https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/05/28/usps-rate-hike-stamps/

"Package services and non-mailing products recorded some of the highest increases. Media and library mail went from $3.71 to $4.11, a 40-cent bump."

Can't wait to see how many people drop out of PBS because of this stupidity.

If you don't subscribe to the Washington Post, here is another article on the proposed increase. https://about.usps.com/newsroom/national-releases/2021/0528-usps-proceeds-with-request-for-postal-rate-change.htm

But Media Mail isn't $3.71 now. At least, not for the first pound.

If the price increase get the approval, I will stock up on stamps before August 29.  

Just found out that media mail will increase by 12%.

Dejoy became Postmaster General 6/15/20.  There has been 1 postage increase since then, on 1/24/21.

Brennan was Postmaster beginning 2/1/15.  There were 6 postage increases during her tenure of 5+ years.

Donahoe preceded her beginning on 1/14/11.  There were 5 postage increases during his 4 years.

Potter was before that starting on 6/1/01.  There were 6 postage increases during his 10 years.

It's Dejoy's fault that prices continue to go up.  Right.

I know we live in a culture where we have to find someone to blame.  Maybe we should revisit that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Postmaster_General

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_United_States_postage_rates

The price of an individual stamp is increasing from $0.55 per stamp to $0.58, so a book of stamps will cost an extra $0.60.

The price change will become official on August 29th, so if you plan on sending holiday cards, you may want to quickly stock up on stamps. 

And it looks like that’s not the only increase. The postal service website reports some other changes as well, including:

• First-Class Mail Metered Letters: $0.51 to $0.53 (a $0.02 increase)

• First-Class Mail Domestic Postcards: $0.36 to $0.40 (a $0.04 increase)

• First-Class Mail Single-Piece Flats: $1.00 to $1.16 (a $0.16 increase)

• Outbound International Letters: $1.20 to $1.30 (a $0.10 increase)

However, this price hike comes with a catch: not only will mail be more expensive, but it will also be even slower. 

I wouldn't mind price increases so much *if* DeJoy (and yes, I said DeJoy, and yes, I do blame him, and yes, that is based on facts) hadn't purposely slowed down service so dramatically.  

And now this:

UPDATE 1-U.S. Postal Service proposes some temporary holiday shipping price hikes

https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-postal-service/update-1-u-s-postal-service-proposes-some-temporary-holiday-shipping-price-hikes-idUSL1N2PH1Y5

My media mail package with 2 trade size and 2 kids' Scholastic very lightweight paperback books went out today from PO. Cost me $4.01. Which doesnt match up with any of the charts. 

That is weird, 4.01 does not match any retail pricing. What did the receipt say they charged you for? 

If the books were over 2 pounds even by just a little, the up to 3 pounds rate would be charged as the books were mailed before the rate change on the 29th

"DeJoy unveiled a plan in March to cut $160 billion in predicted losses over the next decade with the changes in service standards a key part.

Separately, USPS will raise prices of first-class postage stamps to 58 cents from 55 cents starting Aug. 29. Price hikes are needed because over the past decade, mail volume has declined by 46 billion pieces, or 28%, while single piece first-class mail declined 47%, USPS said.

In April, USPS said 138 new package processing sorters would be operational ahead of the 2021 peak holiday season. It also leased 45 additional annex facilities near processing centers in key locations to support surges and overflow of packages."

It did take some time sorting out (no pun intended)  considering the 25 year debacle in the making since the mid 90's that each administration continued to ignore, and it seems things went quite well this year for everyone I know. The extra processing centers were worth the costs and working together with fed ex and UPS kept things moving.  The only thing that has proved difficult for us here is that the new blue boxes do not accept anything other than letters. 

This has been an issue of discussion since 2013, so I'm not sure all of what DeJoy is at fault for, since it was under the Obama Admin that, atleast here on the East Coast, they were pushing for the removal of a good portion of the blues.  Since 2014 they had to count the number of outgoing letters picked up each day from the one closest to Me.  Eventually they compromised on keeping more of the blues than originally planned but changing what they could accept, no more dropping off PBS Media mail in ours.  Each region had different issues and likely solutions.

