Postage is going up

[harvestmoon]

I got an email from 7 Kids online store that they will be adjusting their shipping due to postage increases.
I'm not sending packages now, but I checked for regular mail. A 49 cent stamp will now be 50 cents (first class), and extra ounce is still 21 cents.
I don't know why they don't make 71 cent stamps.
Your "Forever" stamps will still go.
This goes into effect January 21, 2018.

[SkyNacho]

Originally Posted by harvestmoon

I don't know why they don't make 71 cent stamps.

You can buy two ounce stamps. Right now they're 70 cents, but they just say "two ounce" on them, so I imagine they'll be 71 cents stamps later.

Celebration Corsage
Robert Panara

They also have a three ounce stamp: Henry James

Also, for anyone interested, here's a link to the USPS announcement of the increase, made in October.

[Redeemed]

Thanks for this info! I just emailed my family to tell them about this, and told them this is one reason that I *need* to read the message boards. I really can't understand why USPS doesn't give us a postcard with these changes in our mailbox that they come to every day! That's just wrong.

[Mrs Noofy]

Please don't complain too loudly! LOL To send a 1st class letter in Canada is $1.00!!!!!

[Redeemed]

Originally Posted by Mrs Noofy

Please don't complain too loudly! LOL To send a 1st class letter in Canada is $1.00!!!!!

True enough! I gather lots of things are higher in Canada than USA. I am grateful to live in the USA! But I am one who likes to fix things and make them better for everyone. Better communication is one thing that can make many things work better. Also I have had some service problems this year with the USPS delivery due to many new carriers and I dread when my main one retires.

[harvestmoon]

Mrs Noofy, This thread doesn't have an "OUCH" button to post, or I would.

[harvestmoon]

Sky Nacho. I clicked on your links, but I see that those 2 ounce stamps are not Forever stamps, so if I bought today, I will need to add 1 cent more by January 22nd. BOOO. I will look for 2 ounce stamps after they reprint with the new amount. No, I'll probably go buy some more Forever stamps for 49cents then add the penguin.

[stampinstacy2010]

Originally Posted by harvestmoon

Sky Nacho. I clicked on your links, but I see that those 2 ounce stamps are not Forever stamps, so if I bought today, I will need to add 1 cent more by January 22nd. BOOO. I will look for 2 ounce stamps after they reprint with the new amount. No, I'll probably go buy some more Forever stamps for 49cents then add the penguin.

Actually, if you read the full description, they work just like Forever stamps. That is why they have 'two ounces' printed on them as opposed to the value.

[harvestmoon]

I did not scroll down to see that part. Thanks

[Cook22]

Originally Posted by Mrs Noofy

Please don't complain too loudly! LOL To send a 1st class letter in Canada is $1.00!!!!!

Yes! Our national postage took a big hike last year from 72c to €1.00...but I spent more of my postal budget buying international stamps to beat their proportionally smaller increase, as I use far more of them.

[wavejumper]

Originally Posted by Mrs Noofy

Please don't complain too loudly! LOL To send a 1st class letter in Canada is $1.00!!!!!

Wow. I love Canada but that is a lot. Sorry Sabrina. You too. Ow!


Store cards here jumped up and it is not uncommon for them to be 7-8 dollars. What about yours? I am just wondering what non carders are doing.


I agree. When my regular guy is off all heck breaks loose.

[SkyNacho]

Originally Posted by wavejumper

Wow. I love Canada but that is a lot. Sorry Sabrina. You too. Ow!

I agree that $1 is a shock for those of us used to paying 29 cents. LOL. But honestly, it costs upwards of $200 for me to put myself on a plane from here to Las Vegas, so I personally think that even a dollar is a bargain to send my letters on an airplane.

[MsGarden]

There are two ounce forever stamps and ones they classify as nonmachineable in the US that will still be valid for the .71. So like the regular forever stock up on some now.

[basketdiva]

Originally Posted by Redeemed

Thanks for this info! I just emailed my family to tell them about this, and told them this is one reason that I *need* to read the message boards. I really can't understand why USPS doesn't give us a postcard with these changes in our mailbox that they come to every day! That's just wrong.

Can you image what that would cost?

[canada goose]

Originally Posted by Mrs Noofy

Please don't complain too loudly! LOL To send a 1st class letter in Canada is $1.00!!!!!

