New Postage Rates Take Effect Today

Postal service charges new postage rates

New postage rates are officially in effect as of today, Monday May 11. The new postage rates are 44 cents per stamp, for up to one ounce of mail, up from 42 cents. Of course, forever stamps are still good, and you can still buy forever stamps for 42 cents apiece, and they’ll be good indefinitely.

Fluctuation frustration

Postal customers, by now, are used to rate hikes. There have been five in less than 10 years. However, the frequency of the increases doesn’t keep some Americans from getting frustrated by the 2-cent increase.

“I don’t like it. It’s ridiculous,” said Charles Johnson of Lincoln, according to a news station in Nebraska.

“It keeps going up all the time and you don’t see a lot of benefits,” said Dawn Love of Lincoln.

But don’t worry, you’re not going to have to take out no fax payday loans to pay for shipping packages through the United States Postal Service. Even with the new postage rates, the rate is still 17 cents per ounce after the first ounce.

Business is business

Kerry Kowalski, post master in Lincoln, Neb., says that many people believe tax dollars go to the post office. However, that’s not true. Though the postal service has to follow federal regulations, such as delivering six days a week, it operates like an independent business.

The recession is affecting the post office just as it’s affecting any business. As people spend less on advertising, they do fewer mail campaigns. While the decrease in junk mail is a relief to most Americans, it’s a bottom-line killer for the post office. ... click here to read the rest of the article titled "New Postage Rates Take Effect Today"