Has Anyone Tried This?

I am thinking of asking our water department if I can sort thru their opened envelopes for stamps. Ok what would be the best approach, should I write them, phone them, or just go there and ask? What are the chances that someone else is doing this? Would they charge me for this, they being a government agency, aka bribe?
Thanks Ray

lol

i am amazed. I enjoy reading your posts and I hope your next one doesnt come from a fed prison its a bad idea those stamps are govt property.

The bribe was a joke. Dealing with govt officials is always risking. Believe me I would walk no run if one asked for a bribe.

You can always ask. You can also ask any local businesses that gets a lot of mail (memberships, routines payments and orders). Some of these places save them for donations (National Georgraphic donates their's to Goodwill), but others will chuck them. It's actually good to have someone on the inside. I have relative who works at the U.S. Senate Post Office and some stamps are saved for me through that route. Way back when I worked at the National Zoo, I use to get the envelopes from people who sent in their memembership dues to FONZ.
Will

It would probably be best to stick with high volume private businesses or charities. You'd be doing them a favor by taking their waste away at no cost, which would also lower their own garbage disposal overheads in the process. I can't quite put my finger on who would have high volumes of mail in the private sector nowadays; grocery stores? If you live near a mall you could maybe do the rounds and see if any vendors are willing to accommodate your want.

Newspaper and utility companies get quite a bit of mail.
Will

I would think the key would be to find a utility of some type where folks send their payments in... maybe the cable company, or the gas and electric company, or the water company like you suggest. Are you sure they're government run? Around here, the water companies are just that, private enterprises, although regulated by the government to be sure...

-Allen

Allen,
Our water dept. is government run but our garbage is a private company. I'll have to try them also.

But what would be the proper etiquette to approach these companies? Would it be helpful if I belonged to an organization sure as APS? Will it make you look more professional?

I don't think it matters if you belong to an organization or not. It can't hurt to explain what you're doing and then ask. You know what they say: Ask ten girls for a kiss and . . .

My guess is that most people won't want to take the time to set the envelopes aside, but I hope you get lucky.

and what?

"...then go back to your desk and wait for a memo from Human Resources."?

Two collectors I know had this avenue closed to them in the last year. One got a massive amount of paper from an insurance company, and lost the source without an explanation, and the other was getting envelopes from a government office and was told that there were privacy concerns and it had to stop.

I suspect, but do not know, that Scouts or a church group or some other charity would have the best luck, by supplying, and then regularly collecting from, a small box for torn corners. I also suspect that you would have more Bell and Purple Heart stamps than you know what to do with.

Hope it works out.

C.

"...then go back to your desk and wait for one of them to come to your door with a shotgun."

Yea ha, chicks and guns. OOPS OK now back to the main topic. What would be the proper etiquette to approach these companies? Just ask the manager/boss if you can take the stamps off the envelopes or ask for the envelopes?

Schools (Recruitment/Application Offices) would also be a good option

I agree, schools are really good if you know anyone on the office of admissions or the like. An old friend of mine worked at American University for awhile and would save me stamps. Will

It used to be that businesses (especially utilities) would be very open to giving you bagfuls of opened envelopes for you check and cut out the stamps. What would they get out of it? Every once in a while, they would miss a check or something else that might have been still inside the envelope. The collector would return those envelopes to the business.

Nowadays, things have changed significantly here in the US. The largest companies have things automated now -- it's not as simple as a worker cutting open envelopes and yanking out the contents. So a lot of companies aren't as receptive anymore. Most importantly, many many companies are especially wary of privacy issues -- let's face it, the last couple of decades has produced one of the nosiest societies (look how well the tabloids and pseudo-reality programs have done!). A lot of companies will say no right off the bat simply to prevent future problems.

It can't hurt to ask. If you get rejected, it won't be because you didn't ask politely enough or because you aren't offering a valued service. It's just a sign of the times. They shouldn't be charging you if they agree; I've never heard of that.