Because of my eBay business, I ship a LOT of packages every month. I pack and prepare them; while Steve weighs them, posts them, and drops them off at the post office each morning. We have watched postage prices climb numerous times throughout the eleven years we have been at this. Come Monday morning, May 11th, a stamp hike will take effect yet again. This is the fifth time the price of a letter stamp has been increased in the last ten years; climbing from .33 cents in 1999 to .44 cents in 2009.





The USPS says that the postage increase is essential, as they just ended the fiscal second quarter on March 31 with a net loss of $1.9 billion. Postmaster John Potter said that “the economic recession has been tough on the mailing industry, and we have seen an unprecedented decline in mail volumes and revenue.” In the second quarter, the Postal Service said that its mail volume totaled 43.8 billion pieces, down 7.5 billion pieces, or 14.7%, compared to a year earlier.





To save a little money, be sure to stock up on Forever stamps before Monday. A Forever stamp is a perpetual stamp that never expires of declines in value and is valid for first class postage no matter what the rate.





You can learn more about the price increases here.