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johnstamp
Pillar Of The Community
Philippines
1041 Posts |
 Posted 05/08/2009 8:10 pm
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http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92548?fp=1
Going Up: Price of First-Class Stamp
by Claudine Zap
May 8, 2009 03:14:22 PM
172 Votes Procrastinators, take note. Neither rain nor snow will stop the post office from raising its stamp price on Monday, May 11 by an extra two cents, giving the first-class stamp a hefty 44-cent price tag. (The post office estimates this price increase will cost the average family an extra $3 a year.)
At least the USPS had the class to wait until after Mother's Day (ahem, this Sunday) for people to send out their cards before jacking up the price of first-class mail. (Though the post office reviews, and usually increases, postage price every year around now.)
And while there's no stopping the march toward the new higher rate, you can at least keep the price of a stamp at its relatively lower rate of 42 cents by running out to snap up "Forever" stamps. Those stamps have no denomination printed on them, so they're honored, well, 'til the end of time—as long as you use them on one-ounce letters. But should you wait until Monday to purchase your Forever stamps, they'll be at the new rate of 44 cents.
Don't say we didn't warn you.
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laswabbie
Pillar Of The Community
USA
3132 Posts |
Posted 05/08/2009 11:28 pm
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It won't be the last increase! I predict an increase each and every year for the foreseeable future. I guess I'd better dial up the USPS site and get me some on order.
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Greg - (APS 184124 ~ GPS 10097 ~ AAMS 12098 ~ SIP 10541)
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WpgLwr
Pillar Of The Community
Canada
907 Posts |
Posted 05/09/2009 12:52 am
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Well, you knew it was only a matter of time, didn't you?
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wd1040
Valued Member
United States
20 Posts |
Posted 05/09/2009 01:31 am
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I just counted my stack and I still have around 200 Forever stamps. Quite amazing since I bought 20 books/400 stamps in October or so... man I burn through stamps quickly! Time to go on eBay again!
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johnstamp
Pillar Of The Community
Philippines
1041 Posts |
Posted 05/09/2009 9:13 pm
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090509...postal_rates
Peel and weep: Stamps costing 2 cents more Monday
Sat May 9, 4:36 pm ET
WASHINGTON – Peel it and weep: It'll cost an extra 2 cents to mail a letter starting Monday.
The price of a first-class stamp will climb to 44 cents, though people who planned ahead and stocked up on Forever stamps will still be paying the lower rate.
It's the third year in a row that rates have gone up in May under a new system that allows annual increases as long as they don't exceed the rate of inflation for the year before.
While the increase will bring in added income, the post office continues to struggle financially as more and more lucrative first-class mail is diverted to the Internet, and the recession discourages businesses from sending their usual volume of advertising.
The Postal Service, which does not get a taxpayer subsidy for its operations, lost $2.8 billion last year and is $2.3 billion in the hole just halfway through this year.
Postmaster General John Potter has asked Congress for permission to reduce mail delivery to five days-a-week. The agency is offering early retirement to workers, consolidating excess capacity in mail processing and transportation networks, realigning carrier routes, halting construction of new facilities, freezing officer and executive salaries at 2008 pay levels, and reducing travel budgets.
Even so, the rate increase is unlikely to cover the losses and the possibility remains that the post office could run out of money before the end of the budget year, Sept. 30.
The post office could have cited extraordinary circumstances and asked the independent Postal Regulatory Commission for larger increases, but officials worried that would only result in a greater decline in mail volume and greater losses.
Potter has sought congressional changes in how the post office prepays for retiree health care, to cut its annual costs by $2 billion.
While the new 44-cent rate covers the first ounce of first-class mail, the price for each additional ounce will remain unchanged at 17-cents.
Postal officials estimate the increase will cost the average household $3 a year.
Other changes taking effect Monday:
_The postcard stamp increases by a penny to 28 cents.
_The first ounce of a large envelope increases 5 cents to 88 cents.
• The first ounce of a parcel increases 5 cents to $1.22.
_New international postcard and letter prices are, for one ounce, 75 cents to Canada; 79 cents to Mexico; and 98 cents elsewhere.
Most Postal Service shipping services prices were adjusted in January and will not change in May
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