The price of US stamps went up January 27th so don't
forget if you are mailing from the US you'll need a little more postage. This
is the third increase for postcard postage in less than two years. I'm
glad I stocked up on Forever stamps back in April of 2011. Back then postcards
were only $0.28. I'm still buying extra one, two and three cent stamps on the
specialty postcard stamps from that time.
The frequent rate increases have become a regular small
hassle. I do wonder when the US Postal Service (USPS) will, if ever, get out of
hot financial water. The quasi-governmental agency did better with packages in
2012 but still sees a steady decline in first-class mail. Officials are
quick to point out that pressures such as less mail in the electronic age,
higher fuel and labor cost negate the possibility of even modest gains.
For more on that click here.
Here are the new rates:
Postcards go up one cent from $0.32 to $0.33.
First Class letters also increase one cent from $0.45 to
$0.46.
Most significant, International-bound postcards are now
$1.10.
Remember when these were $0.98?
Jon Stewart from the Daily Show did a little piece about the price of mailing a few weeks ago. He kinda said: "you've got a letter that you want sent across the country in a day or two....how does 40 cents sound?" He was making fun of the ridiculously low prices the Postal Service charges for what they do!
ReplyDeleteMy beef isn't the rate, it's the rate at which the rates change. Couple this with the fact I have an aversion to numbers and can't remember what the latest and rates for 1st-class, priority and postcards foreign and domestic are, so that I have to look it up every time I mail something, just seems too difficult anymore. Hell, I'm probably just old and cranky.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea what cost would be fair. Of course, Jon can say anything and he's so funny and outlandish I might believe anything he says.