Mail Today! Stamp Price Increase 1/8/05

[AGDLynn]

It will cost Americans 2 cents more to mail a letter starting Sunday. First-class postage rises to 39 cents for the first ounce.

The increase follows legislation requiring the Postal Service to place $3 billion in an escrow account this year. Another rate boost is likely next year to cover rising costs for the agency. Stamp prices last went up in June 2002.
Listen Now: Another postal rate hike takes effect tomorrow, though few patrons seem to be complaining. (requires Real Player)

Many rates, such as parcel post and advertising mail, vary by distance or whether the material is presorted. Rate changes taking effect, including some estimates for typical mailed items:

_Post card, and each additional ounce in first class, up 1 cent to 24 cents.

_Letter to Canada or Mexico, 1 ounce, up 3 cents to 63 cents.

_Letter to other foreign countries, 1 ounce, up 4 cents to 84 cents.

_Priority Mail, 1 pound, up 20 cents to $4.05.

_Express Mail, 8 ounces, up 75 cents to $14.40.

_Certified mail, up 10 cents to $2.40.

_Money orders up 5 cents to 95 cents.

_Delivery confirmation, up 5 cents to 60 cents.

_Weekly news magazine, 5.8 ounces, presorted, up 1 cent to 18.5 cents.

_Household magazine, 13.8 ounces, presorted, up 1.5 cents to 28.9 cents.

_Small nonprofit publication, presorted, up 1.4 cents to 28.3 cents.

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[aephi alum]

Well, this is a lovely surprise.

Better get my bills mailed today.

[AGDee]

We were talking at work yesterday about this. Can't they just increase it to 40 cents and wait longer to increase it again? It would be so much easier if it was a "round" number. They do these 1 or 2 cent increases every other year. Just raise it 5 cents every 5 years instead.. who wants to deal with pennies when buying stamps?

Yeah, my boss was getting on my ass last week to use up the 37 cent stamps because she didn't want to have to buy 2 cent stamps this week.

Luckily we used up our supply and even some of the "First Class" ones.

I don't really use stamps at home anymore. It's very rare that I have to mail something out, as I pay all my bills online.

[Coramoor]

Why even use stamps anymore?

I pay all my bills through the net. I talk to everyone over the phone or e-mail, and I fedex everything that is bulky.

[aephi alum]

I pay some of my bills online, but I have a few bills every month (landscaping, snow plowing, trash collection) where the vendor isn't set up for online bill payment. So I still have to put a few checks in the mail every month.

I just went to the post office this afternoon to get the new 39 cent stamps. The things are flimsy. I'm afraid I'll tear them or get them stuck to themselves instead of the envelope.

[Beryana]

Originally posted by AGDee
We were talking at work yesterday about this. Can't they just increase it to 40 cents and wait longer to increase it again? It would be so much easier if it was a "round" number. They do these 1 or 2 cent increases every other year. Just raise it 5 cents every 5 years instead.. who wants to deal with pennies when buying stamps?

Of just do like Chicago did with tolls and jump from $.40 to $.75 - at least with stamps that could cover things for the next 10 years or so. Its rather ironic that the USPS has to raise prices to cover costs because fewer people are sending letters (in addition to general rising costs) and the increases are causing more people to NOT send letters because of the inconvenience of getting the 'transition' stamps. . . .

Sarah

[GeekyPenguin]

I am cranky about this only because I kept forgetting if I had stamps or not all semester so now I literally have over 50 37-cent stamps. I am going to count them when I get back to school so I don't get stuck with extra 2-cent ones.

[Tom Earp]

Funny isnt it? The change takes effect today Jan. 8 a Sun. and already they are talking about a raise in the future.

The Post Office, a quaisi US Government Division is governed by a Board. But anytime there is a Net Profit, the money is given for raises to the upper echtuilon(SIC) or the money goes into the General Fund of the US Gov. not to keep the postage at a lower level.

Originally posted by aephi alum
I pay some of my bills online, but I have a few bills every month (landscaping, snow plowing, trash collection) where the vendor isn't set up for online bill payment.

You pay to have your trash collected?

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by OTW
You pay to have your trash collected?

Trash collection in most of Connecticut is not provided by the city or town you live in. You can either pay someone to take your trash, or buy a permit and take it to the dump yourself. The trash companies are run by "good family men" and are very territorial.

Originally posted by aephi alum
Trash collection in most of Connecticut is not provided by the city or town you live in. You can either pay someone to take your trash, or buy a permit and take it to the dump yourself. The trash companies are run by "good family men" and are very territorial.

"Good family men"...I like the way you put it!

Wow, I guess I just assumed that everybody's trash gets picked up by the city just like mine on Tuesdays and Fridays.

Here in Hawaii, it's local custom to leave a case of beer out for the trash guys the day after Christmas if it's your scheduled trash day!

[Kevin]

If anyone is interested, I made a rate sheet in excel that reflects the new rates for first class mail up to five pounds (2+pounds within one's own "zone"). PM me an email address to send it to, and it's yours.

[Lady of Pearl]

Went to the post office today to get a two cent stamp for a letter to have the correct postage on it, and a book of the first class stamps-needless to say I was almost out eight bucks!-- just to handle my business!

[dzrose93]

Originally posted by OTW
You pay to have your trash collected?

We have to pay for that service here in Georgia, too. Since the industry is deregulated, there are several companies to choose from. So, the end result is that each company picks up trash on a different day and trash cans are ALWAYS at the curb of some house in our neighborhood. Not very pretty to look at.