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Just announced a few days ago, postage is going up on January 21, 2024, but only 2 cents. Last year in June they announced every year in January and July the postage would go up 3 cents... but they are only increasing it by 2 cents making a forever stamp for first class mail at 68 cents.
Wow is right. I'm curious what happened around 1971 that made the rate of increase accelerate so sharply and never slow down again. Rates barely budged for 100 years (a difference of around 5 cents) but then around 1971 the rate of change in price accelerated, increasing 58 cents in 50 years. I wonder what happened to cause such an acceleration.
__________________ Nicole
The following 2 users liked this post by cnsteele:
Wow is right. I'm curious what happened around 1971 that made the rate of increase accelerate so sharply and never slow down again. Rates barely budged for 100 years (a difference of around 5 cents) but then around 1971 the rate of change in price accelerated, increasing 58 cents in 50 years. I wonder what happened to cause such an acceleration.
I wondered too.
The APWU was founded on July 1, 1971. (American Postal Workers Union)
I always buy about 100 stamps right before the price increase. I think the head of the postal service and union workers made the prices escalate. And, the service was better years ago.
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
The following 4 users liked this post by Paula in GA:
The post office is not like any other business. Their service has decreased tremendously and their rates increase with impunity.
Even with all the communication that does not require paper to be moved to a different location, we still need a postal service, but I'm sure with their business declining, except for packages, they are running scared!
The following 4 users liked this post by harvestmoon:
As a relative of a retired mail carrier, I have to say their jobs are no treat by any means, and they work hard for what they make - especially today. I don't know about your local PO, but ours is so short-staffed most of the carriers are working double shifts or more, just trying to get mail where it needs to go.
Like all industries today, they need far more staff than they've got interested folks wanting to work. As a result, those who are willing to work for the roof over their heads and food on their tables have more work to bear, and are being asked to produce it as quickly as they'd be required to do if they did have full staffing. All that said to say that if the price goes up, as long as the workers get to benefit, I'll more than support it. It's still a heck of a steal when you think of the logistics and man hours it takes to get our mail from A to B.
Speaking of postage and buying up before they raise it, just a friendly FYI that International/"Global" stamps are also "forever" stamps - and I just picked up a book myself yesterday, in case those are going up this time, too (regardless, I'll use them eventually... there's only 10 on there I think).
__________________ Hugs & blessings, ~Chrissy
Jeremiah 29:11 Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni | Proud FanClub member since 2017
My Gallery | My Blog "The wind of Heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears."
The following 8 users liked this post by DancesWithHooves:
I agree with harvestmoon - so many people and businesses are relying on electronic mail instead of hard copies.
Well, I do my part during tax season to keep the USPS around in addition to mailing cards lol. Some of our documents are 60 pages long and I'm not printing those out! They come via snail mail. I also have to snail mail some tax returns as they can't be e-filed. Our mail lady is also our neighbor and she told me she loves that I mail so much and that I decorate the envelopes - for the cards I send, not the ones sent to the IRS lol! Maybe I should decorate those, too!
__________________ Nicole
The following 6 users liked this post by cnsteele:
I agree. I think of my cards as "little gifts" as a great deal of time and effort goes into each one, which is a one of a kind piece of art. Therefore it's a bargain to ship such a gift, even if, as often is the case, I have to spend extra postage because my cards are too thick to go for regular price. Any package would be more no matter the price of the gift inside.
The following 6 users liked this post by jeanne3579:
I'm old enough to remember when we used to have 2 deliveries a day during Christmas card season and postcards were just 2 cents to mail!! Note that USA prices are still cheaper than mailing in European countries...I always remind myself of that. All my cards are so dimensional that I mail in bubble padded envelopes...yes, means a trip to the Post Office to have them weighed. I do appreciate USPS!
The following 4 users liked this post by merollin:
I'm so thankful for our postal workers. I noticed that they were still delivering at 8:00 at night around the holidays. I don't think it would be an easy job; especially in super hot and cold weather.
Guess I'd better buy some more forever stamps then, just to save a bit.
Thanks again for the reminder.
