US POSTAGE PRiCE CHANGE iN MAY

[BABii_ANG3L]

This is so pointless...come on, a penny more?!?!



Mailing a letter will soon cost a penny more.

The cost of a first-class stamp will rise to 42 cents starting May 12, the U.S. Postal Service said Monday.

The price of the Forever stamp will go up at the same time, meaning those stamps can still be purchased for 41 cents but will remain good for first-class postage after the rate increase takes effect.


The post office has sold 5 billion Forever stamps since they were introduced last April and plans to have an additional 5 billion in stock to meet the expected demand before the May price change, the agency said.

The charge for other services, such as advertising mail, periodicals, packages special services will also change. Changes in the price for Priority Mail and Express Mail will be announced later, the agency said.

Postage rates last went up in May, 2007, with a first-class stamp jumping 2 cents to the current 41-cent rate.

In the past raising postage rates was a long, complex process involving hearings before the independent Postal Regulatory Commission, a process that could take nearly a year.

However, under the new law regulating the post office that took effect in late 2006, the agency is allowed to increase rates with 45-days notice as long as changes are within the rate of inflation for the previous 12 months. The Postal Regulatory Commission calculated that rate at 2.9 percent through January, limiting the first-class rate to an increase of just over a penny.

Under the new law, postal prices will be adjusted annually each May, the Postal Service said. Officials said they plan to give 90 days notice of future changes, twice what is required by law.

While the charge for the first ounce of a first-class letter rises to 42 cents, the price of each added ounce will remain 17 cents, so a two-ounce letter will go up a penny to 59 cents.

The cost to mail a post card will also go up a penny, to 27 cents

Other increases set for May 12:

-- Large envelope, 2 ounces, $1, up 3 cents.

-- Money Orders up to $500, $1.05, unchanged.

-- Certified mail, $2.70, up 5 cents.

-- First-class international letter to Canada or Mexico, 72 cents, up 3 cents.

-- First-class international letter to other countries, 94 cents, up 4 cents.

[Peyton]

Wow, that stinks! I gotta get as many requests out before May 12! Thanks for the info.

[hoop daddy]

I saw this on yahoo stories about an hour ago.
This is pointless!!!

[autographgirlygirl]

In canada the price is .52 for domistic and .96 to send to the states (that went up this year as well) I would gladly pay what you guys in the states are paying. I believe its .69 to canada. You guys over there are lucky especially since a lot of the production & tv studios are there and you have to pay like .40 for a letter.

[RYAN J.]

Yeah I heard about this last night on the radio! I HATE IT! I think we should start a petition to stop the price change {thumb2} {thumb2} {thumb2}

RYAN J.

[RuleroftheWorld]

Why is a penny change so pointless? It might seem it to those who buy stamps, but to the post office its extra millions of dollars, which is obviously why its done.

Theyre always doing it here in the UK, a penny here or there, most have given up caring about the rises as they come so often. :neutral:

[scouser#1]

It is pretty pointless to all of us who buy the stamp's but like Andy said it's not to the post office
I think they are putting the price of stamp's up over here in the uk in April not too sure
I have tried to get most of my request's out before they put the price's up, but there will alway's be someone else i need to write to

[Skye]

Grr... don't see why they have to do it. Now that makes me have to try to send out all my letter before then. Oh well

[classictvguy]

It is really pointless! I agree- we should start a petition!

[Justinsdad]

Well-said Andy! If a penny a letter hurts us, maybe this isn't the right hobby for us