Postage adds up faster than most small businesses expect. At 68 cents a stamp:
| Monthly volume | Annual postage |
|---|---|
| 1,000 stamps | $8,160 |
| 3,000 stamps | $24,480 |
Those are real numbers and they justify taking postage seriously as a cost line. Which is exactly why the next part matters.
The number that should stop you
Run the same table against a 40% discount and the savings look extraordinary — $3,264 a year at the lower volume, $9,792 at the higher one.
That discount does not exist. A 40%-off offer on postage is the clearest single indicator of counterfeit stamps there is.
The reason is supply. Genuine discounted postage comes from retail overstock and business liquidations — someone bought stamps at face value and is selling them on. That mechanism supports roughly 10–25% below face. It cannot support 40%, because nobody acquires postage cheaply enough to sell it at that price and still profit.
So when you see the arithmetic above quoted as achievable savings, you are looking at a sales pitch built on a rate that only a forger can offer.
What the real saving looks like
At a defensible 10–15%, the same volumes save meaningfully less and the mail actually arrives. That is the whole trade, and it is not close: a seized mailing costs you the postage, the printing, the staff time, and the customer relationship.
The larger savings for a business at 1,000+ pieces a month are not in the per-stamp price at all. They are in presort and automation rates, in choosing the correct mail class, and in buying ahead of announced increases.
Best deals on Forever stamps
Design still matters and costs nothing extra. A rough guide by purpose:
- Vintage rose and floral issues — client thank-you notes, anything personal.
- Seasonal designs — holiday greetings and time-limited promotions, bought in October before they sell out.
- Geometric and modern designs — contemporary brands and event invitations.
- Flag issues — invoices, contracts and anything transactional.
Checking a supplier
- Can they say where the stock came from? A real surplus dealer names the source; a forger offers a story.
- Is the discount inside 25%? Outside it, stop.
- Compare against a known-good sheet. Buy one at a post office and keep it as a reference for print quality and colour.
- If you receive counterfeits, contact the seller, report it to the USPS, and pay with a method that lets you reverse the charge.
Where to buy
The USPS official store, or a verified surplus channel such as Forever Stamp Center in the 10–25% range where legitimate discounts live.
The short version
Bulk postage is worth managing — $8,160 a year at a thousand a month is not a rounding error. But the 40%-off figure circulating in this space is not a discount you are missing out on. It is how you identify the sellers to avoid.
More on buying Forever stamps
- 👉 Under 60 Cents a Stamp Is the Line
- 👉 The Counterfeits That Cost More Than Face Value
- 👉 There Is No USPS Coupon Code. There Is Presort.
Currently working at USPS in Chicago, he has more than 15 years of experience in bulk mailing and logistics. His columns focus on Forever Stamp trends, helping businesses and individuals make cost‑effective mailing decisions.
