Starting Sunday, U.S. Postal Service stamps are getting more expensive. A 5-cent increase for First-Class Mail Forever stamps (from 68 cents to 73 cents) was approved Friday.
This increase, along with other price adjustments, was announced in an April press release from the Postal Service.
“As changes in the mailing and shipping marketplace continue, these price adjustments are needed to achieve the financial stability sought by the organization’s Delivering for America 10-year plan,” it said. “USPS prices remain among the most affordable in the world.”
USPS has been delivering mail for Americans for nearly 250 years. Today, it is still the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation – close to 167 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes.
With the increasing popularity of online shopping, it looks like USPS has more deliveries to handle than ever. For example, Marketplace and Ars Technica reported late last year that Amazon orders were overwhelming rural post offices.
Although the post office is a government institution, it generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses. Instead it is self-reliant, depending on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
With the new price adjustments, already approved by the governors of the Postal Service, mailing services product prices are up approximately 7.8%. Here’s a list of old and new costs:
Letters (1 ounce) – were 68 cents, now 73 cents
Letters (metered 1 ounce) – were 64 cents, now 69 cents
Domestic postcards – were 53 cents, now 56 cents
International postcards – were $1.55, now $1.65
International letters (1 ounce) – were $1.55, now $1.65
Single piece letters additional ounce price – was 24 cents, now 28 cents
Other changes proposed included adjustments to Special Services products, including Certified Mail and money order fees, the USPS said in April. Things the service proposed to keep the same were Post Office Box rental fees, and the Postal Service will apply a price reduction of 10 percent for postal insurance when mailing an item.
New price tables are available here.
“Customers may purchase stamps and other philatelic products through the Postal Store at usps.com/shopstamps, by calling 844-737-7826, by mail through USA Philatelic or at Post Office locations nationwide. For officially licensed stamp products, shop the USPS Officially Licensed Collection on Amazon,” said the post office.