That would be “ From Canada to United States”. Not within Canada. I always cringe when buying stamps to U. S. For Christmas.


I am sure this is in part because of our higher wages. But our higher taxes also are what pay for our Medicare.


For example a jug of Bacardi Rum in Canada is $55 Plus $13 tax. Here that same jug is $13!


That higher “sin tax” is why we don’t pay monthly medical insurance. Of course this has nothing to do with stamps but maybe to understand where those extra costs are applied.....our health insurance.

[SkyNacho]

Originally Posted by canada goose

That would be “ From Canada to United States”. Not within Canada. I always cringe when buying stamps to U. S. For Christmas.

I am sure this is in part because of our higher wages. But our higher taxes also are what pay for our Medicare.

I doubt that the cost of postage from Canada to the US has anything to do with higher wages; the cost for mailing a letter from the US to Canada is US$1.15.

[canada goose]

Originally Posted by SkyNacho

I doubt that the cost of postage from Canada to the US has anything to do with higher wages; the cost for mailing a letter from the US to Canada is US$1.15.

i am not sure how how I formed you are about the differences there are between costs of our two countries.

I was trying to express that even postage of a few cents all goes toward higher wages which is a well known fact that we pay higher wages here and we have as a result higher costs than the u.s. even for as little as a few cents postage.


Every little bit of higher costs of service for u,s. Versus Canada goes into taxes which cover our health costs. It all adds up even pennies for postage, as it all comes from somewhere and it all adds upto the bottom line.

[STYXROCKSME]

Sending happy mail(other then a card) overseas has become too expensive for me. They raise postage in USA but service will still be awful.

[ladyhawke]

Wish they would come out with something more attractive then that penguin.!

[merollin]

I usually create highly dimensional cards (flowers and such) that get mailed in bubble wrap envelopes. Mailing fee for these 6"x 9" padded envelopes is now $3!! The days of mailing out cards for every holiday has come to an end for me and my fixed income. Such is life in the slow lane.....

[maria031767]

I'm just grateful that we don't have to lick the back of the stamps any more!

[Rebecca Ednie]

I do a LOT of mailing. Canadian stamps are 85c IF you buy at least 10. Otherwise they are $1. That’s IN Canada.


To the USA the rate is $1.20 up to 30 gm and 1/4” thick. Up to 50gm it’s $1.85. A padded envie is almost $3!


International is $2.50!! A padded envie is close to $6.

Oh, and we pay tax on top of that at 13%!!

[JadeOnline]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Ednie

Oh, and we pay tax on top of that at 13%!!

Six percent less for me.

[Maryannla]

Originally Posted by Mrs Noofy

Please don't complain too loudly! LOL To send a 1st class letter in Canada is $1.00!!!!!

And in Denmark, where I live, the cheapest letter to be sent in land is what´ll be 5$ if we need it to go straight out, and we can mail it for about 3$ if it´s okay it takes from 7 to 10 days to get through to reciever inside this tiny country, so please don´t complaint too much, we´re very envious on your prices here.

[Cook22]

Originally Posted by Rebecca Ednie

I do a LOT of mailing. Canadian stamps are 85c IF you buy at least 10. Otherwise they are $1. That’s IN Canada.
...

Envious of that bulk discount for a relatively small purchase!! At Christmas we can get a book of national rate 25 stamps (something around that) with one extra free, but that's the only concession - unless you buy over 200 at one time. Because I buy my international stamps 20 or 30 at a time, the clerks always assume it's for business and offer me a receipt. My budget certainly doesn't stretch to €258 up front to buy enough for a discount!

[Skippet]

My sister was whining about the U.S. postage increase today until I pointed out to her that the increase will only cost her $10 for every 1,000 cards or letters she sends out. It will take her years before it financially impacts her even the slightest bit.

[bjeans]

At the (U.S.) post office the other day I was buying pretty/cool looking stamps, asked if they were forever stamps and was told all stamps they sell now are forever stamps.

[bjeans]

Originally Posted by Redeemed

Thanks for this info! I just emailed my family to tell them about this, and told them this is one reason that I *need* to read the message boards. I really can't understand why USPS doesn't give us a postcard with these changes in our mailbox that they come to every day! That's just wrong.

Like someone else said, that would be a huge cost: they deliver to roughly 156.1 million locations!


