Just Jenney

FYI to anyone who is unaware:

"US postal rates to increase Sunday [January 8th]"
According to the article:

"Mailing a first class letter to Europe or Asia will cost 84 cents, up four cents."

I'm not sure how much it has increased for the rest of the world (Latin America, Africa, Australia, etc) so if you're dealing with those regions you might want to look it up at the USPS website.

We already have several 80¢ stamps as well as 37¢ stamps for domestic use, so we just stocked up on 2¢ stamps to make up the difference in postage (one 2¢ stamp for domestic mail, two 2¢ stamps for international).

~ Jenney

Just Jenney

Here is another article that gives a better breakdown of which postage rates are going up and by how much:

http://tinyurl.com/alk7p

For international postage, looks like letters to Canada and Mexico are going up to 63¢, while letters to all other foreign countries is going up to 84¢.

~ Jenney

tony126

I heard a postman say that it is to give a $3 billion cushion for the US Mail, for whatever reason I do not know but it is still much cheaper than the UK.

TruBrit

\

lol bought a roll of 2c stamps today ready for the increase and I laugh when they call it first class mail, they've only got one class....

ScousePete

Can't remember the last time I mailed a letter. Everything is done electonically now.

Just Jenney

It's because members of Congress have their heads up their butts...

http://www.kirksvilledailyexpress.co...news/news2.txt


Kirksville Post Office Postmaster, Greg Steiner said Congress set up an escrow account, and told the postal service they must pay the deficit by Sept. 30.

"The rate increase is because [the Postal Service has] a three billion dollar mandate we have to pay to Congress," he said. "As far as I know, they don't know what it's for."

This was the first price increase since 2002.

"Without this federal mandate, it would not have been necessary to raise prices in 2006," according to www.usps.com.

AND...

The Civil Service Retirement System Funding Reform Act of 2003 set up an account for the collection of the money to be used at Congress' discretion, said Postmaster General John E. Potter, in his keynote address at the National Postal Forum in March 2005.

"[If] were we to be able to use these funds for operating expenses, there would be no rate increase until 2007," said Potter in his keynote address. "Over the past year, we've worked with industry leaders, the administration, and members of Congress to clarify the escrow requirement. In the meantime, we have no choice but to file a rate [increase] to cover the amount of the escrow fund."

This year's increase will only cover the mandated amount to be paid, not operating expenses or other items needed for the Postal Service.


See what I mean? Heads up butts.

~ Jenney

scrubbedexpat091

Once upon a time the USPS had different classes of mail.