will also result from recycling the stamps. Help save a tree. The glue is most efficently applied with a brush with stiff, short bristles. Just dip the brush directly into the glue and spread it on evenly, covering the entire surface of the stamp. It will dry in about 15 minutes. For mailing packages, just follow the same procedure as outlined above; however, the package should be weighed and checked to make sure that it has the correct amount of postage on it before it is taken to the Post Office.

Removing the cancellation and the glue from the stamps can be easily accomplished by soaking the stamps in warm water until they float free from the paper. The stamps can then be put onto a paper towel to dry. Processing stamps in large batches saves time too. Also, it may be helpful to write the word 'Elmer' at the top of the letter (not on the envelope) to cue the receiving party in that the stamps have been protected with the glue.

We all know that mailing packages can be expensive. And we also know that the handicapped are sometimes discriminated against in jobs. The Government, being the generous people they are, have given the blind free postal service. Simply address you envelope as usual, and make one modification. In the corner where the stamp would go, write in (or stamp) the words "FREE MATTER FOR THE BLIND". Then drop you package or letter in one of the blue fedral mailboxes. DO NOT TAKE THE LETTER TO THE POST OFFICE, OR LEAVE IT IN YOUR MAILBOX.

Sounds very nice of the government to do this, right? Well, they aren't that nice. The parcel is sent library rate, that is below third class. It may take four to five days to send a letter to just the next town.

This too is quite simple, but less effective. Put the address that you are sending the letter to as the return address. If you were sending a $20 donation to the me, you would put my address as the return address. Then you would have to be carless and forget to put the stamp on the envelope. A nice touch is to put a fake address in the center of the envelope. Again, you MUST drop the letter in a FEDRAL mailbox. If the post office doesn't send the letter to the return address for having no stamp, they will send it back for the reason of "No such address".

One last thing you might try, soak post marked stamps in cleaning alcohol for a day or two. It will take most of the ink off. Make sure you draw on the envelope alot, so as to take the eyes off the postage stamp.