The following 2 users liked this post by hoptownracer1:
I think most of the carriers and people actually in the post office are working hard. It's the head of the postal service, and the managers up high that are making way too much money. The postal offices are also taking a huge amount of packages that are originally sent by UPS. Life isn't like it used to be. I guess I'll just have to get used to it.
All of the offices I've used have really nice people at the counter though.
__________________ Keep what is worth keeping
and with the breath of kindness
blow the rest away.
The following 3 users liked this post by Paula in GA:
I think most of the carriers and people actually in the post office are working hard. It's the head of the postal service, and the managers up high that are making way too much money. The postal offices are also taking a huge amount of packages that are originally sent by UPS. Life isn't like it used to be. I guess I'll just have to get used to it. All of the offices I've used have really nice people at the counter though.
Yes to this! I frequent 3 post offices local to me and every single counter person has been so nice and chatty. I also love our mail delivery lady!
__________________ Nicole
The following 2 users liked this post by cnsteele:
Claudia/cjzim- Please help me understand how that works and how I can be assured I'm not buying off the "black market" or whatever one would call that. I don't understand how someplace else can sell stamps at a discount?
Truly, I wonder this a lot so I'd really appreciate it if you could enlighten me!!!
Thank you!!
__________________ Hugs & blessings, ~Chrissy
Jeremiah 29:11 Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni | Proud FanClub member since 2017
My Gallery | My Blog "The wind of Heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears."
This is what I found on that site that was listed: stampsshop.net is a stamps online shopping provider. Our online service enables small businesses, enterprises and online retailers to ship their U.S. Postal postage with first class service at a discounted price. We are an independent vendor of the USPS providing hot-selling stamps.
It looks legitimate. I will have to keep them in mind when I need more stamps.
Claudia/cjzim- Please help me understand how that works and how I can be assured I'm not buying off the "black market" or whatever one would call that. I don't understand how someplace else can sell stamps at a discount?
If you can help me determine that website is in fact legit I'd love to know about it!
__________________ Hugs & blessings, ~Chrissy
Jeremiah 29:11 Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni | Proud FanClub member since 2017
My Gallery | My Blog "The wind of Heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears."
The following 3 users liked this post by DancesWithHooves:
I agree. I think of my cards as "little gifts" as a great deal of time and effort goes into each one, which is a one of a kind piece of art. Therefore it's a bargain to ship such a gift, even if, as often is the case, I have to spend extra postage because my cards are too thick to go for regular price. Any package would be more no matter the price of the gift inside.
Totally agree!! I realize postage adds up, especially if you send a lot of cards like many of us do... BUT to send these gifts for the rate they ship is really not bad especially if mailing cards to other states, etc. Seriously, .66 to send something cross country? It's a bargain. And to think what people spend on cardstock, ink, stamps, dies, embellishments to make cards - well in the grand scheme of things .68 will be a steal to mail it!! 😊
The following 4 users liked this post by MsGarden:
Here are 2 videos with clear information about counterfeit postage stamps... please do your research carefully so you're not supporting these discount sites. Purchasing and using counterfeit postage stamps is actually a federal crime.
This is what I found on that site that was listed: stampsshop.net is a stamps online shopping provider. Our online service enables small businesses, enterprises and online retailers to ship their U.S. Postal postage with first class service at a discounted price. We are an independent vendor of the USPS providing hot-selling stamps.
It looks legitimate. I will have to keep them in mind when I need more stamps.
Nope... it says at the bottom of their landing page:
"Stampsshop.net is a privately held company and is not affiliated with or represented by the United States Postal Service or any other government institution, nor claim to operate or provide products and services on their behalf."
Nope... it says at the bottom of their landing page:
"Stampsshop.net is a privately held company and is not affiliated with or represented by the United States Postal Service or any other government institution, nor claim to operate or provide products and services on their behalf."
Ugh. And they're probably stealing payment info from everyone who buys.
I miss small print so easily. I will continue to do as I have done, use rewards money from my credit card to purchase postage stamps. I purchase enough for a year at a time.
