Cost of mailing it in is going up
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The U.S. Postal Service will leave 50-cent forever stamps behind Jan. 27, increasing their price by 5 cents.
Though 2019 post office price changes vary by mailing service, the fees rolling out the last Sunday of the month will increase by 2.5 percent.
The most notable changes:
❚ First-class mail letter (1 ounce) will go up to 55 cents: The nickel increase is the largest percentage rise since 1991, when postage increased
from 25 to 29 cents.
❚ Additional letter ounce costs will decrease: Each additional ounce will drop from 21 cents to 15 cents. Mailing a
2-ounce letter, a wedding invitation’s typical weight, will cost 70 cents instead of 71 cents.
❚ Postcard rates will remain the same: Mailing a postcard will run travelers 35 cents.
❚ Priority Mail prices will jump: A small box that previously cost $7.20 will rise to $7.90, while a medium box will jump from $13.65 to $14.35.
❚ Priority Mail Express fees will in
crease: Those looking to ship an envelope ASAP can expect to pay $25.50 instead of $24.70.
The Postal Service lost $3.9 billion in 2018, attributing the losses to drops in mail volume and the costs of pensions and health care.
It was the 12th year in a row the agency reported a loss despite growth in package shipping.
Taxes do not fund the agency. The USPS runs on the sale of its products and services.
“We will take all appropriate actions within our control to ensure that we can continue to fulfill our primary mission to provide prompt, reliable and efficient service to American businesses and consumers in all communities in our country,” Postmaster General and CEO Megan Brennan said in a statement.
In December 2017, President Donald Trump criticized the USPS via Twitter, suggesting shipping costs were too low.
“Why is the United States Post Office, which is losing many billions of dollars a year, while charging Amazon and others so little to deliver their packages, making Amazon richer and the Post Office dumber and poorer?” Trump tweeted. “Should be charging MUCH MORE!”
For more information about the postal price changes, go online to USPS.com.