It's announced in newspapers, on line, and best of all... here! : )

[Mrs Noofy]

Originally Posted by Maryannla

And in Denmark, where I live, the cheapest letter to be sent in land is what´ll be 5$ if we need it to go straight out, and we can mail it for about 3$ if it´s okay it takes from 7 to 10 days to get through to reciever inside this tiny country, so please don´t complaint too much, we´re very envious on your prices here.

Holy Cow!! That is a real 'kick-in-the-pants' ! You will never hear me complain again..honest!!!

[cnsteele]

Originally Posted by Skippet

My sister was whining about the U.S. postage increase today until I pointed out to her that the increase will only cost her $10 for every 1,000 cards or letters she sends out. It will take her years before it financially impacts her even the slightest bit.

Brilliant! I never thought of it in those terms before. I don't care that postage went up, but a couple family members have complained. Your response shows what a small thing this really is.

[Rebecca Ednie]

Wow, Denmark is crazy! Is that because it’s a small country? Or are the deliberately encouraging electronic vs snail mail?

Anyway, I just bought 10 USA stamps and 10 international. Cost me $41.81 CAD. I’ll use that up in about 6 weeks. Maybe 4 or 5.

[tweetygirl]

Actually, it does cost $1.00 to send a card in Canada. To send one from Canada to the US is more. I don't know the actual amount at the moment but my husband sends things to the US regularly. So I DO know what I am talking about. Not trying to be mean, just correcting an error.

[harvestmoon]

Ladyhawke, they do have another choice. It's got 8 tiny top hats that look like flags. Doesn't go well with my blue airplane LOVE stamps!

[grateful2bsaved]

Originally Posted by harvestmoon

Sky Nacho. I clicked on your links, but I see that those 2 ounce stamps are not Forever stamps, so if I bought today, I will need to add 1 cent more by January 22nd. BOOO. I will look for 2 ounce stamps after they reprint with the new amount. No, I'll probably go buy some more Forever stamps for 49cents then add the penguin.

Ugh! I hate the penguin stamp! I buy pretty stamps, try to decorate the envelope, then have to ruin it all by sticking that darn penguin stamp on there. I even bought shark stamps because those seemed to go with penguins more than anything else the PO had at the time. lol

[lynnewithane]

I used to go in the post office and ask what pretty stamps they had. DH thought I was crazy. He says it’s a tax. Just use the flag stamp, and be done with it. Me, I still like pretty stamps.

[grateful2bsaved]

Me, too!

[canada goose]

Originally Posted by tweetygirl

Actually, it does cost $1.00 to send a card in Canada. To send one from Canada to the US is more. I don't know the actual amount at the moment but my husband sends things to the US regularly. So I DO know what I am talking about. Not trying to be mean, just correcting an error.

i sent Christmas cards to u.s. this year from Canada which was up from last year.this year $1.20

It is crazy when po says less people sending cards...maybe it’s because the postage keeps going up. Then they brag about how many more parcels they are processing.and cry they are loosing money and want to cut back delivery again to 4 times a week!

[uncbballfan]

I have dear friends in Canada so I think it's well worth the extra postage to send them a card.

Plus I pay extra for my Forever stamps here because I buy the ones that benefit Alzheimer's research. I wish my mother would have been able to benefit from that research. Just like I benefitted from breast cancer research (I'm a 16 year plus survivor.) Since the breast cancer awareness stamp was issued in 1998, it has raised over $87 million to help fund research. The breast cancer stamp was reissued in 2014, so it's still available also.


OK, off my soapbox.

[Julie Gerbitz]

Before they came out with Forever stamps - I got so mad at the 1-cent increase every year that I went in and bought $10 worth of one cent stamps (1000). THEN they came out with the Forever stamps.
I still have 700 1-cent stamps left. Maybe I'll collage something with them.

[mcw519]

I have lived in countries where the post office officials had to be bribed to even accept a letter to be mailed and there was no guarantee the letter would be delivered. The USA has one of the best, safest, most reliable postal systems there is. Yes, this is my opinion. I believe it is fact.
Whether it is for sympathy or happiness and joy, sending a hand-made cards is well worth the price of the USPS first class postage. The price of everything keeps going up. In my area, gasoline just jumped eight cents a gallon. A penny increase in postage seems okay.