Huckleberries Online

U.S Stamps To Jump 2 Cents In May

Posted by DFO

Feb. 10, 2009 12:03 p.m. • 9 comments

The post office will get an extra 2-cents worth when you mail a letter starting in May. The U.S. Postal Service announced Tuesday that the price of a first-class stamp will rise to 44 cents on May 11. That gives plenty of time to stock up on Forever Stamps, which will continue to sell at the current 42-cent rate until the increase occurs. They will remain valid in the future regardless of rate hikes/AP, SR. More here.

Question: How high will stamp prices have to go before you begin seeking alternatives to first-class mail (if you haven’t already)?

Nine comments on this post so far. Add yours!

JeanieSpokane on February 10 at 12:43 p.m.
This is the downside of all the many ways you can use the Internet. I do my bills online - no stamp needed; I send emails to my entire family, through third and fourth cousins - no stamp needed. Emails and blogs are my mode of communication. I rarely buy stamps - in fact, the last time I bought any was the increase before the last and I bought **several** “forever” stamps.
Digger on February 10 at 1:14 p.m.
My store uses stamps all the time - monthly bills, thank you cards, sales call follow-ups. We buy a roll about once a month - so big whoop - I’ll have to pay $2.00 more than I did before for a roll of stamps. I think its worth it - espically when you consider sending everything UPS or FedEx.

For the record, haven’t stamps only risen ten cents in about 10 years? Weren’t stamps 32 cents in like 1997 or 1998? Not bad inflation if you ask me.

Now minimum wage is another story - Washington now sits at $8.55, up 48 cents over last year! This adds an average of $2500 to my overall yearly payroll expense.
sibulsky on February 10 at 1:43 p.m.
In my experience, US postage is a BARGAIN compared to either Europe or Central Amereica
Joker on February 10 at 2:37 p.m.
We pay our bills online. We use e-mails to communicate with our friends and family. I buy stamps a couple of times a year. The Post Office isn’t really necessary in our lives.
Escapee on February 10 at 8:01 p.m.
Okay, so stamps are going up two more cents. Didn’t I just hear a rumor that the U.S. Mail was thinking about cutting back its deliveries by one day a week?

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.