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Several lessons there ~ none of them having anything to do with full faith and credit. Cash drawer limits are fairly universal ~ not the amounts but the fact they exist.

USPS has about 50,000 cashdrawers, so figure $50 a hit ~ and that's several million bucks just sitting there ~ plus there's a risk of robbery.

What you forgot was peeps got bosses ~ just ask for the supervisor next time, or ask for the postmaster. They always have a bit more money in the safe!

Same thing at the bank ~ BTW, if you had an account with the bank they'd taken the money order ~ but if you wanted cash on the spot, the banks are not post offices.

“BTW, if you had an account with the bank they’d taken the money order”

Nope, when I called it ‘MY’ bank, that’s just what I meant - had an account for 20 years.

And I do think my parable is instructive on ‘full faith and credit’. You see, I shouldn’t have to drive around town to cash the money order. Nor should I have to ask to see a boss or have knowledge of thier safe logistics. The fine print on the money order contains a promise of payment, with the only condition being my showing proper ID. The USPS broke that promise. Repeatedly. And as a member of the great unwashed class, I had little recourse.

Let me exonerate myself of cash drawer ignorance. Yes, I am aware that drawers are ‘universal’...I’ve spied these creatures at banks and stores across the land. Now, if its such a problem keeping money in said drawers, a gubmint sponsored institution like the USPS has some other options:

1) Get out of the money order business
2) Limit their money orders to $200 increments. That would allow a serf like me to cash SOME of them at post office #1, and drive across town to cash some more at another post office. Can you see how its immoral to sell $1,000 money orders if they know their drawers start out each day with $20 in nickels.

Finally: “but if you wanted cash on the spot, the banks are not post offices”....which I why I mentioned that I was willing to wait WEEKS to get the money credited to my account.

I hope I’m making my point clearly. I didn’t desperately need the money, as I said I could wait weeks for the thing to clear. So what was my problem? My problem was that sinking feeling in my gut that I was NEVER going to get the money....at least not without hiring a lawyer. So, I lost just a little bit more trust in government institutions that day.

Here's another story along the same lines, triggered by your statement about banks. In 2002 I went to a bank to cash a about a thousand bucks worth of $200 EE savings bonds I had purchased in 1992. I was told the bank would not cash them because I did not have an account there.

I called my credit union to see if they would cash the bonds. They said, "No, but what was the bank where you tried to cash them?" I said, "PNC." The guy at the CU said, "We get this from people all the time. Go back to the bank and tell them they're a Federal Reserve Bank, and they're required by law to liquidate US instruments."

I went back to the bank, I told them what the guy at the CU said. The clerk said, "No we aren't." I asked for the floor manager, who said, "Yes, we are. We'll give you a receipt and you can come back in 10 business days for your money." Bottom line: Federal employees and their various running dogs will make it as inconvenient as possible for you to use their financial services.