I miss small print so easily. I will continue to do as I have done, use rewards money from my credit card to purchase postage stamps. I purchase enough for a year at a time.
I do too!!! And same on buying - especially when the prices change. I probably should burn through my stash!
I always buy about 100 stamps right before the price increase. I think the head of the postal service and union workers made the prices escalate. And, the service was better years ago.
You are right on the money with the new head and higher ups.
Wow is right. I'm curious what happened around 1971 that made the rate of increase accelerate so sharply and never slow down again. Rates barely budged for 100 years (a difference of around 5 cents) but then around 1971 the rate of change in price accelerated, increasing 58 cents in 50 years. I wonder what happened to cause such an acceleration.
I apologize for the TMI, but these two links explain a lot about postal rate increases and more detail is available at each:
This excerpt from https://www.britannica.com/topic/pos...tems#ref367114 sheds some light on the increase in postal rates since 1970:
"To deal with the problem of increasing deficits and to improve the overall management and efficiency of the post office, the U.S. Congress approved the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970, signed into law August 12, 1970. The act transformed the Post Office Department into a government-owned corporation, called the United States Postal Service. Congress no longer retains power to fix postal tariffs (although changes may be vetoed) or to control employees’ salaries, and political patronage has been virtually eliminated. Government subsidies continued on a declining basis until 1982, after which the U.S. Postal Service itself no longer received a direct subsidy from Congress."
Retiree Health Benefits Prefunding
Challenge: Significant financial losses result from a legislative requirement that the Postal Service pre-fund its retiree health benefits.
SOLUTION: Adopting a traditional “pay-as-you-go” method would produce an average of $5.65 billion in additional cash flow per year through 2016.
Unlike any other public or private entity, under a 2006 law, the U.S. Postal Service must pre-fund retiree health benefits. We must pay today for benefits that will not be paid out until some future date. Other federal agencies and most private sector companies use a “pay-as-you-go” system, by which the entity pays premiums as they are billed. Shifting to such a system would equate to an average of $5.65 billion in additional cash flow per year through 2016, and save the Postal Service an estimated $50 billion over the next ten years. With the announcement of our Action Plan in March, we began laying the foundation for change, requesting that Congress restructure this obligation.
The pre-funding requirement, as it currently stands, contributes significantly to postal losses. Under current law, the Postal Service must follow a mandated pre-funding schedule of $5.5 billion to $5.8 billion per year through 2016. In 2009, Congress granted a much needed deferral, allowing us to pay $4.0 billion less than the orignally required $5.4 billion payment. This year, Congress opted not to provide this deferral.
The following 2 users liked this post by Alice in Md:
I ordered a few stamps today and noticed that the USPS online store will be down for maintenance Jan. 20 and 21, so if you are waiting to purchase stamps, you might want to do it before Jan. 20.
I ordered a few stamps today and noticed that the USPS online store will be down for maintenance Jan. 20 and 21, so if you are waiting to purchase stamps, you might want to do it before Jan. 20.
THANKS for the heads-up, Lisa! In fact, now that you mention that I recall that being the case the last time the price increased... I'd written it as a task in my planner for the "last day" at the old prices to purchase more and ended up missing out as I wasn't able to get to a Post Office that day, either.
__________________ Hugs & blessings, ~Chrissy
Jeremiah 29:11 Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni | Proud FanClub member since 2017
My Gallery | My Blog "The wind of Heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears."
Thank you all for this thread and the information in it!! Our mailbox was knocked over and our postman has been delivering our mail by walking it up to our house! He's great.
Thanks so much for the reminder - I intended to add to my calendar but after reading this I just ordered online and now I dont have to remember
And I'm doing the same right now! I thought "no I'm good" at first, but I have gone through a scary number of stamps - NOT including the ones I used for our Christmas cards - since my last big order just before Christmas! hehe
__________________ Hugs & blessings, ~Chrissy
Jeremiah 29:11 Splitcoast Dirty Dozen Alumni | Proud FanClub member since 2017
My Gallery | My Blog "The wind of Heaven is that which blows between a horse's ears."
Postage going up January 21 2024
Anin't no high mail enough.