Watching the tracking this year compared to last has been interesting.  There has been some sporatic delays and work a rounds due to illness and lack of flights but nothing like last year when we had entire departments out sick and flights cancelled up and down the eastern seaboard. Last years Holiday season debacle was the typical fall out of when a situation that is disfunctional and behind the times is ignored long past the time when it should.  Eventually an out dated system comes up against an emergency and the lack of proper maintenance becomes evident. 

It's more lack of proper planning than ill will, but whomever is put in charge of fixing a problem needs to have thick skin because one could have the best plan but there will be competing interests and unhappy people regardless. But by that point, the people responsible for the mismanagement are generally dead or long since retired. At least nothing was broken this year. 

another price increase starting in July 2022; just saw the announcement on the national news; 

U.S. Postal Service Announces New Prices for 2022 - Newsroom - About.usps.com

Thank you again, Nancy for the heads up. At a time when snail mail should be encouraged it's sadly not thanks to the increases :( 

Extra appreciation to those of you who do send snail mail out still. 

But does this mean that at least media mail prices are not incresing in July?  I did not see media mail rates listed.

it was not mentioned about media mail. it just mentioned first class and that the intention is for USPS to increase rates EVERY 6 months till further notice. Every Jan & July. my guess is when rates increased in Jan for media & priority that July would be when other classes of mail would be increased. 

I asked my local rural postmaster and she said she usually finds out at the same time the public gets notified. so she is always surprised at the same time. She also informed me that a huge number of USPS employees over the last 2yrs with covid have Retired or Quit, leaving a shortage to work and not enough people appling to fill all the empty positions. Like all other job markets are going thru too. It's pennies in increases but those add up to dollars in the long term. 

it's also interesting when USPS spokes person says 'rates have to increase because people are using mail services less with online bill pay.' then companies say 'pay your bills online cause USPS is too slow to get to us on time'.  So that old saying; "Lost in the mail" when your bill is late won't work anymore. 

I have heard media mail rates are going up in July but I have been unable to find the details. USPS points to the spot on their website where they normally upload the rate increase files, but they just aren't there yet... 

If you plan on sending packages through the U.S. Postal Service this holiday season, prepare to pay a bit more in postage. The agency announced plans for a temporary price increase during the peak holiday season.  The temporary rates will go into effect on Oct. 2 and run until Jan. 22, 2023.  

Both commercial and retail domestic shippers will be affected. The prices for packages shipped via Priority Mail Express and Priority Mail could increase by anywhere from 25 cents to more than $6.

Those using First-Class Package Service, Parcel Select and USPS Retail Ground can also expect to pay more to ship their packages.

The Post Office said the temporary price increase will keep the agency competitive with other shippers — many of which also typically add surcharges during peak seasons — and help cover the extra costs that are anticipated during the peak holiday season.

The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

The United States Postal Service is planning to increase the price of Forever Stamps from their current cost of 60¢ to 63¢ effective on January 22, 2023.  In addition, USPS is proposing to increase the cost of metered letters, postcards, and international mail.

The proposed Mailing Services price changes include:

I stocked up on Forever stamps yesterday. I was disappointed though that they had no Christmas stamps available. 

Finally ordered my Christmas stamps online and they are being shipped as I write this, yay!

Reminder to buy extra stamps and send anything that requires extra postage by this weekend. The increase starts on Sunday. 

is media mail going up also

2023 Postage Price Changes (usps.com)

as patterns go with history @ USPS the last few years, expect other mail to increase in July 2023. it's first class in Jan then other classes of mail in July. Then the holiday rates in Oct thru Dec. 3 times a year the changes take place at USPS. progress and profits pretty much in every business.  

Oh. crapola! The prices went up again. I just noticed it as I was mailing a book with postage from another site.