First-Class Stamps To Cost 49 Cents As Of January 26, 2014

USPS service delivery truck in a residential area of San Francisco, California (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

WASHINGTON — Mailing a letter is about to get a little more expensive.

Regulators on Tuesday approved a temporary price hike of 3 cents for a first-class stamp, bringing the charge to 49 cents a letter in an effort to help the Postal Service recover from severe mail decreases brought on by the 2008 economic downturn.

Many consumers won’t feel the price increase immediately. Forever stamps, good for first-class postage whatever the future rate, can be purchased at the lower price until the new rate is effective Jan. 26.

The higher rate will last no more than two years, allowing the Postal Service to recoup $2.8 billion in losses. By a 2-1 vote, the independent Postal Regulatory Commission rejected a request to make the price hike permanent, though inflation over the next 24 months may make it so.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-news/20131225/first-class-stamps-to-cost-49-cents-as-of-jan-26

United States Postal Service Slowing Down To Save Money

Image via Wikipedia

So it looks like the Slowskys may have a new company to shill for soon.  Those DSL loving turtles may soon be able to work for the United States Postal Service (USPS).

According to recent revelations from the USPS, you will need to start mailing your letters a day or two earlier in order for them to arrive on time.  This spring, first-class mail will take a day or two longer to reach its destination.  About half of the mail processing centers in the US will be closed to save money.  You can forget mailing a letter and having it delivered the next day.  In addition, stamp prices will rise a penny to .45 cents, starting January 22nd.

Along with the mail processing center closings, 3,700 post office locations are slated to be closed and up to 100,000 USPS employees could be furloughed.  The USPS is billions of dollars in the red!

Eliminating Saturday mail delivery is still under consideration!  You can expect more fees and even slower delivery times for bulk mail and periodicals too!

USPS Raising Stamp Prices In January

This just in folks, the United States Postal Service is raising the price of a stamp to .45 cents on January 22nd.  The USPS is expected to lose more than $8 BILLION dollars in 2011.  Can we say run the Post Office like a real business!