Latest Breaking News

Omaha Steve

(105,291 posts) Wed Apr 9, 2025, 06:28 PM Apr 9

US Postal Service seeks to hike cost of a first-class stamp to 78 cents

Source: AP

Updated 4:19 PM CDT, April 9, 2025

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Postal Service is seeking a rate increase this summer that includes hiking the cost of a first-class stamp from 73 cents to 78 cents.

The request was made Wednesday to the Postal Regulatory Commission, which must OK the proposal. If approved, the 5-cent increase for a “forever” stamp and similar increases for postcards, metered letters and international mail would take effect July 13.

The proposed changes would raise mailing services product prices approximately 7.4%.

The Postal Service contends, as it did last year when it enacted a similar increase, that it’s needed to achieve financial stability.

Read more: https://apnews.com/article/price-of-a-stamp-increase-post-office-usps-0afe8e82a4c9a7df95e78efe33cb0c6c

8 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

US Postal Service seeks to hike cost of a first-class stamp to 78 cents (Original Post) Omaha Steve Apr 9 OP

And at that, postage stamps are a huge bargain in this country. PoindexterOglethorpe Apr 9 #1

About $2.15 in the UK now muriel_volestrangler Apr 9 #2

When I lived in Germany in the 80's Postage Stamps were 2 DM or about $1.25 Jacson6 Apr 9 #5

If you look deeper, it is an even better deal. Most European countries charge higher rates to other Wonder Why Apr 9 #7

Exactly. And thank you for clarifying what I was PoindexterOglethorpe Apr 10 #8

Are they going to claim it's because of the tariffs? RoadRunner Apr 9 #3

When did it go to 73 cents? maxsolomon Apr 9 #4

Last July IronLionZion Apr 9 #6

PoindexterOglethorpe

(27,766 posts)

1. And at that, postage stamps are a huge bargain in this country.

Reply to Omaha Steve (Original post)

Wed Apr 9, 2025, 06:31 PM

Apr 9

A quick search gives the average stamp cost in Europe as about $1.75 US.

muriel_volestrangler

(103,479 posts)

2. About $2.15 in the UK now

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 9, 2025, 06:35 PM

Apr 9

(£1.70) Under the new Royal Mail owned by a Czech billionaire.

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/apr/03/royal-mail-takeover-deal-czech-billionaire-finalised-daniel-kretinsky

Jacson6

(1,155 posts)

5. When I lived in Germany in the 80's Postage Stamps were 2 DM or about $1.25

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 9, 2025, 07:31 PM

Apr 9

Sending a package was very expensive even with the DHL private service.

Wonder Why

(5,539 posts)

7. If you look deeper, it is an even better deal. Most European countries charge higher rates to other

Reply to PoindexterOglethorpe (Reply #1)

Wed Apr 9, 2025, 09:27 PM

Apr 9

European countries than the do within their own country. That's like the USPS charging higher rates from NY to Delaware than within NY. We get a huge bargain in that the same rate applies between Bangor, ME and Hawaii, Alaska and California as it does within Maine. So instead of just putting the mail on a train, one gets a letter flown thousands of miles and delivered to a mailbox for the same price as sending a birthday card to a neighbor.

We pay less and our lower price is good for far more territory than the whole continent of Europe.