Have you ever been on vacation, and after spending time writing a postcard to a friend, discovered you don’t know or can’t find anywhere to buy a stamp? That’s annoying, and if that happens to you in a foreign country, you’ll just have to ask someone local. However, if it happens to you in the USA, there are a number of places where you can pick up a postage stamp or two. You just need to know which places sell stamps.The most obvious place is the Post Office. They will sell you a wide variety of stamps to suit your every need, and of course, you can also post things from there too. One thing you may not know about the United States Postal Service is that you can buy stamps online from them.
Just go to USPS.com and buy as many as you like. They will deliver your stamps right to your door – by post of course.
Now that we’ve got the most obvious place out of the way, here are a few other places where you will find stamps available. You may be surprised at just how many places will carry stamps, and while this may not be a truly exhaustive list, it’s certainly enough to let you purchase stamps any time of the day or night that you choose. Here then is a guide to where you can buy stamps in the USA.
1 – Walmart
Most big towns and cities have a Walmart store. They are usually open right round the clock too, so whenever you need that stamp, Walmart will have the postage stamps you need. And if you also need writing paper, an envelope or two and perhaps some wrapping paper, this is the place where you can get it.
2 – Banks
They are not open at all hours, and in fact, their hours of opening is rather limited, but you’ll find a bank or two in most towns and cities, even small villages sometimes. Banks will carry stamps. They probably won’t be able to supply you with all the other stuff you might need to send a card or letter to someone, but any bank you can find will sell stamps.
3 – A Gas Station
Their open hours are usually a lot better than banks, but while many will sell stamps, most of them don’t. It’s really up to the individual gas station as to whether or not they do. This is a shame as many gas stations are open all day and all night too.
4 – Pharmacies
Again, there’s no guarantee that any of the local pharmacies will carry stamps, but many of the better known ones do. Walgreens, RiteAid and CVS should be able to help you. They stock a wide variety of stamps, so there’s sure to be one just right for you.
5 – An ATM
This is a relatively new development, and while you can buy stamps at many of the newer ATMs, not all of them have stamps available. Furthermore, many of the ATMs that do sell stamps as part of their service are mainly to be found on the west coast. However, expect this service to spread as time passes.
6 – Office Supplies
It’s been a bit slow in coming, but most office retail suppliers now sell stamps. After all, they have been selling the materials for mailing out things for years, so it’s really just an obvious progression. Try Office Depot, Staples and Office Max for a start. Others carry a wide variety of stamps as well.
7 – Grocery Stores
Nearly all the big grocery stores will carry stamps. Some of the smaller stores will have stamps available too, but it might be a bit of a hit or miss affair finding out. If your local store doesn’t sell postage stamps, let them know that you’d like them to.
8 – Amazon
Amazon is not just for books and electronic items. You can purchase stamps on Amazon too. Of course, you can’t buy one or two at a time; you’ll have to purchase stamps by the sheet, but the company make it very easy and convenient for you.
When it comes to buying stamps, the prices are all more or less the same, so you won’t make any significant savings by going to one place rather than another. It’s all about convenience, really. If the Post Office is shut, then try Walmart. If your local Walmart is closed, try a gas station, or your local grocery store. There’s no reason now why you can’t buy postage stamps whenever you feel like it.