USPS Raising Prices, First Class To 58 Cents

forever stamps appear to be good inflation hedge...

August 29, 2021: $0.58
January 29, 2020: $0.55
January 30, 2019: $0.55
January 23, 2018: $0.50
January 22, 2017: $0.49
April 10, 2016: $0.47
January 26, 2014: $0.49
January 27, 2013: $0.46
January 22, 2012: $0.45
May 11, 2009: $0.44
May 12, 2008: $0.42
April 12, 2007: $0.41

USPS delivery problems, which are questionable at best have shaken consumer confidence, so it's no surprise that demand is going to decline. This of course gives them a reason to jack rates up. Even though the price of a stamp is supposed to represent the cost of operations, a sudden reduction in revenue can't simply be absorbed as easily as one might imagine. Particularly in a quasi government bureaucracy.

A relative was just telling me about the sales flyers for ads ending in April that their post office just received from Baltimore this week and had to deliver. Part of the reduction is businesses that used to mass mail are pulling their direct mail marketing campaigns and putting the money to use where it will actually reach prospective custmers. There is no longer a relatively certain timely delivery and they have negated what guarantees they did offer.

This has been going on since last November, I still see this in my ebay and other sales and purchases although it has gotten better. In this area the Baltimore Hub is a sinkhole.

Looks there will be another price increase this October. This will be a temporary rate increase starting in October and will increase rates on priority mail and parcel services through the holiday peak mail season. https://about.usps.com/newsroom/nat...y-season.htm

Ha. I thought the rate already went up..,mailed my first 58 sent mailing yesterday.

Hi angore - I am having trouble remembering the date, too. How about "August 29 for the 29's", or "2 times 29 on August 29"? I am so cheap, I will actually prep all my end-of-month mail/bills so I can mail them all BEFORE the 29th. I've always done that when they raise rates. What a cheapskate!!!

That works but can put a reminder on my phone. I have quite a few 29 cent stamps so ready.

7x 3 cent + 1x 37 cent stamp fills out a #10 envelope well

Happy 58c day! Or is it happy…

Did anyone else besides me stock up on forever stamps before this increase? I mean, of course, the genuine ones?

John

Bought more than a few sheets. You never know when you'll run out of your "lifetime" supply of lick'em stamps.

Argh, I neglected to get Raven Story and Ursula Le Guin before the price increase.

You fool… A couple days before the increase I had gone to the PO to mail something and as always I asked what stamps they had and the clerk pulled out the 2020 Bugs Bunny Forever stamps! I was so surprised I bought 2 then came back on Friday and bought 3 more. I admit I'm a sucker for Bugs, and it doesn't hurt that it's totally resellable if I were to need to in the future